Actor and vegan activist Joaquin Phoenix may be unpredictable in interviews, but his commitment to veganism is steadfast. Vegan since the age of three, Phoenix recently recalled the story of how he and his siblings became vegan in an interview with Cover Media.
“There were five kids and we literally screamed at our parents and said, ‘We are never going to eat meat again.’ Because we were on a boat, and they were catching fish, and they were throwing fish against the side of the boat in order to kill them, they are flopping around, so these kids, there were five of us, no there were four of us, one of them was pregnant with my younger sister, and it was undeniable that it was brutal, barbaric and horrible for us, and so we said that. I remember my mum not being to answer and we said, ‘Why didn’t you tell us that’s where meat came from?’ And she didn’t know what to say. I feel like I have this memory of seeing her crying,” says Phoenix.
The award-winning actor also discusses his work with PETA, emphasizing the importance of simple education and awareness about meat.
Phoenix explains, “Well I think for a couple of things that I have done, a couple of PSA’s that I did, I think it was just about raising awareness. You know, when I was a kid growing up, people thought vegans were f*cking cults that had some bizarre rituals and sh*t and there were like some rules and we had to dress a certain way or something. Part of it is to say that there is an alternative, and this is the reality of other things and I wasn’t aware of that and thank you for making me aware of it. I didn’t know that I was buying that product and that’s what would happen. So, I think it’s awesome any time somebody makes me aware of something that I didn’t know.”
Fans of Phoenix can catch him December 18 in Spike Jonze‘s new film “Her.” In the film, Phoenix plays a writer in love with his newly-purchased operating system, voiced by Scarlett Johansson.
Whether he’s making a PETA PSA, attempting to launch a rap career or starring in an A-list director’s meditation on technology and modern love, Joaquin Phoenix is always compelling.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
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About Megan Blanchard
Megan Blanchard is a graduate of UCLA's School of Film, Television and Digital Media. She has been writing and designing content strategy for pro-social outlets and non-profit organizations since 2009.View all posts by Megan Blanchard →
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