Last updated on: 3/20/2020 | Author: ProCon.org

Famous Vegetarians & Vegans

The celebrities listed below have spoken about following either a vegetarian or vegan diet as noted in each entry. According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, vegetarians who avoid all animal products, such as milk, eggs, and cheese, are known as vegans. Diet choices are personal and may change over time.


ATHLETES

(back to main menu)


Source: Kivo Daily, “Meet Silver Olympic Medalist & Switch4Good Founder, Dotsie Bausch,” digitaljournal.com (accessed Mar. 12, 2020)

Dotsie Bausch

Cyclist, 2012 Olympics silver medalist

Vegan

Bausch stated, “I switched to a whole-foods, plant-based diet about two and a half years before the 2012 Olympic Games. I stood on the Olympic podium at almost 40 years old, the oldest competitor ever in my specific discipline. My diet change was the key factor in me being able to recover quicker, decrease inflammation, and have all of the stamina and energy I needed to compete against competitors who were 20 years my junior. When I won the silver medal at the 2012 London Olympic games, I was 100 percent vegan.”

Source: Lauren Mazzo, “This Ad Featuring Plant-Based Olympians Is the Anti-‘Got Milk’ Campaign,” shape.com (accessed Mar. 11, 2020)


Tia Blanco

Pro Surfer, International Surfing Association Open Women’s World Surfing Championship gold medalist

Vegan

Blanco stated, “I’ve seen people chase the vegan diet as a trend or to lose a few pounds. but a vegan diet has huge impacts on the earth and your health. Before you start, research how to do vegan right.”

Source: Outside, “Fitness Tips from a Vegan Pro Surfer,” outsideonline.com (accessed Mar. 12, 2020)

Source: Inertia Health Staff, “Tia Blanco Shares Her Favorite Vegan Food Spot,” theinertia.com, Apr. 14, 2016

Source: Namita Nayyar, “2018 Olympic Gold Medalist Meagan Duhamel Unveils Her Fitness & Diet Secrets,” womenfitness.net, Feb. 12, 2018

Meagan Duhamel

Pair Figure Skater, Two-time World Champion, Olympic silver (2014), bronze (2018), and gold medalist (2018)

Vegan

Duhamel said, “I think now more and more we’re seeing athletes thrive as vegetarians and as vegans, and I think we’ll continue to do so in the future. So many athletes are finding that they’re recovering from injuries and from training quicker by eating a plant-based diet as opposed to an animal-based diet.”

Source: Renee Cherry, “How Vegan Olympic Ice Skater Meagan Duhamel Fuels for Training,” shape.com (accessed Mar. 12, 2020)


Kendrick Farris

Weightlifter, 2008 & 2012 Olympics,

Vegan

Farris noted, “When people think about particular diets, they often think about it in terms of what they can’t eat. People ask me, ‘Do you walk around and eat salads all day?’ I actually don’t even eat salads that often. But I like to think of it as having a lot of options. There are a lot of things you can eat.”

Source: Michael Rodio, “The Vegan Diet of American Olympic Weightlifter Kendrick Farris,” mensjournal.com (accessed Mar. 12, 2020)

Source: Roy Lang III, “Kendrick Farris Sets U.S. Record in Olympic Trials Win,” usatoday.com, May 10, 2016

Source: The Marshall Pruett Podcast, “MP 221: Who the Hell Are You Andy Lally?,” marshallpruett.podbean.com, Dec. 5, 2017

Andy Lally

Race Car Driver, World Championship Street Luge Racer

Vegan

Lally was vegetarian for six years before going vegan in 2010. He stated, “I respect all life and if I have the option to stay just as healthy and just as strong, if not stronger, by not torturing or enslaving or causing pain for other living things, I’m for it.”

Source: Anna Starostinetskaya, “Racecar Driver Credits Vegan Diet for His Success,” vegnews.com, Jan. 28, 2017


Alex Morgan

Soccer Player, US Women’s National Team (forward) & Orlando Pride (forward), World Cup champion (2019)

Vegan

Morgan said, “I’m passionate about giving animals a voice. I even adopted a vegan diet, because it didn’t feel fair to have a dog I adore, and yet eat meat all the time.”

