Vegan celebrities 2024: 66 stars share why they went vegan (2024)

Not one to miss out on a trend, celebrities around the world are going vegan! Here are the ethical vegan celebrities who are inspiring change and making the world a kinder place.

Veganism was once considered a fringe movement but is now firmly in the mainstream thanks in part to vegan celebrities. Inspired by environmental and ethical concerns, people from all walks of life are adopting a plant-based diet.

Vegans once struggled to find a platform to share their views. But thanks to vegan celebrities sharing the positive benefits of their plant-based diets, millions of fans have been inspired to give veganism a try.

Reaching audiences of millions via social media, the rising number of plant-based celebrities and vegans celebrities has helped to reach new audiences like never before. It’s official, Hollywood is going vegan thanks to these vegan celebrities!

1. Moby

One of the most high-profile vegan celebrities who has been vegan since 1987 is American musician and animal advocate Moby.

The musical legend first cut meat from his diet aged 19 thanks to his beloved pet cat Tucker.

Following an epiphany, Mobytold Rolling Stone he realised he “would do anything to protect him and make him happy and keep him from harm.”

Recognising that he had “an amazing brain and an incredibly rich emotional life”, he questioned why he would continue to eat other animals too.

He said:“I would never in a trillion years think of hurting this cat. So why am I eating other animals who have four (or two) legs, two eyes, amazing brains, and rich emotional lives?”

In 1987, Moby decided that he no longer wanted to contribute to animal suffering and realised so gave up all animal products and became a vegan.

More recently, the artist gave a TEDx Talk at Venice Beach titled ‘Why I’m A Vegan’ to discuss the cognitive dissonance of eating meat.

Sharing his passion for vegan food, Moby opened vegan restaurant Little Pine in 2015 in Los Angeles and donated all profits to animal rights organisations.

Moby proudly lets the world know he is vegan for life with a number of vegan tattoos on his arms and neck, inked by celebrity tattoo artist and former vegan, Kat Von D.

2. Joaquin Phoenix

Vegan actor Joaquin Phoenix doesn’t let the pressures of Hollywood stand in his way of spreading the vegan message. The actor hit the headlines in February 2020 with his powerful Oscar’s acceptance speech slamming the cruel dairy industry.

Taking to the stage, Phoenix urged people to adopt a plant-based diet to lessen the suffering of farmed animals.

“We’ve become very disconnected from the natural world,” he warned the star-studded audience.

He also questioned why “we feel entitled to artificially inseminate a cow and steal her baby, even though her cries of anguish are unmistakable.”

The actor has been vegan since he was 3 years old after he and his siblings “witnessed fish being killed in a really violent and aggressive way.”

As well as featuring in a number of vegan billboard ads for PETA, he also attends protests and vigils. In fact,just hours after winning an Academy Award for Best Actor he was seen liberating cows from slaughter.

3. Billie Eilish

Billie Eilis was raised vegetarian before going vegan and uses her time in the spotlight to advocate for veganism. She also regularly uses her platform to share the truth surrounding animal agriculture.

Responding to fans on Tumblr, Billie explained was vegan because she loves animals and wants them to be left alone.

Encouraging her fans to go vegan, she pleaded: “Leave animals alone. Damn.”

In 2018 she took to social media to show her 26 million followers the horrors of an Indiana dairy farm. Expressing her disgust, she questioned how anyone “can watch the videos that I just posted and not give a f—k.”

4. Woody Harrelson

When it comes to vegan celebrities, it’s fair to say that Hollywood actor Woody Harrelson was way ahead of the curve! The Hunger Games star is passionate about animals and the environment and has been vegan for over 30 years.

Many vegan celebrities have credited Harrelson with turning them vegan, including Thandiwe Newton, Sadie Sink and former-vegan Liam Hemsworth.

The actor is friends with vegan chefs and Wicked Healthy founders Derek and Chad Sarno. He has employed Chad as a personal chef on a number of occasions and even wrote the forward for the brothers’ cookbook.

The actor is so passionate about veganism that when starring in Zombieland, he had to eat specially made mock Twinkies made of cornmeal.

Speaking about his vegan lifestyle, Harrelson said: “Becoming vegan was the biggest change I ever made in my life, and one of the greatest accomplishments as well.”

5. Rainn Wilson

Rainn Wilson is worlds away from the meat-loving character he portrayed on The Office, Dwight Shrute, as the star is an animal-loving vegan!

During a 2017 appearance on American talk show, Conan, Wilson revealed his beloved rescue pigs inspired him to go vegan. While eating breakfast, Wilson realised he loved Snortington and Amy more than bacon and so went vegan.

He told Conan O’Brien that he had a revelation one day as he was eating some bacon and “looking at these adorable little pigs”.

Dubbing himself ‘The Fifty Year Old Vegan’ in an Instagram post, Wilson shared the positive health benefits he had enjoyed since going vegan. He told his 2.5 million fans: “I noticed that I had more energy! I was sleeping better and deeper.”

6. Evanna Lynch

Harry Potter star and vegan podcast host Evanna Lynch has said that being vegan was always in her nature. The actress stopped eating meat at 11 years old as she was “viscerally repelled by the idea of eating animal flesh”.

Lynch said that before turning vegan in 2014 she was in “cloud cuckooland eating my ice-cream and imagining that the cows were having a grand old time in the open fields.”

It wasn’t until she read the bookEating Animalsthat her eyes were opened to the violence inherent in the process of eggs and milk production.

As well as hosting The Chickpeeps podcast, Evanna has also launched her own vegan beauty subscription box for cruelty-free beauty fans.

7. Stevie Wonder

Image credit: Ringo Chiu/AFP via Getty Images

Legendary musician Stevie Wonder, who has scooped up an impressive 25 Grammy Awards to date, made the decision to go vegan in 2016 for both health and environmental reasons.

Discussing the benefits of his vegan diet, Wonder said: “I’ve been a vegan for two years, so that’s helped my already good-looking self. I think that eating healthy is important.”

The superstar regularly discusses his vegan lifestyle, even singing a vegan jingle with James Corden on The Late Late Show with James Cordenin 2017.

