55 vegan celebrities inspiring us to adopt a plant-based diet
Vegan celebrities have played a huge part in many of us toying with the idea of going plant-based.
While veganism has become a major health and wellness mainstay over the past few years, the influential power of celebrities ditching meat and dairy has greatly inspired people to adopt a plant-based lifestyle - and this year alone, thousands of Brits have switched over!
In the world of Hollywood, Kourtney Kardashian has her husband, Travis Barker, a committed vegan, to thank for slowly introducing her to a plant-based diet. Couple goals. And Stranger Things star Sadie Sink is inspiring a whole new generation of foodies with her veganism.
Also, last year, there was no greater power than Billie Eilish, one of the biggest stars in the music industry, sharing that she’s been vegan for "damn, seven years". She said during a Thanksgiving post: "And now, even though I have lots of friends that eat dairy and meat, and I don't ever want to tell anybody what to do, I just can't go on in my life knowing what's going on in the animal world and like, not doing anything about it."
Billie also shared a snap of herself cradling a Turkey on her Instagram Story, writing: “Turkeys are some of the most gentle creatures in the world, and 46 million of them are killed every Thanksgiving… I know it's hard to change traditions but just keep it in mind.”
Another big name, Katy Perry after giving birth to ger first child Daist, tweeting in early 2021: "I’m about 95% ready to be 100% VEGAN... my dog Nugget has been joining me on this journey for the past 4 monthz. Pray for us ok".
While many fans have praised Katy's commitment to adopting a plant-based diet, others have questioned whether it's healthy to make her dog follow one as well, with comments such as: "Dogs can’t be vegan. It’s very bad for them. They need meat in their diet."
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Oh, and Lizzo is vegan, too. Guys, seriously, you have not lived until you've tried the icon's vegan southern fried 'chicken', okay?!
In the sports world, Venus Williams credits her vegan diet for helping her stay on top of her game since being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. If that's not enough to lure you enough, then look further than Ariana Grande and her juicy, glowing skin. Case closed.
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Even The Queen of the Beehive, Beyonce Knowles, has been making small steps toward a long-term vegan lifestyle. In early 2018, Bee announced her decision to go vegan as she prepared for her performance at Coachella 2018, and she even invited the Beehive to join her.
“I’m always drawn to other people with red hair”.
The decision to go meat and dairy-free is not only swarming our Instagram feeds, but it is also shaking up London's food scene with an endless offering of vibrant vegan-friendly dining experiences, as well as taking over recipe books and meal delivery services.
Want to jump on the bandwagon? Here, we take a look at all vegan celebrities who are here to inspire you and lead the way into a plant-based diet...
Getty ImagesBillie Eilish
Billie Eilish made the transition from vegetarian to vegan a few years back and says it was an easy next step because she's never eaten meat: "Becoming vegan wasn't like a huge deal for me because meat was never a thing in my life. It wasn't like I missed meat — it wasn't like I had something to miss," she said in a YouTube series.
On 25 November 2021, she shared a snap of herself cradling a Turkey on her Instagram Story, writing: “Turkeys are some of the most gentle creatures in the world, and 46 million of them are killed every Thanksgiving… I know it's hard to change traditions but just keep it in mind.”
Getty ImagesKaty Perry
Katy Perry announced her plan to go vegan back in January 2021, saying: 'I’m about 95% ready to be 100% VEGAN'. She has since not given more updates about her new diet.
Getty ImagesKim Kardashian-West
Kim adopted a plant-based diet in 2019 which she credits with helping to minimise her psoriasis flare-ups, although it's reported that she doesn't always follow a vegan diet (for example, when she visits New York City she might have one of her favourite non-vegan ice creams). She says her favourite vegan meal is 'zucchini chips and a Beyond burger'.
Getty ImagesLizzo
Lizzo celebrated six months of veganism on 14th October 2020, and has since posted numerous TikTok videos about her vegan eating plan, with recipes and hacks for anyone wanting to try out the lifestyle.
"As a new vegan, I'm enjoying exploring flavours from plants & plant-based proteins! Every journey is personal & deserves to be celebrated," she said in one of her TikToks.
