Famous Vegetarians & Vegans

Daniel Austin: Powerlifter

Vegan

“I was a pescetarian/vegetarian in my teen years out of a general concern for animals and thinking meat was pretty gross. I always cared about animals (in terms of my sentiments about them), but I think I was in denial about the cruelty of the dairy industry (and how it is one in the same with the meat industry), as well as how destructive and disgusting the seafood industry is. Eventually, watching videos about veal calves and the emotional responses of calves and mother cows being separated from each other convinced me I had to just go fully vegan.”

—Great Vegan Athletes, “Daniel Austin,” greatveganathletes.com (accessed Apr. 19, 2024)

Dotsie Bausch: Cyclist

Vegan

“I switched to a whole-foods, plant-based diet about two and a half years before the 2012 Olympic Games. I stood on the Olympic podium at almost 40 years old, the oldest competitor ever in my specific discipline. My diet change was the key factor in me being able to recover quicker, decrease inflammation, and have all of the stamina and energy I needed to compete against competitors who were 20 years my junior. When I won the silver medal at the 2012 London Olympic games, I was 100 percent vegan.”

— Lauren Mazzo, “This Ad Featuring Plant-Based Olympians Is the Anti-‘Got Milk’ Campaign,” shape.com (accessed Mar. 11, 2020)

Héctor Bellerín: Right-Back/Wing-Back, Real Betis (La Liga)

Vegan

“There’s so many things, like you have your legumes, you have your dried nuts – all this stuff that has so much protein, but we’re just not used to eating that often. When I go out and there’s not a vegan meal on the menu, I know what to ask for, I know how to make it work for me.“

— Great Vegan Athletes, “Hector Bellerin,” greatveganathletes.com (accessed Apr. 23, 2024)

Tia Blanco: Surfer

Vegan

“I’ve seen people chase the vegan diet as a trend or to lose a few pounds. but a vegan diet has huge impacts on the earth and your health. Before you start, research how to do vegan right.”

— Outside, “Fitness Tips from a Vegan Pro Surfer,” outsideonline.com (accessed Mar. 12, 2020)

Frans Claes: Mountain Biker

Vegan

“I eat 100% plant based, no exceptions. I always order before I go somewhere where I don’t know it, or check out what I can find where I am travelling to. My main reason was for the climate and the effects meat production has on the climate, the nature and its ecosystems. Second, for the animals that have to suffer and to die for the human need for animal products. Third, because we save a lot of energy and can feed more people in this world if we want to.”

— Great Vegan Athletes, “Frans Claes,” greatveganathletes.com (accessed Apr. 23, 2024)

Cheavon Clarke: Boxer

Vegan

“One day I was eating meat, and the next day I said I’m done with meat, dairy, and all of that. And then just went on a journey from there. There’s not a lot of time between training, resting, eating, training again. So being able to eat something, digest it, have a quick little rest, and go again. It’s great. Before when I was eating meat, that took a lot longer.”

— Great Vegan Athletes, “Cheavon Clarke,” greatveganathletes.com (accessed Apr. 23, 2024)

Kelly Colobella: Former Utah Falconz Football Player

Vegan

“My grandparents owned a farm. I loved wandering the field and making friends with the animals. One morning (maybe jokingly, maybe not) I was informed I was eating a pig (Squiggly) that I had grown to love. That moment set an awareness in me that manifested later in life to my compassionate lifestyle. I went vegetarian at 12 years old, and later as I learned that going vegan was the next logical step I took it. I stopped eating all dairy at once and have never gone back.”

— Great Vegan Athletes, “Kelly Colobella,” greatveganathletes.com (accessed Apr. 19, 2024)

Meagan Duhamel: Pair Figure Skater

Vegan

“I think now more and more we’re seeing athletes thrive as vegetarians and as vegans, and I think we’ll continue to do so in the future. So many athletes are finding that they’re recovering from injuries and from training quicker by eating a plant-based diet as opposed to an animal-based diet.”

— Renee Cherry, “How Vegan Olympic Ice Skater Meagan Duhamel Fuels for Training,” shape.com (accessed Mar. 12, 2020)

Sophia Ellis: Powerlifter

Vegan

“To start with, it was due to health reasons; I’m lactose intolerant and wanted to start reducing my meat consumption. But the more I looked into veganism, the more my eyes opened to the ethical and environmental side of this lifestyle – which completely sold it to me.

I didn’t need to eat or use animal products to survive, so why put animals through unnecessary suffering? It just didn’t sit right with me that we are causing so much damage to the environment and the animals just for our own convenience.

Once I made the switch, I found that my body really thrived off it! I also became more conscious of what I was putting into my body and how small changes in my lifestyle could have a big impact.”

— Great Vegan Athletes, “Sophia Ellis,” greatveganathletes.com (accessed Apr. 19, 2024)

Dalila Eshe: Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Yale University and Former WNBA Player

Vegan

“I wanted to go vegan or at least vegetarian a while back, but I was nervous playing overseas I wouldn’t have access to all the resources I was looking for. And to be able to practice twice a day and play at a high level. Over time and through my own research I ran across Brendan Brazier and his book. He had a lot of valuable information specifically for high-level athletes. And from there I made the leap. It felt natural to me and I’m so happy about the decision. I will also note that during my season in Portugal I ate way more chicken then I can stand to think about and honestly I was just tired of meat. My body was screaming for something else… and I listened!”

— Great Vegan Athletes, “Dalila Eshe,” greatveganathletes.com (accessed Apr. 23, 2024)

Kendrick Farris: Weightlifter

Vegan

“When people think about particular diets, they often think about it in terms of what they can’t eat. People ask me, ‘Do you walk around and eat salads all day?’ I actually don’t even eat salads that often. But I like to think of it as having a lot of options. There are a lot of things you can eat.”

— Michael Rodio, “The Vegan Diet of American Olympic Weightlifter Kendrick Farris,” mensjournal.com (accessed Mar. 12, 2020)

Lewis Hamilton: Formula 1 Race Car Driver

Vegan

“Every person I have met who has gone vegan says it is the best decision they have ever made. When you watch this documentary and you see meat clogging up your arteries, you see all the stuff they put in the meat, stuff we are all eating, there is no way I am going to disregard that.”

