How Joaquin Phoenix Uses His Voice For The Animals

This awards season, nearly every major ceremony served attendees an entirely plant-based menu. These vegan choices not only significantly reduce the carbon footprint of an event, but they also introduce compassionate choices to those who may never have considered a plant-based lifestyle. Of course, these changes didn't just happen. It required an insider advocate—none other than Joaquin Phoenix, a lifelong advocate for animals and the environment. Phoenix began by lobbying the Hollywood Foreign Press Association to go all-vegan at this year's Golden Globes.

In early January, The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) made headlines with the last-minute decision to serve an entirely vegan menu at the Golden Globes. After taking steps to make their award show more sustainable (such as reusing last year’s red carpet and only offering water in glass bottles), HFPA President Lorenzo Soria concluded that one of the best things they could do was serve a vegan menu.

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"We don’t think we'll change the world with one meal, but we decided to take small steps to bring awareness. The food we eat, the way it is processed and grown and disposed of, all of that contributes to the climate crisis." Lorenzo Soria, President of the HFPA

The Golden Globes was the first award show to go entirely vegan, and it created a buzz that lasted for days, earning praise from viewers and attendees alike. In fact, Joaquin Phoenix used his acceptance speech as an opportunity to thank the HFPA “for recognizing and acknowledging the link between animal agriculture and climate change” and sending a “powerful message.” He also called on his fellow actors to ‘walk the walk’ when it comes to activism, stating, “Hopefully, we can be unified and actually make some changes. It's great to vote, but sometimes we have to take that responsibility on ourselves and make changes and sacrifices in our own lives.”

As the awards season continued, the movement to go plant-based gained more momentum. Ahead of the Critic’s Choice Awards, CEO Joey Berlin received an email signed by Phoenix and fellow nominees Leonardo DiCaprio, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and Kristen Bell, requesting that they serve an all-vegan menu. It’s no surprise Phoenix found an ally in Leonardo DiCaprio, who executive produced Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret and follows a mostly plant-based diet himself.

Following suit, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards became the third show to serve a fully plant-based meal for attendees. According to Chef Wolfgang Puck, DiCaprio loved the vegan pizza served at the SAG awards so much, he ate a whole one by himself and then requested a second!

Throughout all the hype, Joaquin Phoenix kept animal welfare at the center of his activism. He made a powerful statement following the SAG awards by joining Los Angeles Animal Save for a “pig vigil,” during which activists provide water and affection to pigs about to be sent to slaughter. Phoenix went directly to the slaughterhouse after the show, still wearing his tuxedo.

The awards season ultimately culminates with the prestigious and high-profile Academy Awards. Although no dinner is served at the event itself, the official after-party was “70% plant-based.” However, perhaps the most remarkable moment marking the progression of the vegan movement in Hollywood occurred during Joaquin Phoenix’s acceptance speech for Best Actor. In his speech, Phoenix discussed animal rights, along with gender and racial inequality, LGBT activism, and indigenous rights. He went on to describe the violence of the dairy industry, saying:

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“We feel entitled to artificially inseminate a cow, and when she gives birth, we steal her baby, even though her cries of anguish are unmistakable. Then, we take her milk, that’s intended for her calf, and we put it in our coffee and our cereal, and I think we fear the idea of personal change because we think that we have to sacrifice something to give something up. But human beings, at our best, are so inventive and creative and ingenious, and I think that when we use love and compassion as our guiding principles, we can create, develop and implement systems of change that are beneficial to all sentient beings and to the environment.”

His direct call-out of the dairy industry made headlines and was met, perhaps unsurprisingly, with pushback from the National Milk Producers Federation. However, most importantly, Phoenix brought the animal cruelty inherent within our food system to the forefront of the national conversation.

Phoenix’s activism has shown us all the power a public figure can have when they authentically speak up for what they believe in—using their influence for a much greater good. The impact of these awards shows will last longer than one night, or even the entirety of awards season. Animal protection and veganism has surfaced to the forefront of conversations. Perhaps like you, we can’t wait to see what the future holds for veganism in Hollywood and the influence it will have on the rest of the world.

If you're interested in making the switch to compassionate, plant-based foods, go to EatingVeg.org for recipes and tips.