Source: Beth Greenfield, “Soccer Star Alex Morgan Is a Vegan –Here’s Why Plant-Based Eating Is a Growing Trend for Athletes,” yahoo.com, July 12, 2019

Source: Jamie Smed, “Alex Morgan during the USWNT Friendly against New Zealand on May 16, 2019, in St. Louis,” wikipedia.org, May 16, 2019

Source: Rohan Nadkarni, “Chris Paul Has a Purpose in Oklahoma City,” si.com, Jan. 21, 2020

NBA Players

The NBA has seen a trend of veganism, including players:
Wilson Chandler (Brooklyn Nets),
Kyrie Irving (Brooklyn Nets),
DeAndre Jordan (Dallas Mavericks),
JaVale McGee (LA Lakers),
& Chris Paul (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Vegan

Chris Paul stated, “I chose a plant-based life. So far, so good. Not easy. But for me it’s working. I started plant-based in June [2019]. I went cold turkey. I tell you: I was itching. I thought I needed a chicken wing or something. But somehow I made it through. I had the opportunity to executive produce a movie/documentary called Game Changers, which talks about plant-based diets and how it helps athletes. For me, being as competitive as I am, I looked at this and I was like: hold up, let me try this out. And I tried it, and the first thing that changes when you go plant based—and it might be too much information—is going to the rest room. It becomes … a lot faster. A whole lot faster.”

Sources:
Cait Corcoran, “LA Lakers Player JaVale McGee Says He’s Vegan Because It Helps His Performance!,” onegreenplanet.org (Accessed Mar. 20, 2020)
Diana Lupica, “NBA Athlete Wilson CHandler: ‘Eating Vegan Has Changed My Everyday Living,'” plantbasednews.org, Sep. 29, 2017
Magdalena Munao, “Mavericks Center Deandre Jordan Defies Doubters to Stay Vegan in Dallas,” closeup360.com, Jan. 16, 2019
Josh St. Clair, “NBA Star Chris Paul on His Plant-Based Diet,” menshealth.com, Jan. 14, 2020


Tennessee Titans Team Members

At least 15 of the NFL’s Titans team members went vegan for the 2018/2019 season, including the following who have remained vegan:
Derrick Morgan (linebacker),
DaQuan Jones (defensive lineman),
& Wesley Woodyard (linebacker)

Vegan

Woodyard first said of his teammates’ change in diet, “Y’all crazy with this vegan thing. I’m from LaGrange, Georgia. I’m going to eat my pork.” But he soon changed his tune, saying, “My energy level’s gone up. And it’s just putting in good fuel to your body. And of course, it’s always hard to keep weight on [during the season]. But it’s worth it for me staying on top of my health.”

Sources:
Sarah Berger, “NFL Players’ Surprising Performance Hack: Going Vegan,” cnbc.com, Sep. 9, 2018
Cameron Wolfe, “Derrick Morgan and His Chef Wife Inspired Vegan Movement on Titans,” espn.com, Dec. 2, 2017

Wesley Woodyard, one of 15 Tennessee Titans to go vegan for the 2018/2019 season
Source: Chipermc, “Wesley Woodyard, Tennessee Titans at Green Bay Packers (Preseason), August 9, 2018,” wikimedia.org, Aug. 9, 2018

Source: Hannah Teter, twitter.com, Jan. 6, 2020

Hannah Teter

Snowboarder, Halfpipe Olympic gold (2006) and silver (2010) medalist

Vegetarian

Teter explained, “I went vegetarian after watching Earthlings. I had no idea how intense and how horrible factory farms are. I have such a love for animals that I can’t justify having their heads cut off for me. And the slavery of the dairy industry motivates me to go more vegan. I can’t justify animal slavery for my enjoyment. I love the Gandhi quote: “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” Animals can’t speak for themselves, but scientifically we know that they don’t want to die.”