— Andrew Benson, “Lewis Hamilton: F1 Driver on Going Vegan and His Fears for the Planet,” bbc.com, Sep. 16, 2017

Mike Jensen: Motorcycle Stuntrider

Vegan

“I did not have a determined desire to give up on all the food I used to eat. However, changing my diet made very clear sense to me and then I just made the switch.”

— Great Vegan Athletes, “Mike Jensen,” greatveganathletes.com (accessed Apr. 19, 2024)

Kuntal Joisher: Mountain Climber

Vegan

“I love eating fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, whole grains, dates, nuts and seeds – and this diet has done wonders for me. I recover much quicker even when I do some of the most excruciating workouts (such as a 20 hour steep hike in the local mountains). On the other side, every-time I eat unhealthy food such as deep fried stuff / white refined flour, I’ve realized that my recovery becomes slower. One’s body tells it what it likes. And my body likes a whole foods vegan diet. Some of my favorite food are fruits such as banana, mango, grapes, and power-packed dried dates, raisins and figs, and I cannot forget — oatmeal made with either water or soymilk (my favorite breakfast of all!).”

— Great Vegan Athletes, “Kuntal Joisher,” greatveganathletes.com (accessed Apr. 19, 2024)

DeAndre Jordan: Center, Denver Nuggets (NBA)

Vegan

“I just was like, ‘This is what I’m doing.’ It’s been great for me ever since…. Once you educate yourself a lot on what you’re putting in your body and where the protein is actually coming from, [going vegan] was an easy decision for me. And also, environmentally, being able to take care of the planet—not only for ourselves but for our children and their children and so on—I just wanted to be able to have some kind of impact on us bettering our environment.”

— Great Vegan Athletes, “DeAndre Jordan,” greatveganathletes.com (accessed Apr. 23, 2024)

Andy Lally: Race Car Driver

Vegan

“I respect all life and if I have the option to stay just as healthy and just as strong, if not stronger, by not torturing or enslaving or causing pain for other living things, I’m for it.”

— Anna Starostinetskaya, “Racecar Driver Credits Vegan Diet for His Success,” vegnews.com, Jan. 28, 2017

JaVale McGee: Race Car Driver

Vegan

“I workout. I’m a vegan because of that, I like to stay skinny. I like to sprint, I like to run up and down the floor. That’s what I model my game after just being able to get up and down the floor and catch lobs and stay light.”

— Cait Corcoran, “LA Lakers Player JaVale McGee Says He’s Vegan Because It Helps His Performance!,” onegreenplanet.org (accessed Apr. 23, 2024)

Charlotte “Charm” McShane: Triathlete

Vegan

“I’ve been a vegan for a very long time and I believe it’s the right diet for me, it’s the right way of living for me, so if others are inspired than an athlete can be a vegan, I think that’s great.”

— Great Vegan Athletes, “Charlotte McShane,” greatveganathletes.com (accessed Apr. 19, 2024)

Heather Mills: Skier, Model, and Activist

Vegan

“My plan is to improve the world with Veganism and that includes showing that healthy Vegans can be the best in sport.”

— Great Vegan Athletes, “Heather Mills,” greatveganathletes.com (accessed Apr. 19, 2024)

Elena Congost Mohedano: Track and Field Athlete

Vegan

“I went to a naturopathic doctor and he encouraged me to eat only fruit for a week, and then start with a vegan diet. I thought It would be impossible to complete my training sessions having only eaten fruit. I tried it and it was the opposite, I had more energy, vitality and I felt super good. I started to feel much better and the workouts were superb. Then, when you find out what the food industry does to animals, you just convince yourself to continue with the lifestyle. They tell me I’m crazy but my results have endorsed my decision.”

— Great Vegan Athletes, “Elena Congost,” greatveganathletes.com (accessed Apr. 23, 2024)

Alex Morgan: Forward, U.S. Women’s National Team and Orlando Pride (NWSL)

Vegan

“I’m passionate about giving animals a voice. I even adopted a vegan diet, because it didn’t feel fair to have a dog I adore, and yet eat meat all the time.”

— Beth Greenfield, “Soccer Star Alex Morgan Is a Vegan –Here’s Why Plant-Based Eating Is a Growing Trend for Athletes,” yahoo.com, July 12, 2019

Micky Papa: Skateboarder

Vegan

“I’ve been fascinated with health and nutrition for as long as I can remember. I was raised old school Italian. Growing up, I would pick fresh ingredients out of my Nonna’s garden for family meals. That was the foundation. As I got older, an all-organic diet has been imperative to my lifestyle, and more recently I decided to go full vegan. I am seeing drastic differences in my health as well as my physical performance. Over the years, I have witnessed firsthand how these changes in diet can completely affect one’s quality of life.”

— Great Vegan Athletes, “Micky Papa,” greatveganathletes.com (accessed Apr. 23, 2024)

Chris Paul: Point Guard, Golden State Warriors (NBA)

Vegan

“I chose a plant-based life. So far, so good. Not easy. But for me it’s working. I went cold turkey. I tell you: I was itching. I thought I needed a chicken wing or something. But somehow I made it through. I had the opportunity to executive produce a movie/documentary called Game Changers, which talks about plant-based diets and how it helps athletes.

For me, being as competitive as I am, I looked at this and I was like: hold up, let me try this out. And I tried it, and the first thing that changes when you go plant based—and it might be too much information—is going to the rest room. It becomes… a lot faster. A whole lot faster.”

— Great Vegan Athletes, “Chris Paul,” greatveganathletes.com (accessed Apr. 23, 2024)

Spencer Pumpelly: Race Car Driver

Vegan

“I made the switch to vegetarian for health reasons, and was always interested in trying vegan but figured that with all my travel it would be impossible. One race weekend I decided to give it a try and sure enough I made it through the event. I kept at it and it turns out it’s a lot easier than I imagined.”

— Great Vegan Athletes, “Spencer Pumpelly,” greatveganathletes.com (accessed Apr. 23, 2024)

Lawrence Okolie: Boxer

Vegan

“I switched because I have a few friends who are vegan. They told me my energy levels would increase, so I tried it for one month. After that first month, I never looked back.”

