Joaquin Raphael Phoenix (also credited as Leaf Phoenix) is arguably one of the most important figures in film. Starring in movies like Her and Walk The Line (and working as a producer on dozens more), Phoenix has earned himself a Grammy and a Golden Globe.
Still, acting is not what he values most. One element of his lifestyle may surprise you.
Phoenix is an adamant vegan. He has been extremely active in philanthropy involving animal rights and he takes his lifestyle very seriously.
He is even set to star in a documentary about veganism with Rooney Mara called, Dominion.
And while some have hopped on the veganism train as if it were a fad diet, Phoenix has some noble reasoning behind his decision.
Key Takeaways
Starting Young
While most who choose veganism are between the ages of 16 and 34, Phoenix knew since the mere age of three and he carried the practices with his siblings throughout his childhood. His parents raised their kids vegan, so he was exposed to the lifestyle movement at an early age.
He can recall the exact moment that he realized he wanted to stop eating meat and consuming animal products and shift to a vegan lifestyle— and the scenario is as heartbreaking as it was life-changing.
Vegan Campaign
Joaquin Phoenix has promoted an 'uncompromising vegan message' by supporting the launch of a major new campaign.
Animal justice organization BeFairBeVegan created the new campaign which will be broadcast for eight weeks throughout Toronto and includes a broad range of media, including a Flexity streetcar wrap, 20 bus murals, and 10 transit shelter.
Phoenix appeared at St George Transit Station, a key transit hub that sees high foot traffic, just hours before receiving the Tribute Actor Award at the city's film festival yesterday.
Vegan Joker
To the joy of DC fans around the world, it was announced that there will be a movie surrounding the Joker with Joaquin Phoenix as the lead- who he really is and how he came to be which appears to be very similar to the Venom movie featuring Tom Hardy which came out last year.
The vegan star’s new role was honored by street art and clothing brand, The Vegan Club, which created a print of Phoenix in his joker makeup earlier this month.
Phoenix won an Academy award for his film Joker (2019) as best actor and emphasized in his Oscar acceptance speech how we're plundering the earth's resources and also touched on animal advocacy.
He said, "I think we’ve become very disconnected from the natural world. Many of us are guilty of an egocentric world view, and we believe that we’re the centre of the universe. We go into the natural world and we plunder it for its resources.
'We feel entitled to artificially inseminate a cow and steal her baby, even though her cries of anguish are unmistakeable. Then we take her milk that’s intended for her calf and we put it in our coffee and our cereal."
Following his win, Joaquin Phoenix get to work right away. He helped to liberate a cow and her newborn from a Los Angeles slaughter house and bringing them to an animal rights organization called Farm Sanctuary.
Phoenix stated, "I never thought I’d find friendship in a slaughterhouse, but meeting Anthony and opening my heart to his, I realize we might have more in common than we do differences. Without his act of kindness, Liberty and her baby calf, Indigo, would have met a terrible demise.
Although we will continue to fight for the liberation of all animals who suffer in these oppressive systems, we must take pause to acknowledge and celebrate the victories, and the people who helped achieve them. Shaun Monson, Amy Jean Davis, and the entire LA Animal Save community, have taken their pain of bearing witness and turned it into effective, diplomatic advocacy for the voiceless.
As a result, Liberty and Indigo will never experience cruelty or the touch of a rough hand. My hope is, as we watch baby Indigo grow up with her mom Liberty at Farm Sanctuary, that we’ll always remember that friendships can emerge in the most unexpected places; and no matter our differences, kindness and compassion should rule everything around us."
Speciesism
Joaquin Phoenix features on a new giant billboard campaign in Times Square, New York which promotes veganism and condemns speciesism.
The vegan actor is pictured in a striking image from animal rights organization PETA beside a chicken, with the ad declaring “We Are All Animals”.
The billboard urges passers-by to “live vegan” and help “end speciesism”, which PETA defines as ‘the damaging belief that – despite their extraordinary talents, abilities, and intelligence – all other animal species are inferior to humans’.
“When we look at the world through another animal’s eyes, we have to realize that, inside, we’re all the same – and so we all deserve to live free from suffering,” says Phoenix in a statement sent to Totally Vegan Buzz.