Stevie is passionate about spreading the vegan message in order to safeguard the future of our planet. He said: “We have to be about making our planet more greener, the urban areas more sustainable for the children.

“We can’t just talk about it, we have to be about it,” he added.

8. Elliot Page

Actor Elliot Page, best known for his role in iconic teen comedy Juno, has been a vegan for a decade. Dubbed the ‘World’s Sexiest Vegan’ by PETA in 2014, the star is an ethical vegan.

The actor has previously spoken out about the injustices facing farmed animals. In 2011, he tweeted his 1.8million followers to ask why people make fun of vegans.

Sharing his confusion, he questioned why the “inhumane factory farming process regards animals and the natural world merely as commodities to be exploited.”

Why are vegans made fun of while the inhumane factory farming process regards animals and the natural world merely… http://fb.me/tZtED9Dy

— Elliot Page (@TheElliotPage) March 15, 2011

9. Lewis Hamilton

Seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton has been vegan since 2017. The British racing legend adopted a plant-based diet to aid with his athletic performance and help the environment.

Keen to make the fast-food industry a kinder, greener place, Hamilton has even opened a chain of vegan burger restaurants, Neat Burger.

Neat Burgeropened the doors to itsfirst restaurant just off Regent Street in London last year and has since opened a second branch in Camden Market.

Lewis isn’t the only vegan in his family either as his beloved bulldog Roscoe has also been feeling healthier since switching to a vegan diet.

His furry companion has suffered from health issues in the past which are common amongst the breed. As a result of his vegan diet, Roscoe’s life has been transformed for the better.

Delightedly sharing the good news, Hamilton wrote: “He’s like a puppy again! It’s been amazing to see these changes in Roscoe and I’m so grateful to be able to share this.”

10. Rooney Mara

Rooney Mara has been vegan for almost a decade after ditching animal products in 2011, having eaten a vegetarian diet on and off since she was nine.

Speaking to Coveteur in 2018 about the reasons why she went vegan, Mara revealed a disturbing video was the catalyst.

“About seven years ago, someone sent me this horrible undercover video of a pig, which led me to another horrible video and another horrible video. I went down the YouTube rabbit hole,” she said.

After finding it difficult to find stylish combat boots that weren’t made from leather, Mara co-founded Hiraeth. The vegan clothing line aims to prove that vegan clothing can be stylish without the use of animal materials.

Alongside her clothing line, Mara also narrated the vegan documentary Dominion with her partner and fellow vegan, Joaquin Phoenix.

The vegan power couple recently announced that they are teaming up with Cowspiracy filmmaker to executive produce a new documentary, The End of Medicine.

This feature-length documentary focuses on ‘how our treatment of the natural world and the animals within it contribute significantly to the spread of infectious disease and antimicrobial resistance.’

11. Ricky Gervais

Photo © Nicholas Hunt via Getty Images

Following years of speculation, comedian Ricky Gervais finally confirmed he’s vegan during an appearance on Jimmy Fallon’s iconic Tonight Show.

For years the comedian has become renowned for his animal rights advocacy, and during the segment he answered a series of debatable questions from the host that revealed he was actually vegan.

Fallon asked the actor: “If you had to be a cannibal, who would you eat [from the Beatles]?”

Gervais assertively responded with: “Well I’m vegan so it’s even worse for me. I wouldn’t.”

Fallon laughed: “What about Paul McCartney? He’s vegan.”

“Well, that doesn’t make any difference if you eat someone who’s vegan, you’re still eating meat, aren’t you?” Gervais replied.

The pair continued with the comedic debate before Gervais concluded the questions with: “Well I’d rather not eat anyone!”

Prior to his announcement, had been synonymous with animal welfare activism for many years, often using his social media platform to spread awareness of animal cruelty.

In the summer of 2021, the actor even initiated a campaign calling for the end of a series of ‘disturbing’ fake animal rescue videos on YouTube.Additionally, Gervais joined forces with Humane Society in 2021 to star in the animated short Save Ralph.

12. Pamela Anderson

Former Baywatch star Pamela Anderson is a proud vegan and longtime animal rights activist. Pamela has been vegan for over 30 years, making her one of the OG vegan celebrities in Hollywood.

PETA named Anderson its 2016 Person of the Year for her efforts to encourage vegan eating and animal activism.

Regularly collaborating with the animal rights organisation, Pamela has appeared in multiple campaigns encouraging people to go vegan.

The star regularly tweets about animal protection issues to over a million Twitter followers and even opened a vegan pop-up restaurant in France.

13. Alan Cumming

X-Men and James Bond actor Alan Cumming has been vegan for around 12 years and regularly teams up with animal rights group PETA to promote its campaigns.

Speaking about the positive effects on his health since being vegan, Cumming said: “When I stopped and became vegan my skin cleared up.

“I feel much better, I feel I’ve got more energy, I feel cleaner, I feel younger because I’m not asking my body to cope with things that it’s not necessarily good with coping at.”

14. Sia Furler

Photo by Attila Kisbenedek/AFP via Getty Images

Famously private Australian singer Sia revealed that she was vegan in a tweet in 2014 when a vegan restaurant owner invited her to come and visit his restaurant.

Having followed a vegetarian diet for many years prior, the songstress has joined forces with animal rights organisation PETA in the past to campaign to help end animal homelessness.

15. Peter Dinklage

Photo credit: Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images

Famed for his role as Tyrion Lannister in the hit show Game of Thrones, actor Peter Dinklage was a vegetarian for 15 years before deciding to go vegan in 2014.

A staunch animal-rights activist, Dinklage has appeared in several PETA campaigns over the years such as the Face Your Food video. In the video, Dinklage revealed the ugly truth behind the meat, egg, and dairy industries.

The star also warned fans that dogs are a lifetime commitment amid the deadly “direwolf trend”. GOT fans were inspired to purchase their own ‘direwolves’ by the show, leading to a shocking rise in the number of abandoned huskies at animal shelters.

Photo © Shirlaine Forrest via Getty Images

Wu-Tang Clan frontman RZA, aka Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, is a long-term vegan who quit eating red meat in 1995 before ditching poultry and fish in 1996 and 1997 respectively.

