Natalie Portman Has No Plans To Go Vegan

28
by Michael dEstries November 27, 2007
Categories: Animals, Eats, People
Tags: .

natalie_portman_002.jpgIt’s easy to see why Natalie Portman is one of the more respected artists in Hollywood. The 26-year old actress not only portrays incredible characters on screen (nevermind the speed bump that was the Star Wars prequels) but also uses her power off-screen to support and promote some incredible campaigns and initiatives. The UK Observer Magazine recently sat down with the star — over a veggie lunch and tap water — to discuss her career and passion for giving back. Here are some highlights:

On not being a vegan and recycling clothing:
“She’s not a vegan, though she has been trying to phase out eggs. ‘But I don’t think I could do it. It’s really hard for traveling, especially if you want to maintain your protein levels.’ She refuses to wear leather, but will wear wool. ‘Although I don’t think I have a lot of wool clothes. And I sort of made a no-buying-anything-new rule. I just have a lot of stuff,’ she says with a tiny pout. ‘And I figured: look, if I need something, if my running shoes have holes in them and I don’t have running shoes any more, then I’ll get new ones. But you know, I have 40 T-shirts, I have 20 pairs of jeans – you get so forced into believing [that you need all this stuff]. Maybe it’s a New York thing.’”

On selecting FINCA as her charity of choice:
“‘Well, yeah, because I wanna do something meaningful. They ask you to do 4,000 charity things a year and all of them are worthy. But I don’t think you can really make an impact unless you do [just] one thing and really devote yourself. And it’s been important to me.’”

On the environment:
‘There’s this book I love called The Future of Life by EO Wilson, about the environment. It’s basically aimed at business people who just think about infinite possibilities, infinite expansion – but the earth is limited! It’s very short term to think we can just accumulate and make as much as we can. If you wanna think longer-term economically, there are better ways.’

For the full (and wonderfully long interview), jump here.


Categories: Animals, Eats, People
Tags: .

About Michael dEstries

Michael has been blogging since 2005 on issues such as sustainability, renewable energy, philanthropy, and healthy living. He regularly contributes to a slew of publications, as well as consulting with companies looking to make an impact using the web and social media. He lives in Ithaca, NY with his family on an apple farm.

View all posts by Michael dEstries →
  • http://vivalagreens.com Christy

    VegNews should revoke her Favorite Vegetarian win. She is obviously not committed to the veg lifestyle.

  • http://www.ecorazzi.com michael

    I don’t know if I would go that far. She’s still a vegetarian, right? As far as I’m concerned, she’s quite deserving of the award…

  • http://thesoupkitchenrec.blogspot.com/ becky

    [In response to Christy]

    Just because someone doesn’t get it right every time doesn’t mean they aren’t something.

    She is still a vegetarian and doing her best, better then Paris Hilton, Britney Spears or Lindsey Lohan.

    So who would you rather feature Ms. Portman or twice-divorced Mrs. Spears?

  • http://ananimalfriendlylife.com Eric

    What a ridiculously misleading and insulting headline.

  • http://www.ecorazzi.com michael

    Why is it insulting? I didn’t intend it to be if that’s the case. Is she going to go vegan soon? Does she not say why it is difficult for her to consider the option?

  • Andrea

    It’s pretty cool she’s phasing out eggs, since most eggs come from factory farms where hens are kept in cages so tiny they can’t even spread their wings.

  • Word Star

    Ms. Portman is living in the dark ages of nutrition when the meat and dairy
    industries controlled the food pyramids and promoted meat, meat, meat and
    protein, protein, protein. Thank goodness, that influence is being countered by modern scientific evidence to the contrary.

    In fact, it is animal protein that is unhealthy.

    “The China Study” is one of the largest studies ever done on this issue.
    http://www.thechinastudy.com/about.html

    “For more than 40 years, T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D. has been at the forefront of nutrition research. His legacy, the China Study, is the most
    comprehensive study of health and nutrition ever conducted…The study was the culmination of a 20-year partnership of Cornell University, Oxford University and the Chinese Academy of Preventive
    Medicine.

    “Although it was ‘heretical’ to say that protein wasn’t healthy, he started
    an in-depth study into the role of nutrition, especially protein, in the
    cause of cancer.”

    “The research project culminated in a 20-year partnership of Cornell University, Oxford University, and the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine, a survey of diseases and lifestyle factors in rural China and Taiwan. More commonly known as the China Study, ‘this project eventually produced more than 8000 statistically significant associations between various dietary factors and disease.’

    “The findings? ‘People who ate the most animal-based foods got the most chronic disease . People who ate the most plant-based foods were the healthiest and tended to avoid chronic disease. These results could not be ignored,’ said Dr. Campbell.”

    “…the lower the percentage of animal-based foods that are consumed, the
    greater the health benefits — even when that percentage declines from 10% to 0% of calories.”

  • Word Star

    Vegans –lacking protein or energy allegedly supplied by animal protein? That’s simply false.

    There are hundreds of top level athletes -even Olympians- who are vegetarian or vegan.

    “Olympian of the Century” track star Carl Lewis, tennis champions Martina
    Navratilova and Billie Jean King, cricket star Anil Kumble, Mr.
    International bodybuilder Andreas Cahling, Heisman trophy winner Desmond
    Howard, Debbie lawrence Olympic race-walker, four time Mr. Universe Bill
    Pearl, 4-time Olympic gold medalist Al Oerter, WBC World Middleweight
    Champion Keith Holmes…and Dave Scott, six-time Ironman triathlon winner,
    to name but a few.