Source: Avital Andrews, “Hannah Teter, Gold-Medal Snowboarder, Carves a Meaningful Life,” huffpost.com, Dec. 6, 2017


Venus Williams

Tennis Player, Former World #1, Olympic gold medalist in singles (2000) and doubles (2000, 2008, 2012), Olympic silver medalist in mixed doubles (2016)

Vegan

Williams noted, “I started for health reasons. I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, and I wanted to maintain my performance on the court. Once I started I fell in love with the concept of fueling your body in the best way possible. Not only does it help me on the court, but I feel like I’m doing the right thing for me.”

Source: Alison Mango, “This Drastic Diet Change Helped Venus Williams Fight Her Autoimmune Condition,” health.com, Jan. 12, 2017

Source: Katie Pevreall, “Plant-Based ‘Powerhouse’ Venus Williams in Wimbledon Final,” livekindly.co, July 15, 2017

ENTERTAINERS

(back to main menu)


Billie Eilish

Singer/Songwriter, youngest person to ever win all four main Grammy awards in the same year (2019)

Vegan

In 2018, Eilish wrote on Tumblr, “i went vegan like four years ago. there were a lot of reasons. i love animals and i just think there’s no point in creating something out of an animal when the animal is already there. leave animals alone. damn. also im lactose intolerant and dairy is horrible for your skin and my skin is VERY aware of that.”

Source: Ariel Scotti, “Is Billie Eilish Vegan? Plus 10 Other Celebs You Didn’t Know Were Plant-Based,” purewow.com, Feb 19, 2020

Source: Lars Crommelinck, “Billie Eilish @Pukkelpop 2019,” flickr.com, Aug. 18, 2019

Source: Gage Skidmore, “Nathalie Emmanuel Speaking at the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con International in San Diego, California,” wikimedia.org, July 22, 2016

Game of Thrones Actors

At least four actors on the TV show, Game of Thrones, are vegan:
Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister),
Nathalie Emmanuel (Missandei),
Jerome Flynn (Bronn),
and Bella Ramsey (Lyanna Mormont).

Vegan

Nathalie Emmanuel explained she went vegan because, “I was hanging out with my friend Mel Wells… She’d tell me about what she was learning; that coupled with my family’s own medical history, we’ve had lots of conditions in the family, made me want to take control over what I put in my body. So I ate vegan for one week at first—I would have reassessed if it made me feel really ill, but it made me feel really good, so I carried on for another week, and then I felt even better. People kept coming up to me and telling me I looked glowy and my eyes looked really bright, so I kept going.”

Sources:
Amy Lane, “Nathalie Emmanuel Talks Turning Vegan, Finding Confidence & Becoming a Yoga Teacher,” womenshealthmag.com, Apr. 15, 2019
Daniel Palmer, “Game of Thrones Actor Jerome Flynn to Advise Vegan Crypto Project,” coindesk.com, May 21, 2019
Bella Ramsey, Instagram.com (accessed Mar. 13, 2020)
Viva.org, “Peter Dinklage,” viva.org.uk (accessed Mar. 13, 2020)


Ariana Grande

Singer

Vegan

“I love animals more than I love most people, not kidding. But I am a firm believer in eating a full plant-based, whole food diet that can expand your life length and make you an all-around happier person. It is tricky dining out, but I just stick to what I know — veggies, fruit and salad — then when I get home I’ll have something else.”

Source: Emi Boscamp, “Ariana Grande Explains Why She’s Vegan,” mindbodygreen.com (accessed Mar. 16, 2020)

Source: Christopher Luu, “Ariana Grande Knows She’s Only Got Two Outfits– But She’ll Clap Back at Anyone That Brings It Up,” yahoo.com, Jan. 16, 2020


Source: G’Day USA, “G’Day USA Los Angeles Honourees,” gdayusa.org (accessed Mar. 16, 2020)

Liam Hemsworth

Actor, The Hunger Games trilogy

Vegan

“I was finishing up the Hunger Games press tour and got the flu. Woody Harrelson told me that I should try eating raw vegetables. He’s got more energy than anyone I’ve ever met, along with the nicest guy in the world, so I tried it out. Since then I’ve felt amazing and have been eating that way ever since.”

