18 Famous Vegans and Vegetarians
Remember when Beyoncé and Jay-Z went vegan for 22 days? Read on to see 16 famous vegans and vegetarians.
Overview
Famous folks like Natalie Portman, Brad Pitt and Woody Harrelson have long been outspoken about living a plant-based lifestyle. But a larger Hollywood contingency seems to be making their meals meatless these days. Remember when Beyoncé and Jay-Z went vegan for 22 days? Read on to see 16 famous vegans and vegetarians.
1. Beyonce
Not only did Beyonce and her hubby, Jay-Z, famously go vegan for 22 days in 2013 — but Queen Bey was at it again in preparation for Coachella Music Festival 2018. The singer posted a healthy-looking avocado toast concoction photo on Instagram, captioning it "44 days until Coachella!! Vegan Time!!"
Read more: 13 Surprising Vegetarian Sources of Protein
2. Craig Robinson
"The Office" and "Ghosted" star Craig Robinson recently revealed that — along with an alcohol detox — veganism helped him slim down in a major way. The 45-year-old explained that the weight loss and drastic diet change was kick-started by taking a break from booze.
3. Kal Penn
Despite starring in "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle," actor Kal Penn won't touch those tiny fast food burgers. Instead, it's been reported that he munched on veggie sliders on set. Penn occasionally takes time off from acting to pursue his interest in politics, even working in the White House Office of Public Engagement under President Barack Obama's administration.
Read more: 9 Easy Overnight Vegetarian Breakfasts
4. Betty White
Believe it or not, Betty White has been a vegetarian for more than 30 years. A huge advocate for animal rights, she has never been shy or soft-spoken about her choice, saying she could "never see herself eating a best friend." And in 2015, she even celebrated her 93rd birthday with a vegan cake.
5. Kevin Nealon
Actor/comedian Kevin Nealon is thrilled there are more vegetarian options available than ever before. The actor, who has been a vegetarian for almost 30 years, tells Bon Appetit that Sunday mornings involve quite a bit of vegetarian bacon in his house. "At home, we adults like to eat Morningstar Farms veggie bacon and patty sausages, and I like Boca Burgers," he says.
Read more: 9 Easy Overnight Vegetarian Breakfasts
6. Kristen Bell
"I had a lot of quirks as a child," Kristen Bell told Vegetarian Times. "One was that I didn't like to eat meat: I didn't like to chew it, didn't like the taste or smell of it and just wasn't having any of it. My mom, who was a nurse, was very supportive of my choice to become a vegetarian, but said we were going to do some research." Bell says that she constantly monitors how colorful the food on her plate is — a trick her mother taught her. The actress even convinced her husband, actor Dax Shepard, to go vegan for a year.
7. Mike Tyson
In an "Oprah: Where Are They Now?" special, controversial former boxer Mike Tyson opened up about why he chose to take on not just a vegetarian diet, but a vegan one at that. "Becoming a vegan gave me another opportunity to live a healthy life," he told Oprah. He even eliminated all leather goods and products tested on animals from this life. Although not vegan any more, Tyson followed the lifestyle for four and a half years.
Read more: The 21 Best Muscle-Building Foods for Vegetarians
8. Kristen Wiig
The former SNL actress credits being a vegetarian to helping her stay fit. "I eat a lot of tofu," she told Women's Health. "I drink a lot of water, and I'm addicted to cranberry juice. I do have a splurge day once a week when I can eat whatever I want. It's good, because it helps you stay on track the rest of the week." Kristen has also been honored by PETA as one of the Sexiest Celebrity Vegetarians. She received the title in 2011 alongside Russell Brand.
9. Russell Brand
Comedian Russell Brand has been a vegetarian since age 14, according to Mother Nature Network. After receiving PETA's 2011 Sexiest Celebrity Vegetarian honor he said, "You shouldn't eat animals — it's mean to them." After watching the documentary "Forks Over Knives," Brand was inspired to become a vegan. The film investigates the idea that many of today's degenerative diseases can be controlled by giving up processed foods and animal proteins.