Speaking about his vegan lifestyle in a podcast with Joe Rogan, RZA said he was proud to have been able to pass the vegan message onto his sons, who he said are both examples of how you can be strong and healthy while eating a vegan diet.

He revealed to Rogan, “I look at my household as a living example that you don’t need [animal products] to live.”

RZA’s journey to veganism wasn’t an easy one however, as growing up he loved to tuck into poultry dishes likelike turkey and chicken wings.

But in 1996, he realised that his beloved wings were once living creatures, explaining: “I could knock back about 30 chicken wings. On the 29th chicken wing, my teeth hit the bone. My mind said: dead bird,” he explained.

He told himself, “‘you in New York City with all these pigeons flying around, and here you are, supposed to be an intelligent human being and you eating on a dead bird.’ I was like, that sounds pretty stupid to me. I never ate it again.”

17. Mayim Bialik

Actress and star of The Big Bang Theory, Mayim Bialik, is a long-term vegan who regularly uses her celebrity status to advocate for the animals.

Bialik has shared many videos on her YouTube channel explaining her reasons for being vegan, as well as offering advice on how to raise happy and healthy vegan children.

Bialik first cut meat from her diet aged 19, but took the plunge and went vegan after reading Jonathan Safran Foer’s 2009 book, Eating Animals.

Keen to share the benefits of veganism, Mayim has even published her own vegan cookbook, Mayim’s Vegan Table, with over 100 family-friendly plant-based recipes.

18. Fearne Cotton

Celebrity TV presenter Fearne Cotton said going vegan was ‘energizing’ and ‘not as hard’ as she thought. The star revealed she has gone vegan in an episode of The Chickpeeps Podcast, hosted byHarry Potterstar Evanna Lynch.

Fearne said that she stopped eating meat aged 11 after watching a distressing news show on the transportation of animals. However, she said she ‘hadn’t even heard’ of veganism at this time as the movement was still in its infancy.

With veganism becoming mainstream in recent years, Fearne became interested in removing animal products from her diet and decided to ditch them entirely.

“I incrementally became vegan,”Cotton said. “The last thing to go – because I was never a big dairy fan anyway – was eggs.

“It was about a year and a half ago that I just went ‘that’s it, no more eggs. Goodbye eggs.’ And it’s been amazing. It hasn’t been as hard as I thought at all.”

The presenter was asked by podcast host Evanna whether ethical considerations came into play in her decision to adopt a plant-based diet.

Fearne replied: “I think I just wanted to go full hog vegan and really kind of live and breathe that experience and not buy any new leather products.

“Now, I always try and buy either just non-leather products or shoes like Dr. Martens that do great vegan shoes.”

In 2019, the TV host released her first vegan cookbook packed full of family-friendly recipes.

19. Colin Kaepernick

It will probably come as no surprise to hear that one of the US’s most well-known football players, Colin Kaepernick, is a vegan. After all, the sports star and activist has his to honour his fight forracial justice.

Kaepernick revealed in 2016 that he had been vegan for nine months after making the switch with his longtime girlfriend, Nessa Diab, in order to help him recover from injuries sustained in his career.

The vegan athlete received a lot of criticism for his decision to go vegan, with many doubting that it would help him recover. Proving them all wrong, Kaepernick bounced back stronger than ever, sharing a gym selfie highlighting his muscular physique alongside the caption, “Always ready #NotBadForAVegan.”

20. Sadie Sink

Stranger Things star Sadie Sink credits Hollywood-legend Woody Harrelson for showing her that going vegan ‘totally doable’. Sink met veteran vegan Harrelson five years ago whilst filming The Glass Castle and was inspired to go vegan after spending time with his family.

Sinkexplained, “He’s a very passionate vegan and his entire family is vegan as well, so by spending time with them, I was able to learn that a vegan lifestyle is totally doable and it’s not as hard as it may seem.”

Before meeting Harrelson Sadie followed a vegetarian diet. But after discovering the horrors of the egg and dairy industries, she decided“That’s it! Going vegan!” and cut out animal products immediately.

21. Leona Lewis

Leona teamed up with Fur Free Britain to campaign for a UK fur sales ban. Photo © Fur Free Britain

British singer Leona Lewis was actually raised in a vegan household! As a result, she has always been conscious of her dietary choices. She turned vegetarian at the age of 12 saying it was a “natural choice”, but went fully vegan in 2012.

The talented star has been a trustee at Hopefield animal sanctuary in Essex for eleven years. The X-Factor winner regularly takes to social media to raises awareness about the sanctuary and animal welfare.

Lewis even had a fully vegan wedding when she tied the knot with husband Dennis Jaunch in 2019, according to her dessert chef, Marco Failla.

Marco told Hello! Magazine that the entire wedding menu was vegan. “Of course everything was vegan and without artificial flavours,” Marco said.

22. Lucy Watson

Made in Chelsea star Lucy Watson went vegan after watching the hard-hitting documentary, Cowspiracy. According to the star, “everything changed” when she found how the truth about the cruel dairy and egg industries.

Watson explained that after coming to that realisation “it just didn’t make sense for me to continue to eat dairy, as an animal lover!”

A keen cook, Lucy has released two best-selling vegan cookbooks and a line of vegan ready-meals and desserts. The vegan actress and model also owns vegan restaurant Tell Your Friends in London with her sister Tiffany.

Image credit: Steven Ferdman via Getty Images

Legendary musician Joan Jett and frontwoman for Joan Jett & the Blackhearts has been advocating for animals since the 80s, working with numerous animal rights organisations over the years to help end animal suffering.

She first started following a strict vegetarian diet in the 80s after realising there was no difference between the animals she was eating and her beloved dog.

Explaining her decision to give up meat in an interview with The Guardian in 2010, Jett said: “Twenty years ago I thought: ‘What’s the difference between eating a bloody steak and killing my dog, slitting him open and roasting him?’ I’ve always loved animals but it was around the late 80s that I realised I had to go vegetarian.”

Jett later turned turned vegan after being inspired by John Robbin’s book, Diet For a New America, which she said got her “thinking about slaughterhouses all day long.”