Madelaine Petsch
Riverdale star Madelaine Petsch has been a devout vegan for her whole life. She credits her plant-based diet for keeping her ' body fueled and running smoothly'. If it means we'll have Madelaine's glowy skin, we're in.
Getty ImagesThandiwe Newton
Thandiwe Newton announced that she was going vegan in 2018, inspired by co-star Woody Harrelson. The actress was four months into the new lifestyle change when she first revealed she was vegan. She said: "It’s been four months. It hasn’t done anything to my brain, I’m absolutely fine.”
Sia
Superstar Sia has been a committed vegan since 2014. Last year, it was announced the singer would be joining the cast of vegan documentary, Dominion, alongside Rooney Mara and Joanquin Quin.
Getty ImagesVenus Williams
The tennis player credits the raw food diet for allowing her to stay on top of her game despite being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease: "Once I started, I fell in love with the concept of fuelling your body in the best way possible," she told Health.
Getty ImagesBenedict Cumberbatch
Named PETA’s most beautiful vegan in 2018, Benedict Cumberbatch follows a strict plant-based diet. He announced the lifestyle change during promotion for Avengers when he was asked if he had to eat anything “gross” to get in the shape for the movie: “No, no – well, I eat a plant-based diet”
Getty ImagesEllie Goulding
In January 2018, Ellie Goulding announced her decision to go vegan. "Once I fully understood where meat came from … I found that concept quite hard to live with. If you don't need meat to survive, I don't see why you have to have it” she told The Cut.
Getty ImagesMeghan Markle
Rumour has it that Prince Harry has had his diet overhauled by Meghan Markle but is the Duchess of Sussex a vegan? Well, when speaking to Best Health in 2016, she stated that when she was filming Suits, “I’m conscious of what I eat. I try to eat vegan during the week and then have a little bit more flexibility with what I dig into on the weekends." So totally part-time on the job, then!
Getty ImagesSerena Williams
Serena Williams went on a very strict diet after giving birth to her daughter, Alexis Olympia. Talking at a Wimbledon press conference, Serena said, “I was vegan, I didn’t eat sugar!” The results of her change in diet didn’t take effect until she stopped breastfeeding, commenting, “ I lost 10 pounds in a week when I stopped. I just kept dropping.”
Getty ImagesWill.I.AM
Black Eyed Peas hit maker Will.I.AM went vegan in early 2018, announcing via his Instagram stories that he had joined the ‘V.gang’ Catchy.
Getty ImagesMadonna
According to The Cut , the sixty year old superstar follows a super strict vegan macrobiotic diet which consists of cold pressed juices, fruits, vegetables and whole grains like quinoa.
Getty ImagesJessica Chastain
After suffering from low energy levels, the Golden Globe nominee went vegan. Telling W Magazine about the experience, Chastain said, “I just had more energy than I’ve ever had in my whole life. I was just listening to what my body was telling me!”
Getty ImagesLiam Hemsworth
Just like Miley, her on-off partner and hubby Liam decided to make the switch to veganism in early 2015 after he learned about the mistreatment of animals. "The more I was aware of, the harder and harder it was to do," he told Men's Fitness, of eating meat. His Hunger Games costar Woody Harrelson suggested he try a vegan diet. Within a few months, Hemsworth was sold. "There are no negatives to eating like this," he told the mag. "I feel nothing but positive, mentally and physically. I love it."
Getty ImagesKate and Rooney Mara
The two sisters are staunch supporters of veganism although Kate has professed how hard it was to overcome her love of dairy. She said her loved ones couldn't believe it: “Their biggest surprise is that I don’t eat cheese anymore, and I don’t blame them because cheese was definitely the hardest thing to give up.”
Rooney Mara has also spoken about how she avoids gluten too. Speaking to a publication in 2013, she said: "I'm gluten-free. A bunch of people in my family have celiac disease, so I stopped eating wheat about a year ago, and right away I noticed a difference. I'm also vegan; I basically eat only fruits and vegetables. I've never felt better than I do now."
Getty ImagesJared Leto
The Oscar-winning actor Jared Leto and the rest of his 30 Seconds To Mars bandmates are all strict vegans. "Well, there was a time when we used to sacrifice goats, but then we all became vegans, so we've been sacrificing tofu before the shows!" Good to know, Jared…
REXAriana Grande
During an interview with the Mirror, Ariana Grande said, "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-round happier person." She does admit that eating out can be hard, but if you stick to what you know, you'll be OK.