— Great Vegan Athletes, “Lawrence Okolie,” greatveganathletes.com (accessed Apr. 23, 2024)

Kristen Santos-Griswold: Speed Skater

Vegan

“I began questioning how I felt about the dairy and egg industry morally and ultimately decided that I didn’t agree with it. I’ve always loved animals so much and don’t want to contribute to anything that could be harmful to them. When I switched to a fully plant-based diet, I also began feeling just overall so much better and began skating better too.”

— Great Vegan Athletes, “Kristen Santos-Griswold,” greatveganathletes.com (accessed Apr. 19, 2024)

Chris Smalling: Centre-Back, Roma (Serie A)

Vegan

“There are so many documentaries out there and so much more information. I think it is hard to ignore some of the facts and that is definitely a big part of why I will stay vegan.”

— Great Vegan Athletes, “Chris Smalling,” greatveganathletes.com (accessed Apr. 23, 2024)

Diana Taurasi: Point Guard/Shooting Guard, Phoenix Mercury (WNBA)

Vegan

“I think it [being vegan] is something I have really benefitted from. Just staying away from foods that cause a lot of inflammation, fats and sugars that everyone knows are obviously a little counterproductive if you eat large amounts of them. So, I have stayed more on a plant-based diet and it has really benefitted me.”

— Great Vegan Athletes, “Diana Taurasi,” greatveganathletes.com (accessed Apr. 23, 2024)

Ed Templeton: Skateboarder

Vegan

“Skateboarders are always ahead of the curve. It is a group inherently in the know, full of artists and do-it-yourselfers. Once you read about the meat and dairy industry and the things they do, it is hard to keep supporting them. I didn’t want to partake in the killing of animals or spend my money on the whole system…. I think the way I eat should be commonplace. I treat it that way. There is no need to be overly proud of it. It would be like proclaiming: ‘I didn’t cheat on my wife!’ Well, of course, you are not supposed to be doing that. You shouldn’t be eating meat, either.”

— Great Vegan Athletes, “Ed Templeton,” greatveganathletes.com (accessed Apr. 23, 2024)

Tennessee Titans Team Members:

At least 15 of the NFL’s Titans team members went vegan for the 2018/2019 season, including the following who have remained vegan:

Derrick Morgan (linebacker),

DaQuan Jones (defensive lineman),

and Wesley Woodyard (linebacker)

Vegan

Woodyard first said of his teammates’ change in diet, “Y’all crazy with this vegan thing. I’m from LaGrange, Georgia. I’m going to eat my pork.” But he soon changed his tune, saying, “My energy level’s gone up. And it’s just putting in good fuel to your body. And of course, it’s always hard to keep weight on [during the season]. But it’s worth it for me staying on top of my health.”

— Sarah Berger, “NFL Players’ Surprising Performance Hack: Going Vegan,” cnbc.com, Sep. 9, 2018

— Cameron Wolfe, “Derrick Morgan and His Chef Wife Inspired Vegan Movement on Titans,” espn.com, Dec. 2, 2017

Hannah Teter: Snowboarder

Vegetarian

“I went vegetarian after watching Earthlings. I had no idea how intense and how horrible factory farms are. I have such a love for animals that I can’t justify having their heads cut off for me. And the slavery of the dairy industry motivates me to go more vegan. I can’t justify animal slavery for my enjoyment. I love the Gandhi quote: “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” Animals can’t speak for themselves, but scientifically we know that they don’t want to die.”

— Avital Andrews, “Hannah Teter, Gold-Medal Snowboarder, Carves a Meaningful Life,” huffpost.com, Dec. 6, 2017

David Verburg: Track and Field Athlete

Vegetarian

“It started because I do a lot of work with rescues and am a big advocate for animals. I love animals, but then I’d turn around and eat one. So, I thought, I should probably change this. I began reading about the health benefits and figured that it would be possible to do, even as an athlete. I eased into it—I became pescatarian then vegetarian. Within six months, I made the full transition to vegan. Once I tried it, I noticed an increase in my energy, and it’s been great so far.”

— Great Vegan Athletes, “David Verburg,” greatveganathletes.com (accessed Apr. 23, 2024)

Venus Williams: Tennis Player

Vegan

“I started for health reasons. I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, and I wanted to maintain my performance on the court. Once I started I fell in love with the concept of fueling your body in the best way possible. Not only does it help me on the court, but I feel like I’m doing the right thing for me.”

— Alison Mango, “This Drastic Diet Change Helped Venus Williams Fight Her Autoimmune Condition,” health.com, Jan. 12, 2017

Deatrich Wise: Defensive End, New England Patriots (NFL)

Vegan

“You get all kinds of injuries in football. I’ve had a long list of injuries, but when I started to change my diet, I realized a lot of things I was eating wasn’t healing my body the way I wanted to. I know the foods that we eat often lead to certain diseases and I definitely wanted to clean up my diet for my physical recovery but also for my health as well.”

— Chris Cason, “Deatrich Wise Hopes Less Meat Results in His Most Productive NFL Season,” muscleandfitness.com (accessed Apr. 18, 2024)

Pamela Anderson: Actor and Animal Rights Activist

Vegan

“Vegetables sustain me. I understand the challenge of getting rid of old habits and replacing that go-to board of charcuteries, with an earthy mezzo platter or crudités. I’ve been there—I love to entertain and it’s my goal to serve enough dishes that people don’t miss the classic meat and cheese.”

— Danielle DeAngelis, “Here’s What Pamela Anderson Eats in a Day to Keep Herself Energized,” eatingwell.com, June 13, 2023

Erykah Badu: Singer

Vegetarian

“I guess it’s the daily routine. I don’t have any particular thing I do ritualistically. I do the same thing every day. I get up. Drink a lot of water. Have a wheatgrass shot. Drink some green juice. Eat as healthy as I can. I’m not trying to win an award for being the best vegetarian, just want to be healthy. Take a salt bath. Do things that my parents were never able to do. I’m blessed to do anything I want so I decide to take the best care of my body and my family in the same way. Holistically. Vitally.”

— Maranda Pleasant, “Erykah Badu: Interview With Origin Magazine,” huffpost.com, Feb. 8, 2013

Chloe and Halle Bailey: Actors and Singers

Vegan

Chloe says, “We’re vegan, so we’re not consuming dairy and it’s not that extra mucus buildup all the time. We hydrate a lot more before performances. We were really on a roll of drinking gallon jugs of water, and that made us feel better mentally and physically.”