Disturbed by learning about the realities of animal farming, Jett said she isn’t “dogmatic” about being vegan, but likes to “promote it at a healthy level through Peta [People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals] or through small talk” to encourage others to go vegan too.

24. Thandiwe Newton

Star Wars actress Thandiwe Newton was just one of many vegan celebrities who count Woody Harrelson as their inspiration for going vegan!

While promoting the movie she starred alongside Harrelson in, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Thandiwe said she enjoyed having a vegan on the set.

“I think it’s good to have a vegan in the mix. [Good to have] a vegan in a position of power. I have been vegan since working with Woody,” the actress revealed.

Telling the interviewer how long she had been a vegan, she added: “The last four months, it’s been four months. It hasn’t done anything to my brain, I’m absolutely fine.”

Photo credit: Loic Venanace/AFP via Getty Images

Spiderman star Tobey Maguire has been a vegetarian since 1992 and a vegan since 2009.

“I’ve never had any desire to eat meat. In fact, when I was a kid I would have a really difficult time eating meat at all,” he toldParade.

While filming The Great Gatsby, Maguire even returned a hire car with leather seats. Instead, the actor requested one with a cruelty-free interior.

Actress Natalie Portman also claims that Maguire inspired her to go vegan in 2008 after starring in the movie Brothers together.

26. Bryan Adams

Music Bryan Adams has been vegan since 1989 and regularly shares his passion for vegan food and fashion to his fans on social media.

In an Instagram post, Adams revealed that he “stopped eating animals including fish when I was 28 and I’ve never looked back.”

The long-term vegan added that he was excited to “see the change that is happening as people embrace a more plant based diet.”

Keen to spread the vegan message far and wide,Adam’s encourages his fans to go vegan on his social media accounts, saying: “If you want to see your health improve and you care about the planet, go vegan”.

Unlike many vegan celebrities, Adams’ love for animals is the reason he first turned vegan and has remained a vocal supporter for over 33 years.

In fact, Adams told PETA that his life’s motto was “If you love animals, don’t eat them.” We couldn’t agree more!

27. Mýa

R&B singer Mýa credits her plant-based diet for her youthful appearance. In a post, she said:“I would definitely recommend [a vegan diet] in every possible way.

Mýa went vegan to test her willpower but stuck to it after learning the truth about factory farming and the dairy industry.

Speaking to PETA, Mýa praised the “wonders” that eating vegan has done for her skin, body, and overall health.

Encouraging fans give it a try, she said anyone wanting to “see a huge difference in your life” should go vegan. The singer has even released a free online guide to help fans to transition to a vegan lifestyle.

28. Madelaine Petsch

When it comes to vegan celebrities, few can claim they’ve been vegan since birth. But Madelaine Petsch is one who can!

The Riverdale star was raised in a vegan household eating fresh produce grown in her family’s garden.

“I was lucky to grow up with two incredibly environmentally-aware parents, who ingrained these thoughts in me,” Petsch told Elle.

The eco-conscious loves to show her fans how fun a sustainable vegan lifestyle can be. “I want to teach people how positive and easy it is to be vegan”, she said.

On her YouTube channel, Petsch can be seen making delicious vegan recipes, including cinnamon rolls. What better way to show the benefits of going vegan than by showing off some tasty food!

29. Alicia Silverstone

Few vegan celebrities have been vegan as long as Clueless star Alicia Silverstone who went vegan in 1998. Questioning why she continued to eat animals when she loved her pet dog, she made the decision to go vegan.

“I just took a look at my dog and said, ‘If I’m not willing to eat you, how can I continue to eat these other creatures that have the same desire to live, are just as funny, just as cute as my dogs?'” she told Oprah.

Now, Alicia is a passionate animal activist who is raising her son as a vegan. The actress has even posed nude for a PETA campaign, claiming she would “rather go naked than wear wool.”

30. Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman credits Tobey Maguire as her inspiration for going vegan in 2008. She said: “I was around Tobey Maguire in rehearsals and he’s vegan and I was eating this energy bar, which was really nice.

31. Daisy Ridley

The vegan movement is even mainstream in galaxies far, far away as Star Wars actress Daisy Ridley is a vegan.

During an interview about The Last Jedi, she praised the vegan options while balancing filming and promoting the film.

Moreover, on this year’s Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer, Daisy cooked with 100% vegan ingredients. She created vegan banoffee-inspired millionaire’s shortbread, a chocolate and raspberry tart and a rather unconventional toilet-shaped cake.

32. Emily Deschanel

Bones actress Emily Deschanel is a fierce vegan advocate, having adopted the lifestyle at just 17.

Her passion for animal welfare is undeniable, helping to raise $1.2 million for animal rights charity Mercy for Animals in 2018.

Speaking on a podcast, she explained her reason for going vegan was driven by the environmental impact of factory farming.

“The impact on the environment that meat and dairy have and that factory farming has on the environment, and what it does to the animals, how horribly they’re kept.

“How horribly they’re treated and killed for us to eat, and then it’s about how it affects our health. It was always the triple-whammy that really affected me”, she explained.

33. Kate Mara

Rooney isn’t the only vegan in the Mara family as Kate Mara is also a vegan too!

According to Mara, she “decided to go vegan after reading a book calledThe Beauty Detox Solution by Kimberly Snyder.”

Since going vegan eight years ago, Mara has found eating a plant-based diet much easier on her digestion.“I’ve always had a pretty sensitive stomach, but when I cut animal products out of my diet, I felt so much better”, toldShape Magazine.

A keen animal activist, Mara also said she felt responsible for making “choices about what I’m putting into my body”.

She added that knowing how animals suffer, she felt she couldn’t “just do whatever I want because something tastes good or something’s convenient.”

34. Ruby Rose

John Wick star Ruby Rose started to question why we eat animals at a young age.

Speaking about a childhood memory that prompted her to go vegan, Rose said: “I used to get something called ‘shark fin soup,’ and I didn’t know. I said to my mom, ‘Wait, is this made out of an actual shark’s fin?’ and she was like, ‘Oh no, darling, of course not.”

Rose when shocked to find out later than the soup did indeed contain shark fins. Sharing her horror at the realisation, she said: “That really scared me.