Getty ImagesJoaquin Phoenix
This Oscar-winning actor was born in Puerto Rico to eco-conscious parents (his siblings were all given earthly names like River, Rain and Summer, and Joaquin changed his name from Leaf) who raised their brood as vegans. Joaquin was offered several big commercial breaks in adverts for meat and milk products when he started his career but turned them down. Lo and behold, the talented actor bypassed the cheesy commercial world entirely. Now, he’s a world-famous movie star, still a vegan, and an ambassador for the animal cruelty prevention charity, PETA. Not bad.
Getty ImagesCasey Affleck
Good Will Hunting star Casey Affleck – who is married to fellow celeb vegan Summer Phoenix, Joaquin Phoenix’s sister – is a keen animal rights campaigner and vegan. His support stems from a childhood pet. “The first dog I had was owned by an abusive couple. He was very skittish. He wouldn’t let me hold him. It was explained to me that it was because of how he was treated,” he said.
Getty ImagesJennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez says that going vegan has given her loads of energy. "It's basically no dairy, no meat, everything is just plant based and just from the ground. I love that I'm eating more greens. It makes you feel so much better."
J-Lo said she'd recommend it, but has one regret: "Butter is the one thing I miss! Butter makes everything taste better."
PAJessica Simpson
Jessica Simpson became a temporary vegan - cutting out animal products in the two week run-up to her wedding. A source told Us Weekly: "Jessica did a vegan diet for about two weeks...She also got quite a few B12 shots." The star, who has been a spokesperson for Weight Watchers in the past, also embarked on a strict fitness regime before her big day, doing hardcore workouts with her trainer.
Getty ImagesJay-Z & Beyoncé
Joining the long list of celebrity vegans - albeit for a three-week duration only - is Jay-Z, who announced his plans to go vegan on his Life & Times blog. The rapper wrote: "On December 3rd, one day before my 44th birthday, I will embark on a 22 Days challenge to go completely vegan, or as I prefer to call it, plant-based!! I will post my progress... Any professional vegans out there that have any great food spots please help out! Please ha. I don't know what happens after Christmas. A semi-vegan, a full plant-based diet? Or just a spiritual and physical challenge? We'll see..." The rapper also added that his wife Beyoncé would be joining him, too.
PA PhotosTobey Maguire
Former Spider-Man Tobey Maguire seems to have developed a fondness for his fellow earth-dwelling creatures. The star shunned animal produce in favour of a vegan lifestyle in 2009 - and is still going strong!
PA PhotosOlivia Wilde
Olivia Wilde became a vegan at the age of 12 and even launched her own website, WildeThings.org, to promote the vegan lifestyle she adheres to.
PA PhotosEmily Deschanel
She might be the star of detective drama Bones, but there’s certainly no meat on Emily's plate. The actress (and sister of actress Zooey Deschanel) has long been a vegan and a supporter of animal rights issues. She even revealed her special talent for turning co-stars over to the veg-side. “David Boreanaz used to make fun of me for being a vegan,” she said. “But then I started giving him vegan food to eat, and he loves it. Now he tries to eat vegetarian one day a week.”
big picturesJamie Hince
Kate Moss’s rock star estranged husband Jamie Hince famously described himself as a "chain-smoking vegan” but that was until his wife Kate Moss came on to the scene. Speaking to London's Evening Standard in 2012, Hince revealed that: "I was vegan for about 20 years. The thing that really tipped me over the edge was when I first met Kate, had just started seeing her, and I walked into the kitchen and she was in her underwear making me a bacon sandwich. She didn't know I was vegan..."
PA PhotosMoby
No surprises here then... Legendary dance musician Moby has been consistently vocal about his vegan beliefs, even naming his 1996 album Animal Rights and opening a vegan café called TeaNY in New York. "Veganism should be a happy thing, not a miserable one. And we shouldn't make people feel bad or guilty for their lifestyle choices, even if they reject veganism,” he said.