    And finally, two-time winner of the most grueling ultramarathon on earth is vegan Scott Jurek.

    This from a popular running magazine. I do not remember the writer’s name:

    “Starting in Badwater in Death Valley and stretching 135 miles, the Badwater
    Ultramarathon is known as “the most demanding and extreme running race
    offered anywhere on the planet.” It covers 135 miles, nonstop across three
    mountain ranges, from Death Valley to Mount Whitney, the highest mountain in
    the Lower 48. It is five marathons back-to-back with another three miles
    tacked on to the end.”

    Scott also won the Badwater last year. Here’d his bio:

    “On his own journey towards optimal health, Scott began transitioning to a
    vegetarian whole foods diet in 1997, while competing in several ultra trail
    races per year. In 1999, he adopted a vegan diet out of further health and
    environmental concerns. Scott continues to fuel his body on completely vegan
    diet while competing in 10-12 ultramarathons per year in addition to his rigorous training schedule. All seven of his consecutive wins at the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run were performed on vegan fuel.”

    • udoknow

      you do know Carl Lewis 4 gold medals in the 84 Olympics, and ate meat right? and in 1988 Olympics got tested positive for stimulant use tell me if plants were suppose to “help ” his athleticism why turn to pharmaceutical drugs?

  • http://www.ecorazzi.com michael

    Great information Word Star! Thanks!! Let’s hope Natalie picks this up. It’s like the dairy industry saying that we need milk for calcium.

  • William

    It’s easy to maintain protein levels while traveling and eating vegetarian or vegan. I really don’t understand why their would be any reduction in protein. http://www.pcrm.org

  • parrish

    Hell yes Word Star!! Rock it solid for all the vegans in the house!

  • http://thepoliticsoffood.blogspot.com/ keri

    I am so thrilled to see so many pro-vegan comments including educated ones!!!! So nice for a change.

  • Word Star

    Michael,

    Milk as a dietary need is just another myth perpetuated by the dairy industry.

    Dr. Frank Oski, former director of pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University
    said, “There is no reason to drink cow’s milk at any time in your life. It was designed for calves, it was not designed for humans, and we should all stop drinking it today, this afternoon.”

    Dr. Spock agreed, saying, “[T]here was a time when cow’s milk was considered
    very desirable. But research, along with clinical experience, has forced
    doctors and nutritionists to rethink this recommendation.”

    And even The World Health Organization (WHO) says that western nations that consume a lot of meat/dairy have the highest levels of osteoporosis, which is caused by eating a lot of animal protein…fracture risk has recently been shown to be a function of protein intake in North American women.” Anyone concerned about osteoporosis should read the WHO reprot on calcium and dairy intake here: http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2004/9241546123_chap4.pdf

  • Mary F.

    Come on, Natalie, it should be even easier for you to go vegan than it is for the average person. See, for example:
    http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2003issue1/vj2003issue1quick.htm
    and:
    http://www.vegsandiego.com/veg/8/Veganism_on_a_Budget.htm
    and:
    http://www.soystache.com/vegantravel.htm

    and nix the wool.

  • http://www.theveganbus.com vegan busdriver

    it is good that ms portman is at least conscious of her paterns of consumption. if we could help her clear up some of her misconceptions about protein maybe we could win her over to veganism. as far as vegnews, it is always slippery to rely on celebrities to promote veganism. many celebs have conflicting accounts of their veganism, or end up renouncing it like drew barrymore. having nathalie on the cover probably helps sell more issues of a magazine, but might not be the best way to convince people to go vegan.

  • http://ananimalfriendlylife.com Eric Prescott

    Michael,

    The headline insults the reader by being so misleading, as if this whole article was about that one topic, when in fact it was just a small element of a broader interview. I suppose I shouldn’t expect anything less than provocative headlines from a site called Ecorazzi, though. My bad.

    I am glad to see the matter of her veg status cleared up, though. A lot of people thought she was vegan, and statements made in the past were never denied or clarified by her, so this is the first time I’ve seen an indication that she is not actually vegan.

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  • FarmGirl

    Why didn’t VegNews pick an actual vegan who is committed to the same principles as the magazine, like Alicia Silverstone?

  • Andrea

    I was reading this morning that having too much calcium in your diet can actually lead to dementia and depression. Scary stuff.

  • Elora

    Why the mention of wool? Sheep would shed wool even if people didn’t shear it, and I haven’t heard any mention of inhumane methods used in its production. Is this because animal cruelty in the meat and dairy industries garners more attention?

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  • Natasha

    Elora, the wool industry is not any less cruel than leather. Have you heard of “mulesing”? On the farms, the sheared sheep often get folds of their skin cut off in order to repel maggots and flies.

    http://www.vegsource.com/jo/qa/qawool.htm

  • Alina

    Hey everyone! As i understand this is a totally vegan page..but i myself am not vegan, but vegeterian.Seriously, i don’t know where you all leave, probably in America or smth like that, you should recognize the fact that it is really hard to be vegan in some parts of the world.i mean, i live in Estonia…i think there is only one meat-free reastaurant in here, and even that is for vegeterians

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  • stu

    I am at a similar level to Natalie, but wishing to aspire to remove all animal products that involve cruelty or humiliation from my lifestyle. It is good to see her in the limelight and having similar aspirations to myself. I wonder if we could date?

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