Source: Scott Henderson, “How Liam Hemsworth Stays Vegan without Losing Muscle,” menshealth.com.au, Nov. 1, 2018


Evanna Lynch

Actress, Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter films

Vegan

Lynch, who had been vegetarian since age 11, found transitioning to a vegan diet difficult, stating, “I had too much of a complicated, emotional relationship to food. I found the best way for me was to be gentle and take it day by day. When I first I tried to go vegan I was angry and upset about the violence, it didn’t stick because it made me unhappy. Anything you do out of guilt is not sustainable. Eventually, it became more about celebrating veganism and life… [Friend Erik Marcus told her] to ‘crowd out’ all the animal-based products in my diet with vegan versions, so I would add things like tempeh and tofu to my meals without necessarily losing the animal-based ones right away. Gradually the animal products just fell out of my diet and I didn’t miss them as much. It made it more about the benefits of veganism.”

Source: Vegan Life, “Evanna Lynch — Role Model for New Vegans and Veg-Curious People,” veganlifemag.com, Oct. 3, 2017

Source: Tara Brady, “Evanna Lynch: ‘I Found It Was a Way of Getting Attention That I Could Control,” irishtimes.com, Apr. 6, 2016

Trixie Mattel, Twitter.com, Mar. 9, 2019

Trixie Mattel

Drag Queen persona of Brian Michael Firkus, RuPaul’s Drag Race star

Vegetarian

Mattel stated, “I’m a vegetarian, so that takes a lot of calories out of the equation. I’ve been a vegetarian since I was nine years old.

Because I travel, it’s not really financially viable to keep raw ingredients in my house. I’m always gone. I have to be careful because if I get really hungry, I break my promises to myself. For a while, I was working with Clean LA. They were delivering meals to my house, pre-portioned of vegan food. That was nice, but I was always drinking, so I didn’t see results. I went back to just feeding myself, and I went off alcohol. That got me in shape faster.”

Source: Brennan Carley, “The Real-Life Diet of Trixie Mattel, Drag Superstar and Self-Proclaimed Skinny Legend,” gq.com, Feb. 6, 2020


Madelaine Petsch

Actress, Cheryl Blossom on Riverdale

vegan

Petsch, who has followed a “plant-based” diet her whole life and became vegan at 14, said, “Being vegan keeps my body fueled and running smoothly… I felt a lot healthier. I didn’t feel as lethargic.”

Source: Jessica Migala, “The 1,7000-Calorie Vegan Meal Plan That Riverdale’s Madelaine Petsch Swears by for Endless Energy,” womenshealthmag.com, Mar. 16, 2018

Source: Samantha Sutton, “Riverdale’s Madelaine Petsch Says We’re about to Find out a Lot More about Cheryl Blossom” coveteur.com, Mar. 3, 2018

Source: Harald Krichel, “Actor Joaquin Phoenix at the 68th Berlin International Film Festival 2018,” wikimedia.org, Feb. 20, 2018

Joaquin Phoenix

Actor, Joker

Vegan

Phoenix recalls that his whole family went vegan after he saw how fish were caught, stating, “It was so violent, it was just so intense. I have a vivid memory of my mom’s face, which—I have seen that same face maybe one other time, where she was completely speechless because we yelled at her. How come you didn’t tell us that’s what fish was? I remember tears streaming down her face… She didn’t know what to say.”

Source: Evan Romano, “Joaquin Phoenix’s Family Went Vegan after Learning ‘What Fish Was,'” menshealth.com, Oct. 1, 2019


Marvel’s Avengers Actors

While some of the Avengers went vegan during filming, others are full-time vegans:
Dave Bautista (Drax),
Benedict Cumberbatch (Dr. Strange),
Peter Dinklage (Eitri),
Winston Duke (M’Baku),
& Danai Gurira (Okoye)

Vegan

(Gurira is a pesca-vegan)

In the film Black Panther, Winston Duke’s character, M’Baku jokingly threatens Agent Everett Ross (Martin Freeman), “I’m going to feed you to my children if you don’t shut up! Just kidding, we’re vegetarians.” It turns out quite a few Avengers actors are vegan in real life.