PA PhotosBryan Adams
Canadian-born rock star Bryan Adams has two very different sides to his life - making stadium anthems and crusading for Greenpeace and PETA. “I’ve made a conscious decision not to be part of the cycle of killing animals because I couldn't see the point of crusading for Greenpeace and then eating a fish. Seriously, if you are going to talk the talk, you need to walk the walk,” he said.
PA PhotosWoody Harrelson
The Hunger Games star Woody Harrelson is not only a vegan but also an advocate of the raw food diet - which has inspired many of his fellow celebrity pals. Raw foodists believe in eating fruit, veg and nuts in their most natural form to get the maximum amount of nutrients out of them.
Rex FeaturesThom Yorke
Radiohead’s Thom Yorke has long been an activist and a supporter of ecological world issues – including animal welfare. However, his introduction into veganism was a little less orthodox: “I started going out with this girl and I wanted to impress her so I pretended I'd been vegetarian all along... And I immediately felt a lot better, a lot healthier. I was concerned, as many people are, about that 'you're not going to get all the things you need in your diet, you're going to get sick all the time', but the exact opposite happened to me, so I never looked back. It was never a problem straight off."
PA PhotosPetra Nemcova
Czech model Petra Nemcova ditched meat and animal products in 2007 after learning about the planet’s rapidly depleting fish stocks.
PA PhotosAlicia Silverstone
Alicia Silverstone says she felt better than ever after turning vegan. “Once I went vegan, I lost the weight I wanted to lose, my nails were stronger, and my skin was glowing. I feel great and I look better now than I did 11 years ago,” she said.
PA PhotosPortia De Rossi
Arrested Development star Portia De Rossi spoke of the vegan lifestyle that she and her wife Ellen DeGeneres adopted: “We just made that shift in our lives. The benefit of it is weight loss. For her more than me. Her body responded to it very well. It is amazing. We are just both very happy. It feels like such a compassionate choice. We are such animal lovers, why stop short of cows and chickens? It didn't make any sense." Ellen has since quit her vegan lifestyle.
PA PhotosAnne Hathaway
Anne Hathaway modelled her character The White Witch in Tim Burton’s Alice In Wonderland on her love of all things vegetable-based. "When I was trying to work her out, I kept saying to myself, 'She is a punk-rock, vegan pacifist.' So I listened to a lot of Blondie, I watched a lot of Greta Garbo movies, and I looked at a lot of the artwork of Dan Flavin,” she said.
Rex FeaturesBill Clinton
Former US President Bill Clinton was named PETA’s Person Of 2010 after he began promoting the benefits of vegan eating. He changed his own habits for health reasons and thanks to the plant-based diet, he shed a whopping 24lbs.
Rex FeaturesAlanis Morissette
There’s nothing Ironic about Alanis Morissette’s eating habits. The singer/songwriter switched her diet to lose weight and feel happier. "I'm back to what I was born to be, at my best... I feel very alive... I have no more aches and pains, and my allergies are gone, too,” she said after giving up meat in 2009.
PA PhotosBrad Pitt
Brad Pitt is said to have been a vegan for years, although his ex Angelina Jolie isn't. The Fight Club star has never commented publicly on his diet.
REX FeaturesPamela Anderson
Pamela Anderson has always been emotionally connected to animals. She became a vegetarian at the age of 11 as a result of her father's hunting. Later in her career she was introduced to PETA where she was exposed to slaughterhouses, pushing her towards veganism. Dairy was the last thing she gave up and swears "everything improved" – digestion, skin, and hair.
Rex FeaturesAlec Baldwin
After being diagnosed as prediabetic in 2011, actor Alec Baldwin had no choice but to amend his unhealthy lifestyle, and as a result he turned to veganism. By January 2012, when he won the SAG award for Best Actor in a TV Comedy, he had lost a whopping 30 pounds!
Rex FeaturesRussell Brand
Russel Brand, another proud ambassador for PETA, tweeted in 2011 "I'm now vegan, goodbye eggs, hello Ellen". Apparently his dramatic change of diet was sparked by the documentary Forks over Knives which explores how plant based foods help cleanse your system and protect it from disease. Good going Russ!