“I used to have nightmares that they were finless in the ocean and I couldn’t eat any fish ever again”, she recounted.

The Australian-born actress has now been vegan for several years and even won PETA’s Sexiest Vegan Award in 2017.

35. Danielle Brooks

It turns out that Orange Is The New Black star Danielle Brooks is just as compassionate as her character Taystee!

Brooks is an outspoken humanitarian who regularly uses her platform to advocate for minorities and the LGBT community. But in 2017, she told her 2.2 million Instagram followers that she was going vegan too.

Sharing a photo of a delicious tempeh dish, Brookes wrote: “Vegan life! Day nine of the rest of my life??”

36. James Cromwell

James Cromwell had been a vegetarian since the 1970s, but his experience while filming Babeled to him going vegan.

While on set with the animals, he realised he could no longer bring himself to eat them after working closely alongside them.

“I cared about their welfare and then of course you have lunch and it’s all there in front of you. I thought I should go the whole hog, so to speak,” he explained.

Since starring in the movie, Cromwell has teamed up with PETA on a number of campaigns to improve animal welfare.

37. Nathalie Emmanuel

Game of Thrones star Nathalie Emmanuel has been vegan for nine years after trying the diet to see how she felt.

Reminiscing about the beginnings of her vegan diet, Nathalie said the changes she felt were even obvious to others.

“People kept coming up to me and telling me I looked glowy and my eyes looked really bright, so I kept going,” she said.

Now, Nathalie indulges in vegan pancakes as well as veganised Jamaican dishes such as rice and peas with ackee ‘saltfish’.

38. Kevin Smith

Jay and Silent Bob star Kevin Smith went vegan following a heart attack that threatened his life. Realising he needed to make drastic changes to his lifestyle, his daughter Harley Quinn persuaded him to go vegan for two months.

Harley Quinn told New York PostpublicationPage Six,“He’s the healthiest he’s ever been. He’s vegan now, which is amazing.”

Now, the duo host their own vegan podcast where they interview vegan celebrities and answer ‘vegan-curious’ questions from non-vegans wanting to learn more about veganism.

39. Bimini Bon Boulash

It will come as no surprise to fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK to hear that finalist Bimini Bon Boulash is proudly vegan. Upon entering the workroom, the 26-year-old non-binary drag queen announced: “I’m vegan!

“I’m East London’s plant-based princess. I’m like, the most famous vegan in East London because I don’t stop going on about it,” she added.

In the ‘Meet the Queens’ teasers, Bimini told viewers they have been vegan for nearly seven years, joking “I invented veganism about seven years ago.”

The vegan queen is vocal about animal rights on their Instagram. In fact, she even recreated Pamela Anderson’s famous ‘All animals have the same parts’ PETA campaignin a white bikini.

40. Rob Zombie

Metal rocker and filmmaker Rob Zombie has been vegan for almost a decade after he found himself repulsed one day by his breakfast of eggs. He told GQ that he came to the realisation that “This is disgusting and I’m done.”

Zombie had been a vegetarian since he was 18, but said that he “never really liked eating meat”. According to the musician, he believes that: “We’re all brainwashed from the moment we’re born that all the cows are happy and the pigs are happy.”

Rob and his wife Sheri Moon both enjoy a healthy vegan diet full of homegrown fruits and vegetables ‘elaborate salads’. The couple has also opened up their home to a number of rescued animals, including six goats he rescued with the help of PETA.

41. Romesh Ranganathan

British comedian Romesh Ranganathan first cut out meat and went vegetarian when he was 10-years old before turning vegan in 2013.

Speaking in the past,Ranganathan has said the reasonpeople hate vegans is because “they know it’s the right choice”.

Starring in a hilarious video for BBC2 Two, Ranganathan said: “People hate vegans and the reason they hate vegans is because they think we’re humorless, they think we think we’re better than non-vegans, they think we’re always banging on about it, and all of those things are true.

“I am better than you if you’re not vegan. In terms of my ethical decisions, I am so much better than you. I’m better for the planet, I’m better for the animals. There’s nothing worse about me apart from I’m slightly irritating to have round for dinner”, he added.

During an episode of Jamie & Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast, Romesh discussed what led him to go vegan. Check out it below:

Photo credit: Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty Images

Black Eyed Peas singer Willi.i.am first went vegan in 2018 as a way of taking back control of his health after suffering from high cholesterol and high blood pressure,

“After we finished filming [The Voice] in December I went home, I became vegan, I biked to work, and I lost 15 lb,” he explained.

Since then, the rapper has been a vocal advocate for veganism and regularly speaks out about the ethics of killing animals for food, as well as the corruption in the food industry.

Willi.i.am even shared a video to Instagram where he highlighted the importance of a plant-based diet as a form of self-help and self-medication. In the caption, he wrote that vegans were “a group of people taking a hardcore gangster approach to wellness and conscious living.”

43. Travis Barker

Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker has been vegan since 2008 after surviving a tragic plane crash inspired him to focus on his health. A vegetarian since the age of 13, Barker now enjoys a healthy vegan and gluten-free diet, with the occasional vegan treat!

The musician starts his day with an oat milk coffee and often enjoys dinner from his favourite vegan restaurant, Crossroads. Barker certainly doesn’t miss anything on his vegan diet, telling GQ: “I love vegan pizza, I’ll also have vegan sushi, Vietnamese vegan food, a dear friend of mine owns this spot called Au Lac which is just so good.”

44. Brian May

Legendary Queen guitarist isn’t just a talented musician, he’s also an animal lover and activist to boot.

A passionate and outspoken vegan, May recently spoke out about the link between the pandemic and eating animals.

Speaking to NME May said: “This pandemic seemed to come from people eating animals… It’s becoming more well known that eating animals is not the greatest thing for our health.

“To go vegan was just a decision, and I haven’t been preachy about it. But now, we’ve seen more of the effects of how eating animals has brought us to our knees as a species.

“I think it’s time to re-examine our world in a way that doesn’t abuse other species.”

45. Maggie Q

For American actress Maggie Q, eating a plant-based diet is nothing new. After all, theDivergentstar has been vegan for over 20 years!