Sources:
Samantha Chang, “‘Black Panther’ Star Reveals Diet and Exercise Tips,” inquisitr.com, July 1, 2018
Jacqueline Coley, “Winston Duke Shares Little but Leaves Big Impression,” sxsw.com, Mar. 7, 2019
Jacques Martin, “They Don’t Need Meat to Compete: 20 Pro Wrestlers Who Are Vegetarians,” therecipe.com, Jan. 24, 2019
Catherine Pointing, “10 Cast Members of ‘The Avengers’ Are Vegan or Vegetarian,” livekindly.co, Apr. 27, 2019
Megan Reviews, “Review #16: Black Panther (2018),” medium.com, Feb. 25, 2018
Katherine Sullivan, “No Wonder Dr. Strange Is So Fit–Benedict Cumberbatch Is Vegan,” peta.org, Apr. 25, 2018
Viva.org, “Peter Dinklage,” viva.org.uk (accessed Mar. 17, 2020)

Source: Perri Konecky, “Get to Know Winston Duke, the Black Panther Hottie You Didn’t See Coming,” popsugar.com.au, Geb. 28, 2018

Source: Bethany Heitman, “Maggie Q on the #MeToo Movement: ‘We Need to Be Talking More about the Culture That Has Supported These Men,” health.com, Mar. 6, 2018

Maggie Q

Actress, Animal-Rights Activist

Vegan

“We are seeing climate change right in front of our eyes. One of the things that is missing from political discourse, from policy, from government, is the fact that the leading cause of carbon emissions in the world is animal agriculture and no one is talking about it. This is the real issue that is driving climate change.”

Source: Joe Loria, “Maggie Q Sounds off on Why She’s Vegan,” mercyforanimals.org, Oct. 25, 2017


LEADERS

(back to main menu)


Cory Booker

US Senator (D-NY), 2020 Presidential Candidate

Vegan

Booker noted, “Legislatively, I want to continue to be a part of a movement of folk who are fighting against corporate interests that are undermining the public good and the public welfare. I believe that Americans do care about the cruelty to animals…so, I think there’s a lot of legislation we could be doing to stop sort of corporate power from reigning over the power of individuals to have freedom of choice, to see more compassion, to see a focus on public health.”

Source: Ineye Komonibo, “Cory Booker on Being Vegan and Animal Rights,” marieclaire.com, Oct. 2, 2019

Source: Natasha Korecki, “Cory Booker Launches Bid for President,” politico.com, Feb. 1, 2019

Chris Savas, “General Session with President Bill Clinton,” wikimedia.org, Aug. 29, 2015

Bill Clinton

42nd President of the US

Pesca-Vegan

Clinton stated, “[Going vegan] changed my life. I might not be around if I hadn’t become a vegan. It’s great… The vegan diet is what I like the best. I have more energy. I never clog. For me, the no dairy thing, because I had an allergy, has really helped a lot. And I feel good… [My doctor] asked me to eat organic salmon once a week. I do, but I’d just as soon be without it.”

Source: Mark Hensch, “Bill Clinton; Going Vegan Has Kept Me Alive,” thehill.com, Feb. 25, 2016


Nat Friedman

Founder of GitHub

Vegetarian

On Mar. 7, 2013, Friedman tweeted, “I’ve been a vegetarian for seven years and I no longer remember what a hamburger tastes like.”