— Rebecca Haithcoat, “Self-Reliance Is Key for Beyoncé Protégés Chloe and Halle,” complex.com, Oct. 26, 2027

Travis Barker: Drummer for Blink-182

Vegan

“I love vegan pizza, I’ll also have vegan sushi, Vietnamese vegan food, a dear friend of mine owns this spot called Au Lac which is just so good. The other day we got Craig’s Vegan ice cream, so whenever that’s in the freezer it’s definitely tempting.

On that note, I’ve come to learn that if you don’t want to eat that stuff, you just don’t keep it in the house. That’s it. Some days, my dessert will just be a spoonful of almond butter.”

— Emily Abbate, “The Real-Life Diet of Travis Barker, Who Has Eaten Vegan Since Surviving a Plane Crash,” gq.com, Mar. 19, 2021

Mayim Bialik: Actor and Author of Mayim’s Vegan Table

Vegan

“I’m a lifestyle vegan. What does that mean? In addition to not eating animals and animal by-products, I also don’t wear them. No wool, no leather, and no cashmere.”

— Mayim Bialik, facebook.com, Jan. 17, 2019

Tabitha Brown: Actor and Social Media Personality

Vegan

“I love introducing non vegans to vegan food!”

— Tabitha Brown, instagram.com, Aug. 21, 2022

Alan Cumming: Actor

Vegan

“I feel much better, I feel I’ve got more energy, I feel cleaner, I feel younger because I’m not asking my body to cope with things that it’s not necessarily do good with coping at.”

— Deadline, “Alan Cumming Launches Appeal for More Vegans,” deadlinenews.co.uk, Sep. 12, 2016

Emily Deschanel: Actor

Vegan

“I drive a hybrid car. And my home is fairly green. Going vegetarian or vegan is certainly a way to lessen your footprint on the Earth. It’s upsetting to me that so many people think of themselves as environmentalists and still eat meat and dairy products. I think it’s something people should be considering given the emergency situation we’re in regarding water supplies, global warming, and the destruction of ecosystems. There’s a lot of overlap between animal rights and the environment.”

— Ligaya Figueras, “One on One with ‘Bones’ Star (and Vegan) Emily Deschanel,” vegetariantimes.com, Aug. 11, 2021

Billie Eilish: Singer/Songwriter

Vegan

“i went vegan like four years ago. there were a lot of reasons. i love animals and i just think there’s no point in creating something out of an animal when the animal is already there. leave animals alone. damn. also im lactose intolerant and dairy is horrible for your skin and my skin is VERY aware of that.”

— Ariel Scotti, “Is Billie Eilish Vegan? Plus 10 Other Celebs You Didn’t Know Were Plant-Based,” purewow.com, Feb 19, 2020

Game of Thrones Actors

At least four actors on the TV show, Game of Thrones, are vegan:

Peter Dinklage

(Tyrion Lannister),

Nathalie Emmanuel (Missandei),

Jerome Flynn (Bronn),

and Bella Ramsey (Lyanna Mormont).

Vegan

Nathalie Emmanuel explained she went vegan because, “I was hanging out with my friend Mel Wells… She’d tell me about what she was learning; that coupled with my family’s own medical history, we’ve had lots of conditions in the family, made me want to take control over what I put in my body. So I ate vegan for one week at first—I would have reassessed if it made me feel really ill, but it made me feel really good, so I carried on for another week, and then I felt even better. People kept coming up to me and telling me I looked glowy and my eyes looked really bright, so I kept going.”

— Amy Lane, “Nathalie Emmanuel Talks Turning Vegan, Finding Confidence and Becoming a Yoga Teacher,” womenshealthmag.com, Apr. 15, 2019

—Daniel Palmer, “Game of Thrones Actor Jerome Flynn to Advise Vegan Crypto Project,” coindesk.com, May 21, 2019

—Bella Ramsey, Instagram.com (accessed Mar. 13, 2020)

—Viva.org, “Peter Dinklage,” viva.org.uk (accessed Mar. 13, 2020)

Ricky Gervais: Comedian

Vegan

“I’m vegan. Apology accepted.”

— Ricky Gervais, twitter.com, Dec. 2, 2023

Ariana Grande: Singer

Vegan

“I love animals more than I love most people, not kidding. But I am a firm believer in eating a full plant-based, whole food diet that can expand your life length and make you an all-around happier person. It is tricky dining out, but I just stick to what I know — veggies, fruit and salad — then when I get home I’ll have something else.”

— Emi Boscamp, “Ariana Grande Explains Why She’s Vegan,” mindbodygreen.com (accessed Mar. 16, 2020)

Woody Harrelson: Actor

Vegan

“It was more instinct than anything. I started learning more about it after I already started to do it, which is the case with a lot of things in my life.”

— Brad Japhe, “Woody Harrelson Releases Vodka, Gin Made from Artichoke Leaves.” bloomberg.com, Sep. 26, 2023

Liam Hemsworth: Actor, The Hunger Games trilogy

Vegan

“I was finishing up the Hunger Games press tour and got the flu. Woody Harrelson told me that I should try eating raw vegetables. He’s got more energy than anyone I’ve ever met, along with the nicest guy in the world, so I tried it out. Since then I’ve felt amazing and have been eating that way ever since.”

— Scott Henderson, “How Liam Hemsworth Stays Vegan without Losing Muscle,” menshealth.com.au, Nov. 1, 2018

Joan Jett: Singer

Vegetarian

“I thought: ‘What’s the difference between eating a bloody steak and killing my dog, slitting him open and roasting him?’ I’ve always loved animals but it was around the late 80s that I realised I had to go vegetarian. A lot of things converged in my life then – musically, emotionally – but mainly it was my love of animals and spending so much time touring that made me decide I had to change my diet. In the Runaways we used to eat a ton of junk food. So something had to give.”

— John Briffa and Morwenna Ferrier, “What’s in Your Basket, Joan Jett?,” the guardian.com, July 17, 2010

Killah Priest: Rapper

Vegan

“I remember he [GZA of Wu-Tang Clan] showed me this YouTube video. That kind of turned my head about not wanting to eat animals. GZA was talking to me about it and explaining it all.”