Maggie has been a vocal animal activist for many years, and regularly teams up with PETA to promote the organisation’s causes. She’s also a badass athlete who performs her own stunts thanks to her plant-based diet.

In fact, it was PETA who first inspired her to go vegan when she met a PETA Asia employee at a concert who sent her “information on animal-welfare in the fashion, food, and entertainment industries.”

She told VegNews. “It made me sick, but nothing prepared me for the truth of the environmental impact of meat production. I quit cold turkey and never looked back. I didn’t understand how I could have ever claimed to love animals but hadn’t made the choices to protect them.”

But Maggie isn’t just passionate about saving animals, but also about saving the planet too and regularly shares the benefits of eating a plant-based diet for the environment.

However, despite being an animal rights advocate, Maggie prefers not to call herself a vegan so as not to alienate people from going plant-based.

Explaining her stance to The Beet, she said:“I don’t [call myself vegan], because it has become a weird, negative term and people feel very judged by it.

“So I like plant-based better because it’s friendlier: It’s inclusive. You can’t judge people. They have to be where they’re at, and you have to accept them for where they are.”

46. Theo Rossi

Sons of Anarchy star Theo Rossi has been vegan since way back when “it wasn’t cool”. In fact, the actor has been vegan for an impressive 24 years after turning vegan at the age of 22. As Rossi has been vegan for over half his life, he is one of the most dedicated vegan celebrities in Hollywood.

According to Rossi, he has a “certain connection to animals,” and grew up surrounded by them.

Speaking on the PEOPLE Every Day podcast, Rossi said: “I’m surrounded by animals. They’ve kind of dictated my life.”

Inspired by his love of animals and having learned the truth about how meat is produced, Rossi went vegan and hasn’t looked back since.

Even though his family don’t follow a vegan diet, Rossi has stayed true to his morals for over two decades.

But it wasn’t always as easy to be vegan as it is now. Speaking about the perception of veganism in 1997, Rossi said: “It wasn’t fashionable and it wasn’t cool.”

Undeterred, the vegan actor made it his mission to make it work.

“I was trying things, because I was trying to see what works for me. Being a vegan works for me,” he explained.

Image credit: Butterfly Conservation

BBC Springwatch and nature show host Chris Packham announced he was going vegan in 2018 citing animal welfare and environmental issues as his key motivators.

In an article titled“Here’s Why I’m Going Vegan”, published byThe Big Issue,Packham explained that he actually stopped consuming meat over 20 years after being inspired by fellow television presenter and co-host of The Really Wild Show, Michaela Strachan.

Explaining his motivations for going vegan, Packham wrote: “Like many people in the world, I have had an interest in how what I eat impacts on the environment and on myself for a long time.

“But I continue to have concerns about animal welfare and transportation. I don’t see any difference between the way I should treat my dog – who I love and whose well-being I’m preoccupied with – and a pig, who is just as intelligent and important asScratchy, but is kept in a concrete pen where it can’t turn around.”

48. Casey Affleck

Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Haute Living

Actor and director Casey Affleck might be better known for his role The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford,but he’s also one of the original vegan celebrities, having gone vegan in 1995.

The younger brother of actor Ben Affleck was inspired to cut out animal products after learning about the horrors of the animal agriculture industry.

Since then Affleck has been an outspoken animal advocate and regularly teams up with PETA to help the organisation promote its animal rights campaigns.

Speaking about why he is vegan, Affleck explained: “When people ask me why I don’t eat meat or any other animal products, I say, ‘Because they are unhealthy and they are the product of a violent and inhumane industry’.”

49. Jenna Dewan

Dancer and actress Jenna Dewan went vegan in 2013 after being vegetarian for 22 years. She explained to the LA Times: “When I was 10 or 11, I saw a program on slaughterhouses.

“I just remember being blown away, utterly traumatized. And I declared the next day that I was never eating meat again. And I didn’t—it started then.

“As I got older, I learned more, and as I understood about the sufferings of factory-farmed animals it just tears into you.”

Like many vegan celebrities, she has participated in numerous PETA and other animal rights campaigns, criticising the use of animals for fur, clothing, cosmetics and other beauty products.

What’s more, she even tried to get ex-husband Channing Tatum on the vegan train during their marriage, now that’s definitely a plus!

50. Jessica Chastain

Red-headed bombshell Jessica Chastain has been vegan for over 15 years, despite not being very vocal about it.

The actress initially adopted a plant-based diet to improve her health but has since expressed environmental and animal welfare concerns associated with meat, dairy and egg consumption.

Speaking about her journey to veganism, she told W Magazine that “immediately I just had more energy than I’ve ever had in my life” when she went vegan.

She is an investor in Beyond Meat and even bought her mother a vegan food truck to live out her dream as a vegan chef.

Now that’s true dedication to the vegan cause!

51. Daryl Hannah

Actress Daryl Hannah went vegetarian aged 11 after she discovered some cows she met would be slaughtered the next day.

“I literally lost the ability to disassociate what was on my plate from the creature it had been,” she said.

As well as being an animal lover, Hannah ispassionate about the environment too. In recent years, she has gone vegan in a bid to combat climate change.

Image credit: Martin Bernetti/AFP via Getty Images

When it comes to vegan celebrities, few have been vegan as long as British singer Morrissey.

Morrissey is not afraid of speaking his mind when it comes to veganism, even declaring that “vegans are superior beings”.

The controversial songwriter first went vegetarian aged 11 before cutting out animal products entirelyat the turn of the 2010s, according to The Telegraph.

Speaking about his plant-based diet, Morrissey explained that “I refuse to eat anything that had a mother, that’s obvious.”

Instead, the musician prefers to stick to a diet of “bread, potatoes, pasta and nuts… all stodge.”

Not only is Morrissey vegan, but he’s also a vocal animal rights advocate too.Morrissey even famously penned a heart-wrenching song entitled ‘Meat Is Murder’ decades ago as the former frontman of rock band The Smiths.

53. Jared Leto

American actor and musician Jared Leto is another vegan celebrity who has been vegan way before it became mainstream.

In fact, Leto has been vegan for over 20 years and credits his plant-based diet for his youthful appearance.