Source: Nat Friedman, Twitter.com, Mar. 7, 2013

Source: Matt Weinberger, “The Old CEO of GitHub and the new CEO of Github Lay out the Master Plan after Microsoft Buys It for $7.5 Billion,” businessinsider.com, June 4, 2018

Source: Robin Opsahl, “Tulsi Gabbard Talks Foreign Policy Issues in Her First Iowa Appearance as a Presidential Candidate,” desmoinesregister.com, Feb. 11, 2019

Tulsi Gabbard

US Representative (D-HI), 2020 Presidential Candidate

Vegan

Gabbard noted, “Well, I have been a lifelong vegetarian… For me, deciding to be vegetarian is rooted in a very strong spiritual foundation as a practicing Hindu—and an awareness and a care and compassion for all living beings. So, more recently, in the last few years—just as I became more aware of the unethical treatment of animals in the dairy industry especially—it caused me to really think about some of the changes I could make to lessen that negative impact on animals as well as the environment. This is an issue I’ve really been working to bring to the forefront throughout my time in Congress and this campaign. I want to bring awareness around the environment and climate change; there’s a direct correlation to our diet and the choices that we make, what we eat, and what we put in our bodies every day. It’s been a glaring omission in most of the climate change debates, often focused on fossil fuels, which is important. But when you look at the impact that we could have in the world and on the planet by people moving to a plant-based diet, or even just starting to move in that direction, it’s really quite tremendous.”

Source: Jasmin Singer, “Tulsi Gabbard on Veganism, Climate Change, and What Gives Her Hope,” vegnews.com, Feb. 2020


Jane Goodall

Primatologist, Anthropologist

Vegetarian

Goodall stated, “There are three main reasons why we should eat less – or preferably no – meat. Firstly, so that we may eliminate factory farms. Secondly, to reduce the shocking damage the meat production industry inflicts on the environment and its contribution to climate change. And finally, to improve human health…For all of these reasons, and more, I chose to become a vegetarian all those years ago. I continue to ask people to consider what this choice really means on a moral and practical level for animals and the environment. It is the choice to change our individual lives, which will in turn have enormous benefits for all of humanity and all of the other living creatures we share our home with.”

Source: Jane Goodall, “Why I Became a Vegetarian (and Why We Should All Eat Less Meat),” news.janegoodall.org, Apr. 28, 2017

Source: Johanna Lohr, “Jane Goodall, Fotografiert im Jahr 2019 von Johanna Lohr im Auftrag von Steingarts Morning Briefing,” wikimedia.org, June 23, 209

SSEE, “Al Gore,” wikimedia.org, Oct. 9, 2016

Al Gore

45th Vice President of the US

Vegan

In 2013, Gore stated, “Over a year ago I changed my diet to a vegan diet, really just to experiment to see what it was like… Now, for many people, that choice is connected to environmental ethics and health issues and all that stuff… In a visceral way, I felt better, so I’ve continued with it and I’m likely to continue it for the rest of my life.”

Source: Joe Loria, “Here’s Why Al Gore Went Vegan,” mercyforanimals.org, Aug. 30, 2017


Dennis Kucinich

Former US Representative (D-OH)

Vegan

Kucinich quipped, “Because I know how the sausage is made, and that’s why I’m a vegan.”

Source: Robert Scheer, “Dennis Kucinich: The Democratic Party Has No Soul,” truthdig.com, Jan. 31, 2020

Gage Skidmore, “Dennis Kucinich Speaking at CPAC 2015 in Washington, DC,” wikimedia.org, Feb. 27, 2015

Source: Krystalb97, “Borough President Adams Visiting a Brooklyn Vegan Shop,” wikimedia.org, Apr. 5, 2018

New York Politicians

Quite a few political leaders in New York are vegetarian or vegan, including:
Alessandra Biaggi, State Senator
Brian Kavanagh, State Senator
Luis Sepúlveda, State Senator
Harvey Epstein, Assemblyman
Richard Gottfried, Assemblyman
Linda Rosenthal, Assemblywoman
Alicka Ampry-Samuel, NYC Councilwoman
Justin Brannan, NYC Councilman
Brad Lander, NYC Councilman
Helen Rosenthal, NYC Councilwoman
Jumaane Williams, NYC Councilman
Eric L. Adams, Brooklyn Borough President

Vegetarian & Vegan

Brooklyn Bourough President Eric L. Adams stated, “I don’t want to become an annoying vegan. My hope is that by having people focus on adding healthy things to their plates, rather than unhealthy things, they’ll eventually only have room for the healthy ones.”