— Grist Staff, “Here’s the Vegan Hip-Hop Playlist You Never Knew You Needed,” grist.org, July 9, 2025

Jared Leto: Actor and Musician

Vegetarian/Vegan

“I’m pretty healthy—I’ve been that way for a long time. Twenty solid years of eating vegetarian/vegan and taking care of myself. That probably helps the preservation process.”

— Anna Starostinetskaya, “Jared Leto Freaks Out about Vegan Snacks in the Most Relatable Way,” vegnews.com, Sep. 5, 2023

Leona Lewis: Singer

Vegan

“I’ve been vegetarian since I was about 12. I remember seeing a group protesting against animal testing and feeling very moved by what they were saying. I decided to stop eating meat and only use non-animal-tested products, which were quite difficult to find at that time. I would ask my mum to only buy things from The Body Shop, as it was the only way I knew that the products were cruelty-free. Later in life, I decided to stop consuming milk and cheese when I became more aware of the environmental and animal welfare issues surrounding these products.”

— Allie Mitchell, “She’s Got Fire under Her Feet: An Interview with Singer, Activist, and Vegan Coffee Shop Owner Leona Lewis,” vegoutmag.com, Jan. 19, 2024

Lizzo: Musician

Vegan

“I try to keep everything I put in my body super clean. Health is something I prioritize, wherever that leads me physically. Like veganism, people were like, ‘You’re a vegan? What, are you deep frying the lettuce?’ I’m not a vegan to lose weight, I just feel better when I eat plants.”

— Lisa Robinson, “Lizzo Is Here to Talk About All of It—That Flute, That Lyric, Her Man, and More,” vanityfair.com, Oct. 11, 2022

Evanna Lynch: Actress, Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter films

Vegan

Lynch, who had been vegetarian since age 11, found transitioning to a vegan diet difficult, stating, “I had too much of a complicated, emotional relationship to food. I found the best way for me was to be gentle and take it day by day. When I first I tried to go vegan I was angry and upset about the violence, it didn’t stick because it made me unhappy. Anything you do out of guilt is not sustainable. Eventually, it became more about celebrating veganism and life… [Friend Erik Marcus told her] to ‘crowd out’ all the animal-based products in my diet with vegan versions, so I would add things like tempeh and tofu to my meals without necessarily losing the animal-based ones right away. Gradually the animal products just fell out of my diet and I didn’t miss them as much. It made it more about the benefits of veganism.”

— Vegan Life, “Evanna Lynch — Role Model for New Vegans and Veg-Curious People,” veganlifemag.com, Oct. 3, 2017

Trixie Mattel: Drag Queen persona of Brian Michael Firkus, RuPaul’s Drag Race star

Vegetarian

“I’m a vegetarian, so that takes a lot of calories out of the equation. I’ve been a vegetarian since I was nine years old.

Because I travel, it’s not really financially viable to keep raw ingredients in my house. I’m always gone. I have to be careful because if I get really hungry, I break my promises to myself. For a while, I was working with Clean LA. They were delivering meals to my house, pre-portioned of vegan food. That was nice, but I was always drinking, so I didn’t see results. I went back to just feeding myself, and I went off alcohol. That got me in shape faster.”

— Brennan Carley, “The Real-Life Diet of Trixie Mattel, Drag Superstar and Self-Proclaimed Skinny Legend,” gq.com, Feb. 6, 2020

Kate Mara: Actor

Vegan

“I’ve been a vegan for five years. I found it hard to give up cheese at first because I love it so much. But I haven’t missed meat at all…. I’ve always had a pretty sensitive stomach, but when I cut animal products out of my diet, I felt so much better.”

— Pamela O’Brien, “Why Actress Kate Mara Decided to Go Vegan,” shape.com, Apr. 12, 2018

Rooney Mara: Actor

Vegan

“I’ve been a vegetarian on and off since I was nine… On and off only because my parents told me I was a picky eater and wouldn’t always let me. Then, about seven years ago, someone sent me this horrible undercover video of a pig, which led me to another horrible video and another horrible video. I went down the YouTube rabbit hole.”

— Emily Siegel, “New Label Hiraeth Enters the Vegan Fashion Fold,” coveteur.com, Aug. 24, 2018

Marvel’s Avengers Actors

While some of the Avengers went vegan during filming, others are full-time vegans:

Dave Bautista (Drax),

Benedict Cumberbatch (Dr. Strange),

Peter Dinklage (Eitri),

Winston Duke (M’Baku),

and Danai Gurira (Okoye)

Vegan

(Gurira is a pesca-vegan) In the film Black Panther, Winston Duke’s character, M’Baku jokingly threatens Agent Everett Ross (Martin Freeman), “I’m going to feed you to my children if you don’t shut up! Just kidding, we’re vegetarians.” It turns out quite a few Avengers actors are vegan in real life.

—Samantha Chang, “‘Black Panther’ Star Reveals Diet and Exercise Tips,” inquisitr.com, July 1, 2018

—Jacqueline Coley, “Winston Duke Shares Little but Leaves Big Impression,” sxsw.com, Mar. 7, 2019

—Jacques Martin, “They Don’t Need Meat to Compete: 20 Pro Wrestlers Who Are Vegetarians,” therecipe.com, Jan. 24, 2019

—Catherine Pointing, “10 Cast Members of ‘The Avengers’ Are Vegan or Vegetarian,” livekindly.co, Apr. 27, 2019

—Megan Reviews, “Review #16: Black Panther (2018),” medium.com, Feb. 25, 2018

—Katherine Sullivan, “No Wonder Dr. Strange Is So Fit–Benedict Cumberbatch Is Vegan,” peta.org, Apr. 25, 2018

—Viva.org, “Peter Dinklage,” viva.org.uk (accessed Mar. 17, 2020)

Brian May: Guitarist for Queen

Vegan

“But to go vegan was just a decision, and I haven’t been preachy about it, but now we’ve seen more of the effects of how eating animals has brought us to our knees as a species, I think it’s time to re-examine our world in a way that doesn’t abuse other species. Whether we will see that happen, I don’t know, but I think I will start to be a bit more preachy about veganism because to me it is the way forward, in so many ways.”

