WATCH: Michael Clarke Duncan Talks Vegetarianism with PETA

By Allyson Koerner | May 11, 2012

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Michael Clark Duncan is a big, strong man. Most probably assume he’s an avid meat eater who gets strength from steaks and hamburgers, and if you’re one of those assumption makers, then you’re quite wrong.

“The Green Mile” and “The Finder” actor is a hardcore vegetarian, who said goodbye to meat three years ago around the day of his 51st birthday. After noticing he had a lot of illnesses, Duncan decided he was ready for a change.

“I wanted to try something new and exciting and different, so I decided to become a vegetarian,” he says in a new video for PETA.

Duncan stars in the new PETA campaign – I Am Michael Clark Duncan, and I Am a Vegetarian – where he speaks about the strengths of going vegetarian.

“The best thing about being a vegetarian for me, number one is I know I’m not harming any animals,” he says in the video campaign. “The number two thing is increased strength. I’m a lot stronger than I was when I was eating meat.”

He goes on to say, “Most of your most powerful animals in the wild are vegetarian, so I’m trying to get my strength to that level. I don’t know if I’ll make it or not, but elephants are vegetarians. They’re pretty big, so. . .”

What really helped Duncan with the change was watching documentaries and reading. He watched “Meet Your Meat,” a behind-the-scenes documentary about factory farming created by PETA, and read “Skinny Bitch,” a guide that promotes a plant based diet. After educating himself, he cleared out $5,000 worth of meat from his refrigerator. Now, he feels healthier and is protecting animals, especially his own. He has 11 pets that include six cats and two dogs.

Duncan explains he’s still strong and getting protein in the healthiest of ways.

“Don’t think that you have to have these gigantic steaks to get your protein,” Duncan says. “The protein you put in from the beans, legumes, fresh fruits, and vegetables will last way longer, and you’ll get more out of it than you will in that 12 ounces of meat.”

Ever since becoming vegetarian, the actor has lost 35 pounds. Be sure to watch the video below to hear Duncan’s story. Also, Duncan gives a step-by-step plan for going vegetarian on PETA’s website, so check that out as well.

0 Comments

Jim Corcoran

There is one caveat to vegetarian instead of vegan food. Evidence suggests that casein, a cow milk protein, when ingested with plant foods, binds with all the healing antioxidants and renders them USELESS to our body! It’s so easy and healthier to be vegan!

Why would someone choose to be vegan? To help end world hunger for one! Here are two uplifting videos to help everyone understand why so many people are making this life affirming choice: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKr4HZ7ukSE and http://www.veganvideo.org
Dannielle

will he also be discussing PeTA slaughterhouse they call a “shelter” in their Norfolk headquarters? you know the one that isn’t even open to the public, and kills over 97% of the animals they take in? these are healthy young adoptable animals we’re talking about- ask the local vets in that area and they’ll confirm. yet PeTA takes them and kills them without even giving them a chance at a home. they had to buy a walk in freezer to store the bodies.
you wanna go veg, Michael, be my guest. I wish you good health. but not all of us would have good health on a vegetarian diet (I’m one such person), and it sickens me beyond belief you would lend your celebrity to such unrepentant killers like PeTA.
everything with MCD is hitting the trash bin tonight. I don’t support those who support PeTA and their needless killing.
- Tuukka Simonen
  
  Do you think Peta kills all the animals just for spite or for being greedy? It’s not like people are queueing for those animals. Also, I thought this was 10 years ago. Please come up with a new smug campaign.
  - Guest
    
    Actually all of my pets are adopted, some are special needs like having only three legs or diets. The simple fact is PETA makes little to no attempt to find homes not only for the warst cases but perfectly adoptable animals while having a multimillion dollar budget. You can support them all you want but i will only donate to local organizations which actually rescue animals.
You mom

Yea because we are animals we can live like other animal. Yup, he has educated himself, indeed he has. An elephant is big and vegetarian, why not me? Because the elephant is a herbivore, you, the human, are a omnivore. Look what happened to the panda when it tried a strict vegetarian diet.

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