Rex FeaturesJenna Dewan
After a chicken finger revelation, Jenna gave up meat at an early age. Later in life she was diagnosed lactose-intolerant and has been vegan ever since. She swears that her glowing skin and to-die-for figure can be credited to her veganism. Although her doctor said it's totally OK to raise a vegan child, Jenna has stated that she wants her daughter, Everly, to make her own choices on the matter.
Getty ImagesAnthony Kiedis
The Red Hot Chilli Peppers lead singer has a soft spot in his heart for animals. After learning that people are taking far too many fish out the sea that can be accounted for, Anthony Kiedis decided to turn vegan. A farming documentary about cows sealed the deal for him, although he has admitted to slipping up and "dabbing in and out" of the plant-based diet.
Rex FeaturesLeona Lewis
She was the first X Factor winner to break into the American industry and guess what, she's a vegan too... well almost. Leona has experimented with being a vegetarian all throughout her teens until she decided she was done with meat for good. She leads a completely vegan lifestyle with the exception of some eggs. "If they've come from an ethical farm I'll eat them, or I get eggs from my friends who have chickens".
PA PhotosDemi Moore
Actress Demi Moore has always taken control of her appearance and weight, whether that has been through intense workouts or eating clean. She has openly spoken about the struggles of maintaining her killer bod, and apparently, being a vegan is the way forward. She has not only embraced the meat-free, dairy-free lifestyle, but she has also embraced a raw vegan diet, too.
PA PhotosMichelle Pfeiffer
Michelle did not commit to the plant-based diet straight away, saying: "I just told myself one day that I'm going to do it and I'm going to give myself eight weeks. And that I'm not going to commit on this for a lifetime because it's psychologically huge for people to wrap their minds around it". Well you know what, we agree, this is definitely an approach for success.
Getty ImagesNatalie Portman
The Hollywood actress took a break from veganism during her pregnancy in 2011 during her pregnancy as it made her crave a lot of bakery food containing eggs and butter. She's back to it now though: "I'm vegan, and I drink a lot of water. If I have dairy, I immediately break out."
PA PhotosDan Stevens
The Beauty and the Beast and Downton Abbey star Dan Stevens said that he was "sort of" vegan in 2014 after revealing his baking prowess. "I have a mean recipe for vegan brownies." he said. "I am sort of vegan. Not like Jessica Chastain or Alicia Silverstone vegan – I have a prawn every now and again!"
Getty ImagesStevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder stepped out as an advocate for going vegan when he appeared on James Corden's Carpool Karaoke and not only announced that he had been a vegan for a year and a half, but loves it so much that he made a a hilarious song about it during his sing-a-long car journey with James. "I like not eating meat", he said. "But I do miss the chicken".
Sadie Sink
Sadie Sink told GLAMOUR that she has been vegan since her early teens after being convinced to give up consuming animal products by Woody Harrelson. "I switched to a plant-based diet when I was 14 years old", the Stranger Things star said. "I had a lot of great vegan influences in my life, and was really inspired to try it out myself. I think everyone should consider it. It can be pretty intimidating at first, but just take it day by day. Every little choice counts!"
Peter Dinklage
Game Of Thrones star Peter Dinklage became a vegan in 2014 after fifteen years of vegetarianism. He has used his star power to star in PETA campaigns such as the Face Your Food video.
Travis Barker
Travis Barker turned to a vegan lifestyle after surviving a plane crash that tragically took the lives of multiple people. He's so passionate about the lifestyle he now owns a vegan restaurant, Crossroads Kitchen, in LA. And even better, his wife, Kourtney Kardashian, is nearly vegan herself after being inspired by him.
Daisy Ridley
Star Wars actress Daisy Ridley may be a "cheating vegan, " but the effort counts! In an interview with Elle UK, she said: "I sort of just become a cheagan, which is a cheating vegan – in that I cut out a lot of things. I've cut out meat and dairy and eggs, but I sometimes eat fish because my moral compass is off."
Elliot Page
Elliot Page has been a vegan for a long time, and in 2014 was dubbed the "World's Sexiest Vegan" by PETA. He has spoken out on many of the injustices faced by farmed animals, previously asking why the "inhumane factory farming process regards animals and the natural world merely as commodities to be exploited".