— Nick Reilly, “Brian May Backs Widespread Veganism after Coronavirus Crisis: ‘Eating Animals Has Brought Us to Our Knees,’” nme.com, Apr. 15, 2020

Moby: Musician and animal rights activist

Vegan

Moby, who became vegetarian in 1985, explains his transition to veganism: “My reason for becoming a vegetarian was simple: I loved (and love) animals and I don’t want to be involved in anything that leads to or contributes to their suffering. At first this led me to give up beef and chicken. Then fish (if you’ve ever spent time with fish you realize pretty quickly that they feel pain and are much happier not being hooked or speared or netted). Then I thought, ‘“’I don’t want to contribute to animal suffering. But the cows and chickens in commercial dairy and egg farms are pretty miserable, so why am I still eating milk and eggs?’”’ So in 1987 I gave up all animal products and became a vegan. Simply so that I could eat and live in accordance with my beliefs that animals have their own lives, that they’re entitled to their own lives and that contributing to animal suffering is something that I don’t want to be a part of.”

— Moby, “Opinion: Why I’m Vegan by Moby,” rollingstone.com, Mar. 18, 2014

Morrissey: Musician and animal rights activist

Vegan

“The truth is, vegans are actually superior beings. A television documentary recently covered a duck farm somewhere in England, and as all the chicks emerged from their incubator chirping away, the TV presenter said ‘”‘Ooh they’re so cute, they’re so beautiful, oh look, look at their little faces,’”‘ and then she turned to the camera with a straight face and said matter-of-factly ‘”‘the chicks will be allowed to live for 8 weeks and will then be slaughtered’”‘ and I thought, wow, people really ARE utterly stupid, aren’t they? This is what you’re up against – recognition that the chicks were beautiful, yet not ALLOWED to live longer than 8 weeks because someone wants to suck on their innards. It’s barbaric. Do people realize how deadly they sound?”

— Fiona Dodwell, “This Is Morrissey: An Interview,” tremr.com, June 5, 2018

Cillian Murphy: Actor

Vegetarian/Vegan

“I was vegetarian [before trying veganism] for about 15 years. But it was never a moral decision. It was more that I was worried about getting mad cow disease.”

— Kate Neudecker, “‘Oppenheimer’ Star Cillian Murphy Reveals His Most Missed Food Now He’s Vegan,” menshealth.com, Apr. 2, 2024

Mýa: Singer and Veganism Advocate

Vegan

“What began as one of my many willpower challenges in 2014, quickly evolved into a permanent vegan lifestyle change through education and awareness, which then transformed and improved my mental, spiritual, and physical states. Not only had I discovered what I consider to be the fountain of youth, but found that my mind and spirit were forever altered. Once I had become aware of the harsh realities of the food production industry, I made a conscious decision to better my health, my future family, advocate for voiceless animals, and positively affect my community, the environment, and mother earth.”

— Mýa, “Mýa’s Vegan Transition Guide,” myamya.com (accessed Apr. 10, 2024)

Elliot Page: Actor

Vegan

“Why are vegans made fun of while the inhumane factory farming process regards animals and the natural world merely…”

— Elliot Page, twitter.com, Mar. 15, 2011

Madelaine Petsch: Actor, Cheryl Blossom on Riverdale

Vegan

Petsch, who has followed a “plant-based” diet her whole life and became vegan at 14, said, “Being vegan keeps my body fueled and running smoothly… I felt a lot healthier. I didn’t feel as lethargic.”

— Jessica Migala, “The 1,7000-Calorie Vegan Meal Plan That Riverdale’s Madelaine Petsch Swears by for Endless Energy,” womenshealthmag.com, Mar. 16, 2018

Natalie Portman: Actor

Vegan

“I’m vegan, so I generally have a very clean diet; I usually have oatmeal or avocado toast in the morning…. Normally I don’t have caffeine, but when I’m working I’ll drink coffee if I’m tired. I feel like it’s kind of psychological because I don’t think I’m that affected by it. I take vitamins too—vitamin D, and I’m still on prenatal vitamins. I get B12 shots once a month because it’s the one thing you don’t get from a vegan diet.”

— Alexandra Parnass, “A Day in the Life of Natalie Portman,” harpersbazaar.com, Aug. 21, 2017

Joaquin Phoenix: Actor

Vegan

Phoenix recalls that his whole family went vegan after he saw how fish were caught, stating, “It was so violent, it was just so intense. I have a vivid memory of my mom’s face, which—I have seen that same face maybe one other time, where she was completely speechless because we yelled at her. How come you didn’t tell us that’s what fish was? I remember tears streaming down her face… She didn’t know what to say.”

— Evan Romano, “Joaquin Phoenix’s Family Went Vegan after Learning ‘What Fish Was,’” menshealth.com, Oct. 1, 2019

Sia: Singer/Songwriter

Vegetarian

“I became a vegetarian because of my dogs. Knowing that cows and chickens could feel and care and empathize, just like my pups, drew me to want to do more to support them. I’m a fairly private person, but I began unapologetically donating my time and resources to organizations including Best Friends and the ASPCA, as well as co-narrating the documentary Dominion to shed light on the ills of animal agriculture—all to make good on the promise to my younger self.”

— Sia Furler, “Singer-Songwriter Sia: I’m a Vegetarian, and I Believe Meat Is the Future,” fortune.com, Feb. 7, 2022

Alicia Silverstone: Actor and Animal Rights Activist

Vegan

“I realized that when I was petting his [rescue dog, Roscoe] leg, that leg felt the same as the sort of chicken breasts I might be eating, or whatever animal I was eating. And I started to wonder what my leg might taste like if somebody ate it.”

— Ilana Kaplan, “Alicia Silverstone Wants Us to Eat Our Fruits and Vegetables,” nytimes.com, May 31, 2020

Sadie Sink: Actor

Vegan

“I realised what goes on in the egg industry, and the dairy industry, so then I was like, ‘That’s it! Going vegan!’ and I just kind of went cold turkey basically.”

— Olive Pometsey, “Sadie Sink on Going Vegan, First Crushes, and Her Love for All Things 90s,” elle.com, June 14, 2018

Maggie Q: Actor and Animal-Rights Activist

Vegan

“We are seeing climate change right in front of our eyes. One of the things that is missing from political discourse, from policy, from government, is the fact that the leading cause of carbon emissions in the world is animal agriculture and no one is talking about it. This is the real issue that is driving climate change.”