Read more: 12 Vegetarian Meals Under 400 Calories
10. Ashley Judd
Actress Ashley Judd tries to maintain a Zen-like environment throughout her entire life, and being a vegetarian certainly complements that attitude. Though she briefly toyed with the idea of running for the U.S. Senate in the state of Kentucky, she has remained politically active, was appointed Global Ambassador for YouthAIDS and speaks out against sex trafficking.
11. Johnny Galecki
On The Big Bang Theory, Johnny Galecki and his costars spend a lot of time chowing down on takeout Chinese food, but if it were real life, the actor would be taking the vegetarian option. He has kept his meals meat-free for years. But he's not the only Big Bang star to do so. Mayim Bialik, Sara Gilbert and Kaley Cuoco also abstain from eating animals.
Read more: 8 Foods You Thought Were Vegan or Vegetarian But Aren't
12. Lea Michele
When former Glee Lea Michele decided she needed more energy, she chose to try a vegan diet. "I'm a vegan," Lea told OK! Magazine. "It makes me feel really good and bright." She continued, "You need a lot of energy to play spunky Rachel Berry, so I've tried a lot of different things — and so far, this is working." The actress has been known to go back and forth between a vegan and a vegetarian lifestyle.
13. Forest Whitaker
"Life is full of choices, and many years ago I chose to become a vegetarian, and it was one of the best choices I've ever made," Forest Whitaker told PETA. The actor even filmed a public service announcement with his daughter promoting the vegetarian lifestyle. In the video he lists three reasons to go vegetarian: to improve your health, to help the environment and to save animals.
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14. Edie Falco
Did you know? Edie Falco is an animal lover, even making a video pleading parents to avoid the circus because of the way they mistreat animals. Falco practices what she preaches by sticking with a vegetarian diet. She also stays healthy by catching up on her sleep and maintaining a meditation practice.
15. Bruce Springsteen
At 67, Bruce Springsteen still looks spry on stage — he works out regularly and has reportedly maintained a mostly vegetarian diet for years. "He has practically the same waist size as when I met him, when we were 15," Springsteen's E Street Band buddy Steve Van Zandt told The New Yorker. The rocker doesn't appear to be slowing down. "I have stuff I'm working on that I'm very happy about," he told Rolling Stone. "I still feel like I'm in the middle of the well."
Read more: Angelina Jolie Eats Spiders?! And 9 Other Weird Celeb Food Confessions
16. Carrie Underwood
Country gal Carrie Underwood grew up on her family's farm in Oklahoma, and she has been a vegetarian for the past 13 years and became "mostly vegan" in more recent years. "I want to be vegan so badly, all the way, 1,000 percent," she told SELF magazine. "But traveling and stuff, it just kind of gets hard. Sometimes I may have to do some egg whites or something for breakfast." She's also admitted that she's an obsessive calorie counter who keeps a food journal to make sure she doesn't overeat.
17. Steve-O
TV personality Steve-O, known for his show Jackass, might seem like the last person who would adopt a vegan diet, but it was an enlightening experience that prompted him to make the switch. "I heard a Krishna Consciousness guy in a YouTube video ask: 'How can you expect to be saved if you eat meat?' I became terrified of having to answer for all of the suffering that I was causing for animals and immediately stopped eating meat," he wrote in a blog on his website.
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18. Tia Mowry
Though the Texas-born actress is self-admittedly only an occasional vegan, Tia Mowry and her actor husband Cory Hardrict decided to take up a vegan lifestyle together for a while. While guest blogging for actress Alicia Silverstone's website The Kind Life, Mowry raved, "Alicia's book has been a saving grace. The recipes in it are so amazing, and I always make sure to bring it with me when I go grocery shopping." Among her favorite vegan meals are oatmeal with bananas and rice milk, green juice sweetened with apple and miso soup with tofu and vegetables.
What Do YOU Think?
Are you a vegetarian or a vegan? Why is avoiding meat and/or animal products important to you? What is your favorite vegetarian meal? Were you surprised by any of these celebrity vegetarians? Which other ones should we have included? Leave us a comment below and let us know!