Sources:
Jane E. Brody, “An Inspiring Story of Weight Loss and Its Aftermath,” nytimes.com, Jan. 2, 2017
Jeff Coltin, “New York’s Vegetarian and Vegan Politicians,” cityandstateny.com, Feb. 12, 2019


Adam Schiff

US Representative (D-CA)

Vegan

On Jan. 4, 2017, Schiff tweeted “.@CoryBooker thanks for the treats, and showing me that being vegan doesn’t mean you always have to be healthy!” with a photo of vegan cupcakes and cookies.

Source: Adam Schiff, Twitter.com, Jan. 4, 2017

Source: US House of Representatvies, “Adam Schiff Official Portrait,” schiff.house.gov, May 25, 2017

Source: Jan Ainali, “Greta Thunberg in 2018,” wikimedia.org, Oct. 6, 2018

Greta Thunberg

Climate Activist

Vegan

Thunberg explained how she got her parents to go vegan, stating, “I made them feel so guilty… I kept telling them that they were stealing our future and they cannot stand up for human rights while living that lifestyle, so then they decided to make those changes. My dad is vegan, my mom, she tries – she’s 90 percent vegan.”

Source: Maria Chiorando, “Climate Activist Greta Thunberg Says ‘Go Vegan,'” plantbasednews.org, Oct. 14, 2019


ARTISTS

(back to main menu)


Scott Adams

Cartoonist, Dilbert

Vegetarian

On Apr. 7, 2016, Adams tweeted, “People ask me how vegetarians get enough protein. Here’s how I get most of mine” alongside a photo of peanut butter, nuts, quinoa, cheddar cheese, and other products.

Source: Scott Adams, Twitter.com, Apr. 7, 2016

Source: Chuck Barney, “‘Dilbert’ Creator Scott Adams Talks New Book and Why He Backs Donald Trump,” mercurynews.com, Dec. 6, 2017

Source: Aaron Couch, “Clive Barker Will Develop $300,000 Horror Movie with Winner of Upcoming Contest,” hollywoodreporter.com, Feb. 1, 2017

Clive Barker

Horror Author

Vegetarian

On Feb. 23, 2012, Barker tweeted, “Being a vegetarian has lost me more friends than being a gay man.”

Source: Clive Barker, Twitter.com, Feb. 23, 2012


JM Coetzee

Author, Nobel Laureate

Vegetarian

Coetzee explained, “Yes, I am a vegetarian. I find the thought of stuffing fragments of corpses down my throat quite repulsive, and I am amazed that so many people do it every day.”

Source: Satya, “Animals, Humans, Cruelty and Literature: A Rare Interview with J. M. Coetzee,” satyamag.com, May 2004

Source: Ellen Aikins, “Review: ‘The Schooldays of Jesus,’ by J.M. Coetzee,” startribune.com, Feb. 24, 2017

Source: Manuel Mendoza, “How Author and Musician John Darnielle Writes: ‘I Have Methods, But I’m Not Programmatic,'” dallasnews.com, May 23, 2017

John Darnielle

Author, Indie Folk Singer-Songwriter

Vegetarian

Darnielle explains, “I stopped eating meat in January of 1996, during a big blizzard in New York. I happened to see a movie in which some farmers were taking a hog to market, and they loaded him into the back of their flatbed and shot him with a rifle. It’s not like I hadn’t known about animal slaughter, but the hog looked so visibly stoked to be getting in the flatbed; he looked like a dog excited to be going for a ride. Who’d shoot a dog in a car excited to go for a ride? And I knew that pigs were considerably smarter than dogs, and something just clicked for me, and that was the end of that.”

Source: Candice DeForest, “Vegetarian Action: Indie Folk Rock Musician John Darnielle,” vrg.org, 2012


Eve Ensler

Author, The Vagina Monologues

Vegetarian

In her speech, “The Gift of Cancer,” Ensler wrote,
“I am in a new country
Nothing is familiar
Because the possibility of not dying
Is gone
Because I am now living in the land of the sick
Turns out my being a vegetarian-sober-nonsmoker-activist has not protected me at all.”