Speaking about his diet in Rolling Stone in July 2016, Leto said: “I’m pretty healthy – I’ve been that way for a long time. Twenty solid years of eating vegetarian/vegan and taking care of myself. That probably helps the preservation process.”

The star has also previously given fans a look inside his pantry, where he revealed that Uncle Eddie’s vegan peanut butter chocolate chip cookies are his guilty pleasure!

Photo © Katja Ogrin via Getty Images

Charismatic frontman of British rock band Bring Me The Horizon and founder of vegan clothing brand Drop Dead, Oli Sykes, ditched meat in 2004 before going fully vegan in 2013.

Like many vegan celebrities, it was the health benefits of a plant-based diet that initially drew him in which he learned about after reading diet book Skinny Bitch.

“I became vegan for health reasons more than anything. I read a book (called Skinny bitch terrible title, but great book) that dissected meat, eggs, dairy, sugar, everything, and it just made me feel sick to my stomach”, he explained in an interview.

“The fact that we are the only creatures on earth that drink milk after being babies, not to mention another species’ milk, for no good reason whatsoever (and before you say calcium, go read about it) well it opened my eyes a bit.”

However, learning about the atrocities animals face on factory farms helped cement his decision to go fully vegan for the animals.

“When I saw how animals are tortured on factory farms, I couldn’t justify being a part of that cruelty.”

Keen to share his love for vegan food with his fans, Sykes has since opened Church – Temple of Fun in Sheffield, an arcade bar with a fully vegan menu.

For Sykes, Church is a passion project, one that reflects his belief in the importance of living in harmony with the planet and all its inhabitants.

Photo © Theo Wargo via Getty Images

English actor Bella Ramsey, known for their roles in Game of Thrones and The Last of Us, is a passionate advocate for animal rights and a dedicated vegan.

Ramsey’s commitment to veganism has earned them recognition, including being crowned as one of PETA’s Most Beautiful Vegan Celebrities of 2023, an annual award given to celebrities whose lifestyles inspire others to go vegan.

When discussing their reasons for going vegan, Ramsey emphasised their love for animals as the primary motivation, stating: “I’m vegan primarily because I love animals. But I also, like most of us, care about the planet. The environmental benefits of going vegan are so significant.”

While Ramsey has not disclosed the exact date they went vegan, the non-binary actor first shared their dedication to the cause on Twitter in 2017.

In celebration of World Vegan Daythat year, Ramsey shared aphoto of a cow, with the caption “Just look at that face!!!”.

A fan of vegan fashion, Ramsey also shared a tweet showcasing their fashionable new vegan Dr. Marten boots, proudly proclaiming that they are “vegan for the voiceless.”

Photo © @hallebailey via Instagram

American singer-songwriter and actor Halle Bailey is a proud vegan who was recently crowned one of PETA’s Most Beautiful Vegan Celebrities of 2023.

Along with her sister Chlöe, the Grammy-nominated singer has been vegan for many years after their mother decided to try cutting meat from her diet.

In aninterview in 2017, she revealed that: “Being vegan started from our mother. One day she was like, ‘I’m gonna try to be vegetarian for a week. You can join me if you’d like.’ We started the week with her and just never went back.”

The star has stayed true to her principles during her recent press tour for The Little Mermaid in which she starred as Ariel. When attending the Met Gala, Bailey was asked by a reporter whether she’d rather eat Sebastian or Flounder.

The shocked star exclaimed: “I would not eat either of them!” she said. “They’re my friends.”

Photo © Tim P. Whitby / Stringer via Getty Images

London-born actor, illustrator, and comedian Jessie Cave, who played Lavender Brown in the hit Harry Potter movies has been vegan for many years.

She first revealed in a tweet, that she would be going vegan on January 1st, 2016, and despite quoting “ bacon, ribs and bacon, steak, bacon” as reasons she might not manage, the lifestyle change appears to have stuck.

The vegan mother of four has since starred in PETA’s anti-wool, feather, and leather short film Red River Farm, which recently scooped a Silver Film Lions Award at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.

The film starts out as a typical, cheery children’s puppet show sing-along, but soon takes a dark turn as Cave becomes increasingly disturbed by the animals’ tales of how they are used for clothing.

Photo © Alberto E. Rodriguez via Getty Images

Comedian and former host of The Daily Show, Jon Stewart, has been vegan since 2015 thanks to wife Tracey who is also a committed vegan.

During an interview with Rip Esselstyn, Stewart revealed he ditched meat shortly after leaving his role as the host of The Daily Show in 2015.

Inspired by his wife’s love of animals, he realised “Oh, pigs have a personality”, and decided to stop eating meat. Although he didn’t turn vegan overnight, he explained that once he started eating more plant-based food, he felt better and had more energy.

Together, the couple run an animal sanctuary, Hockhockson Farm Foundation, that grows crops, cares for rescued farm animals, and aims to raise awareness of and improve access to healthy, sustainable, plant-based foods.

As part of the farm’s programme, the Stewart’sprovide educational outreach that supports whole food plant-based nutrition, food justice initiatives, and the prevention of cruelty to animals.

Photo © Dominic Lipinski / Stringer via Getty Images

Eurovision UK runner-up and TikTok sensation Sam Ryder isn’t just a phenomenal singer, he’s also a passionate vegan who once owned a vegan café.

Before rising to fame in 2020 thanks to his musical covers on TikTok, the singer, who grew up in Essex, opened a vegan juice bar in Coggeshall, England.

In a recent Snack Wars video with LadBible, Ryder tucked into a selection of vegan snacks, including Greggs’ iconic vegan sausage roll and a vegan KitKat.

The “Space Man” singer recently took to the stage at Vegan Camp Out Festival to entertain the crowds with his powerful vocals.

Photo © Animal Equality

Acclaimed actor Peter Egan might be known for his starring roles in Downton Abbey and Chariots of Fire, but off-screen he is a passionate vegan and animal rights activist.

He and his wife Myra had spent years rescuing dogs, and this led him to “flick the switch to other animal welfare issues”.

The animal lover had previously been vegetarian for eight years before finally going vegan in 2016 after watching vegan documentary Earthlings.