— Joe Loria, “Maggie Q Sounds off on Why She’s Vegan,” mercyforanimals.org, Oct. 25, 2017

will.i.am: Rapper

Vegan

“Going #Vegan change my life…10years ago I was eating pizza and apart of the #junkFOOD GANG now that I’m proudly apart of the VGANG I’m healthy and ready for the next #10yearchallenge”

— will.i.am, instagram.com, Jan. 15, 2019

Wu-Tang Klan (most members)

Rappers RZA,

GZA,

Masta Killa,

Method Man,

Ghostface Killah,

and Raekwon

Vegan

RZA, who influenced the rest of the Wu-Tang Clan to go vegan, says, “People are becoming more conscious of how they eat and of the effects their diets have on problems like high blood pressure and diabetes. A plant-based diet has been actually proven to reduce these factors in our community, and getting this information into the hands of Black chefs and restaurants will just only expand it.”

— Chala June, “Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA on Meat and Masculinity,” bonappetit.com, Aug. 4, 2021

Rob Zombie: Musician

Vegan

“The vegetarian thing started when I was in high school. I never really liked eating meat. Whenever I was served pork chops or something it would just taste awful to me. We’re all brainwashed from the moment we’re born that all the cows are happy and the pigs are happy and everybody’s so happy and it’s all ‘Old McDonald Had a Farm.’ And then I saw a movie that was the first time I really saw how brutal and disgusting factory farming was. That’s when I was, like, ‘I’m done.’ Over the years I would eat cheese or put some creamer in my coffee or something. It was about nine years ago that I was eating eggs for breakfast. And I was just, like, ‘This is disgusting and I’m done.’ And that was it. I’ve been 100% vegan since that moment.”

— Danielle Cohen, “The Real Life Diet of Rob Zombie, Who Thinks Eating Vegan Is Metal,” gq.com, Feb. 11, 2021

Cory Booker: U.S. Senator (D-NY)

Vegan

“Legislatively, I want to continue to be a part of a movement of folk who are fighting against corporate interests that are undermining the public good and the public welfare. I believe that Americans do care about the cruelty to animals…so, I think there’s a lot of legislation we could be doing to stop sort of corporate power from reigning over the power of individuals to have freedom of choice, to see more compassion, to see a focus on public health.”

— Ineye Komonibo, “Cory Booker on Being Vegan and Animal Rights,” marieclaire.com, Oct. 2, 2019

Bill Clinton: 42nd President of the U.S.

Pesca-Vegan

“[Going vegan] changed my life. I might not be around if I hadn’t become a vegan. It’s great… The vegan diet is what I like the best. I have more energy. I never clog. For me, the no dairy thing, because I had an allergy, has really helped a lot. And I feel good… [My doctor] asked me to eat organic salmon once a week. I do, but I’d just as soon be without it.”

— Mark Hensch, “Bill Clinton; Going Vegan Has Kept Me Alive,” thehill.com, Feb. 25, 2016

Jeremy Corbyn: Member of Parliament for Islington North

Vegetarian

“It’s a fair question [whether he will go vegan]. I eat more and more vegan food, and have more and more vegan friends, indeed there are quite a lot of vegan MPs actually – not a lot but there are some. I think what has improved so much is vegetarian and vegan food has got so much better in recent years.”

— Rowena Mason, “Some of My Best Friends Are Vegans, Says Jeremy Corbyn, but I’m Not One,” theguardian.com, Sep. 4, 2017

Nat Friedman: Founder of GitHub

Vegetarian

“I’ve been a vegetarian for seven years and I no longer remember what a hamburger tastes like.”

— Nat Friedman, Twitter.com, Mar. 7, 2013

Tulsi Gabbard: Former U.S. Representative (D-HI)

Vegan

“Well, I have been a lifelong vegetarian… For me, deciding to be vegetarian is rooted in a very strong spiritual foundation as a practicing Hindu—and an awareness and a care and compassion for all living beings. So, more recently, in the last few years—just as I became more aware of the unethical treatment of animals in the dairy industry especially—it caused me to really think about some of the changes I could make to lessen that negative impact on animals as well as the environment. This is an issue I’ve really been working to bring to the forefront throughout my time in Congress and this campaign. I want to bring awareness around the environment and climate change; there’s a direct correlation to our diet and the choices that we make, what we eat, and what we put in our bodies every day. It’s been a glaring omission in most of the climate change debates, often focused on fossil fuels, which is important. But when you look at the impact that we could have in the world and on the planet by people moving to a plant-based diet, or even just starting to move in that direction, it’s really quite tremendous.”

— Jasmin Singer, “Tulsi Gabbard on Veganism, Climate Change, and What Gives Her Hope,” vegnews.com, Feb. 2020

Jane Goodall: Primatologist, Anthropologist

Vegetarian

“There are three main reasons why we should eat less – or preferably no – meat. Firstly, so that we may eliminate factory farms. Secondly, to reduce the shocking damage the meat production industry inflicts on the environment and its contribution to climate change. And finally, to improve human health…For all of these reasons, and more, I chose to become a vegetarian all those years ago. I continue to ask people to consider what this choice really means on a moral and practical level for animals and the environment. It is the choice to change our individual lives, which will in turn have enormous benefits for all of humanity and all of the other living creatures we share our home with.”

— Jane Goodall, “Why I Became a Vegetarian (and Why We Should All Eat Less Meat),” news.janegoodall.org, Apr. 28, 2017

Al Gore: 45th Vice President of the U.S.

Vegan

“Over a year ago I changed my diet to a vegan diet, really just to experiment to see what it was like… Now, for many people, that choice is connected to environmental ethics and health issues and all that stuff… In a visceral way, I felt better, so I’ve continued with it and I’m likely to continue it for the rest of my life.”

— Joe Loria, “Here’s Why Al Gore Went Vegan,” mercyforanimals.org, Aug. 30, 2017

Dennis Kucinich: Former U.S. Representative (D-OH)

Vegan

“Because I know how the sausage is made, and that’s why I’m a vegan.”