Sources:
Allison Adato,” Eve Ensler Is Smart, Funny, and Mostly Fearless in In the Body of the World: EW Review,” yahoo.com, Feb. 6, 2018
Eve Ensler, “The Gift of Cancer,” huffpost.com, Oct. 27, 2010

Source: Falling James, “Readings Pick: Eve Ensler,” laweekly.com, June 7, 2019

Source: Sam Parker, “Want to Save the Planet? Start with Breakfast,” penguin.co.uk, Oct. 15, 2019

Jonathan Safran Foer

Author, Eating Animals

Vegetarian

“I realized I didn’t have a plan. I’d written a book and yet I felt surprised by my own lack of preparation. It’s easy to get lost in identifiers — I’m a vegetarian or vegan — or in emotions like someone’s got to solve this, or we should fly less.

A plan is in between these. It’s difficult because you have to confront the unambitiousness of your plan. You have to be honest. So I went back to my hotel and made my plan: eat vegan for breakfast and lunch. Eat vegetarian for dinner. Not fly on any vacations. Take only three cab rides a week. Give one full day a week to volunteering to help raise awareness of climate change.”

Source: Tom Levitt, “Johnathan Safran Foer: If You Care about Climate Change, Cut out Meat,” huffpost.com, Oct. 3, 2019


Jim Jarmusch

Filmmaker

Vegetarian

“I quit all drugs, alcohol, sugar, caffeine, nicotine, meat, everything at once [in 1986] to see, almost as a William Burroughs experiment, how my body and psyche would react, and what would come back. I’m still a vegetarian, and I never drank coffee again, except for once with Iggy [Pop].”

Source: Simon Hattenstone, “A Talk on the Wild Side,” theguardian.com, Nov. 12, 2004

Source: Chris Patmore, “Jim Jarmusch on the Future of Independent Film: ‘Cinema Needs to Be Reduced to Its Essential Poetry,” indiewire.com, Apr. 8, 2014

Source: Jeffrey Beall, “Patrick McDonnell, the Creator of the Daily Comic Strip Mutts and the Author of Children’s Picture Books,” wikimedia.org, June 29, 2014

Patrick McDonnell

Cartoonist, Mutts

Vegan

When asked, “What are four things you absolutely must pack when you’re going out of town?,” McDonnell replied, “Being vegan, I always pack a healthy snack. Also something to read (usually a spiritual book, a novel, a comic strip collection, or a Nero Wolfe mystery), plus a pen and notebook.”

Source: Ali Datko, “Q&A with Patrick McDonnell: Keeping It Simple. And Real.,” mutts.com, June 2, 2017


Alan Moore

Graphic Novelist

Vegetarian

When asked whether he practiced white or black magic, Moore replied, “I’m with Austin Osman Spare… Magic is colourful’. There is a Satanism in which heavy metal bands looked for darkness, for cheap notoriety. My involvement with the occult is not about darkness, but about illumination… I don’t sacrifice many goats. As a vegetarian, that would feel kind of wrong.”

Source: London, Hollywood, “Alan Moore: My ‘Lost’ Interview on Books, Magic, Tattoos and the Source of Ideas,” londonhollywood.wordpress.com, Dec. 4, 2013

Source: Ian McQuaid, “Alan Moore to Speak at Rare Live Audience in London,” theransomnote.com (accessed Mar. 17, 2020)

Source: Loïc Prigent, “The Brand Questionnaire: Jeremy Scott,” system-magazine.com (accessed Mar. 17, 2020)

Jeremy Scott

Fashion Designer, Moschino

Vegetarian

Scott explained, “I moved here [Los Angeles] because I was inspired by the color of the sky, the politics, the fact that I am a vegetarian and there are oodles of options.”

Source: Lizzie Widdicombe, “Barbie Boy: How Jeremy Scott Remade Moschino for the Instagram Era,” newyorker.com, Mar. 14, 2016