An outspoken advocate for animals, Egan uses his platform to campaign for change by taking part in demonstrations and supporting vegan campaigns.

Not afraid to share the truth, the actor is outspoken on Twitter, previously urging people to “end factory farming and choose vegan” to avoid future pandemics.

In an interview with vegan charity Viva!, Egan noted how “strange” humans are with their “insatiable desire” for animal flesh.

“Our desire for flesh of the innocents seems insatiable and we are great at creating smokescreens to justify our cruelty. We slaughter 50 billion farmed animals yearly so that six billion carnivores can eat them. We slaughter endangered species in the disgusting world of trophy hunting under the guise of conservation”, he commented.

“We watch foxes ripped apart or bulls tortured to death under the guise of culture and tradition. Humans are very strange. We are waging war on every species on the planet with the belief that it is our right.”

61. Elaine Hendrix

Photo © Paul Zimmerman via Getty Images

Parent Trap star Elaine Hendrix might be talented at portraying the villain but in real life actor is a kind-hearted animal lover who has been vegan for over 17 years.

Hendrix first ditched meat from her diet in 1995 before going vegan in 2006 after watching an undercover investigation into fur farming from PETA shocked her into ditching animal products from all aspects of her life.

Speaking about the video that led her to become a vegan and animal activist, Hendrix said: “I watched an undercover fur video of PETA and I had never seen one before. My reaction was so visceral I doubled over. I felt like someone had kicked me in the stomach…and I started sobbing uncontrollably and from that moment forward I threw out everything in my house that was tested on animals.

“I already was not wearing fur but I gave up wearing leather, I sold my car because it had leather interior and I started contacting organizations and saying ‘hey what can i do?’” She made that decision around eleven years ago and being an animal activist has been at the forefront of her life ever since.”

Now, Hendrix devotes her life to animal rescue and educating people about the plight of farmed animals through social media.

During filming breaks, Hendrix spends her time working with organisation from around the world as a speaker, demonstrator and protestor for animal rights.

A keen advocate for giving animals the chance to experience a loving home, she’s even founded her own organisation, The Pet Matchmaker, to celebrate and inspire the rescue, foster and adoption of homeless pets.

62. Aidan Gallagher

Photo © Jon Kopaloff via Getty Images

Best known for his starring role in Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy, Aidan Gallagher is an outspoken vegan and environmentalist who has served as a youth advocate for environmental causes since a young age.

The actor, who boasts over 6 million followers on Instagram and has even been named a UN Goodwill Ambassador, proudly declares himself as an ‘Environmental Advocate’ and plant-based proponent in his bio.

Putting his platform to good use, his regularly encourages his followers to consider making lifestyle changes to positively impact the planet such as going vegan.

63. Lizzo

Singer-songwriter Lizzo is one of the latest vegan celebrities to go vegan after she took the plunge and ditched animal products from her diet in 2020.

TheJuicesinger had previously followed a vegetarian diet for seven years before taking the plunge and finally going vegan in the summer.

Lizzo first revealed she has gone vegan in a TikTok video shared to her 8 million followers. In the video, Lizzo said: “As a new vegan I’m enjoying exploring flavours from plants & plant-based proteins! Every journey is personal & deserves to be celebrated.”

The Grammy-award winner celebrated her six-month vegan anniversary in October in another TikTok video reflecting on her vegan journey. She also showed fans some of her favourite plant-based recipes in celebration.

64. Jermaine Dupri

Photo © Carol Lee Rose via Getty Images

Hip-hop legend Jermaine Dupri isn’t just an award-winning musician, he’s also been vegan for almost 20 years.

The Grammy Award–winner first adopted a plant-based diet to improve his health after touring began to take a toll. In a bid to lose weight and increase his energy, Durpi cut out animal products from his diet and “fell in love with feeling good and feeling healthy”, he revealed in an interview with Mashed.

“So my vegan story started when I went on a massive cleanse for like 25 days,” Dupri explained. “The energy I had, the way I felt, I just tried to figure out at that point how could I keep this same feeling. People were like, ‘well you should be vegan’ and I’m like ‘vegan?’ So I became vegan – I just went full into the vegan lifestyle and I’m here 12 years later.”

“The vegan lifestyle, to me, is the best lifestyle. And I want to get the world into this,” Dupri added.

Nearly 20 years on, Durpi is a proud proponent of a plant-based diet – even launching his own line of plant-based foods and frozen treats to encourage more people to go vegan.

Photo © Dave J Hogan via Getty Images

TV funnyman Lee Mack who is best known for being a team captain on the BBC comedy panel show Would I Lie To You?has been on a mission to transform his health in recent years.

Inspired by his interest in Buddhism and mindfulness, the comedian cut alcohol and animal products out of his diet in 2016.

Mack has made several mentions of his vegan life during his TV appearances, most notably on an episode of Gone Fishingwhere he joined Paul Whitehouse on a fishing adventure.

In the episode, Mack shared his concerns, stating: “I was worried about doing it when Bob asked me to come: I don’t fish. And when I say “I don’t fish”, I don’t mean, “I can’t fish – teach me, grasshopper.” I mean, I won’t fish; I’m a vegan.”

Instead, the Taskmaster star chose to fish with a magnet instead of a hook in what he described as ‘vegan-friendly’ fishing.

Photo © Leon Bennett / Stringer

White Lotus star Jennifer Coolidge has reportedly been vegan for over 20 years, and was even crowned a ‘Vegan Queen’ by PETA thanks to her ‘commitment to animal liberation’.

In an interview with Elle Decor, the celeb was described as a ‘devout vegan and animal-rights advocate’.

According to PETA, Coolidge also turned down a commercial with a hotdog company, despite being well-known for her iconic line “I want a hot dog, real bad.”

The charity claims the star would only agree to the shoot if the company created aplant-based sausage, adding: “You cannot tell the difference. The science that has gone into them, they’re just as tasty.”

The actor also once described herself as “passionate about vegan and cruelty-free beauty” and has two dogs she adopted, one from the meat trade.

Need a little more inspiration from vegan celebrities to ditch meat?

These poignant vegan celebrity quotes will make you think!

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