— Robert Scheer, “Dennis Kucinich: The Democratic Party Has No Soul,” truthdig.com, Jan. 31, 2020

New York Politicians

Quite a few political leaders in New York are vegetarian or vegan, including:

Eric L. Adams, NYC Mayor

Alicka Ampry-Samuel, former NYC Councilwoman

Alessandra Biaggi, former State Senator

Justin Brannan, NYC Councilman

Harvey Epstein, Assemblyman

Richard Gottfried, former Assemblyman

Brian Kavanagh, State Senator

Brad Lander, NYC Comptroller

Helen Rosenthal, former NYC Councilwoman

Linda Rosenthal, Assemblywoman

Luis R. Sepúlveda, State Senator

Jumaane Williams, NYC Public Advocate

Vegetarian and Vegan

NYC Mayor Eric L. Adams stated, “I don’t want to become an annoying vegan. My hope is that by having people focus on adding healthy things to their plates, rather than unhealthy things, they’ll eventually only have room for the healthy ones.”

—Jane E. Brody, “An Inspiring Story of Weight Loss and Its Aftermath,” nytimes.com, Jan. 2, 2017

—Jeff Coltin, “New York’s Vegetarian and Vegan Politicians,” cityandstateny.com, Feb. 12, 2019

Adam Schiff: U.S. Representative (D-CA)

Vegan

On Jan. 4, 2017, Schiff tweeted “.@CoryBooker thanks for the treats, and showing me that being vegan doesn’t mean you always have to be healthy!” with a photo of vegan cupcakes and cookies.

— Adam Schiff, Twitter.com, Jan. 4, 2017

Greta Thunberg: Climate Activist

Vegan

Thunberg explained how she got her parents to go vegan, stating, “I made them feel so guilty… I kept telling them that they were stealing our future and they cannot stand up for human rights while living that lifestyle, so then they decided to make those changes. My dad is vegan, my mom, she tries – she’s 90 percent vegan.”

— Maria Chiorando, “Climate Activist Greta Thunberg Says ‘Go Vegan,’” plantbasednews.org, Oct. 14, 2019

Scott Adams: Cartoonist, Dilbert

Vegetarian

On Apr. 7, 2016, Adams tweeted, “People ask me how vegetarians get enough protein. Here’s how I get most of mine” alongside a photo of peanut butter, nuts, quinoa, cheddar cheese, and other products.

— Scott Adams, Twitter.com, Apr. 7, 2016

Clive Barker: Horror Author

Vegetarian

“Being a vegetarian has lost me more friends than being a gay man.”

— Clive Barker, Twitter.com, Feb. 23, 2012

JM Coetzee: Author

Vegetarian

“Yes, I am a vegetarian. I find the thought of stuffing fragments of corpses down my throat quite repulsive, and I am amazed that so many people do it every day.”

— Satya, “Animals, Humans, Cruelty and Literature: A Rare Interview with J. M. Coetzee,” satyamag.com, May 2004

John Darnielle: Author and Indie Folk Singer/Songwriter

Vegetarian

“I stopped eating meat in January of 1996, during a big blizzard in New York. I happened to see a movie in which some farmers were taking a hog to market, and they loaded him into the back of their flatbed and shot him with a rifle. It’s not like I hadn’t known about animal slaughter, but the hog looked so visibly stoked to be getting in the flatbed; he looked like a dog excited to be going for a ride. Who’d shoot a dog in a car excited to go for a ride? And I knew that pigs were considerably smarter than dogs, and something just clicked for me, and that was the end of that.”

— Candice DeForest, “Vegetarian Action: Indie Folk Rock Musician John Darnielle,” vrg.org, 2012

Eve Ensler: Author, The Vagina Monologues

Vegetarian

“I am in a new country

Nothing is familiar

Because the possibility of not dying

Is gone

Because I am now living in the land of the sick

Turns out my being a vegetarian-sober-nonsmoker-activist has not protected me at all.”

— Allison Adato,” Eve Ensler Is Smart, Funny, and Mostly Fearless in In the Body of the World: EW Review,” yahoo.com, Feb. 6, 2018

— Eve Ensler, “The Gift of Cancer,” huffpost.com, Oct. 27, 2010

Jonathan Safran Foer: Author, Eating Animals

Vegetarian

“I realized I didn’t have a plan. I’d written a book and yet I felt surprised by my own lack of preparation. It’s easy to get lost in identifiers — I’m a vegetarian or vegan — or in emotions like someone’s got to solve this, or we should fly less.

A plan is in between these. It’s difficult because you have to confront the unambitiousness of your plan. You have to be honest. So I went back to my hotel and made my plan: eat vegan for breakfast and lunch. Eat vegetarian for dinner. Not fly on any vacations. Take only three cab rides a week. Give one full day a week to volunteering to help raise awareness of climate change.”

— Tom Levitt, “Johnathan Safran Foer: If You Care about Climate Change, Cut out Meat,” huffpost.com, Oct. 3, 2019

Jim Jarmusch: Filmmaker

Vegetarian

“I quit all drugs, alcohol, sugar, caffeine, nicotine, meat, everything at once [in 1986] to see, almost as a William Burroughs experiment, how my body and psyche would react, and what would come back. I’m still a vegetarian, and I never drank coffee again, except for once with Iggy [Pop].”

— Simon Hattenstone, “A Talk on the Wild Side,” theguardian.com, Nov. 12, 2004

Patrick McDonnell: Cartoonist, Mutts

Vegan

“Being vegan, I always pack a healthy snack. Also something to read (usually a spiritual book, a novel, a comic strip collection, or a Nero Wolfe mystery), plus a pen and notebook.”

— Ali Datko, “QandA with Patrick McDonnell: Keeping It Simple. And Real.,” mutts.com, June 2, 2017

Alan Moore: Graphic Novelist

Vegetarian

“I’m with Austin Osman Spare… Magic is colourful’. There is a Satanism in which heavy metal bands looked for darkness, for cheap notoriety. My involvement with the occult is not about darkness, but about illumination… I don’t sacrifice many goats. As a vegetarian, that would feel kind of wrong.”

— London, Hollywood, “Alan Moore: My ‘Lost’ Interview on Books, Magic, Tattoos and the Source of Ideas,” londonhollywood.wordpress.com, Dec. 4, 2013

Jeremy Scott: Fashion Designer, Moschino

Vegetarian

“I moved here [Los Angeles] because I was inspired by the color of the sky, the politics, the fact that I am a vegetarian and there are oodles of options.”

— Lizzie Widdicombe, “Barbie Boy: How Jeremy Scott Remade Moschino for the Instagram Era,” newyorker.com, Mar. 14, 2016