Celebrities You Didn't Know Were Vegan
Veganism is rapidly growing in popularity across the world. In fact, an estimated 79 million people worldwide are choosing a vegan diet. And the numbers continue to rise. According to WT Vox, "the number of vegans in the U.S. grew by 600 percent from 4 million in 2014 to 20 million in 2018." And a lot of people seem to agree with this lifestyle shift. The United Nations released a report saying veganism can save the world from hunger and help reverse climate change (via The Guardian).
For some, going vegan is about their health. While a vegan diet may not work for everyone, some research has connected veganism and vegetarianism with better overall health. For others, it's the morality of protecting animals that sway them into a vegan lifestyle. Knowing this, it may come as no surprise that many actors, singers, and athletes are making the diet switch. Here is a list of celebrities you may not have known were vegan.
Zac Efron
Die-hard Zac Efron fans may remember the actor best as Troy from Disney's "High School Musical." But Efron has recently made a name for himself not only as an actor but as a health enthusiast as well. Fans may have first noticed this shift in summer 2020 when Netflix released Efron's special "Down to Earth." During the documentary, he "[traveled] the world to find some new perspectives on some very old problems" (via E! News). He explored places like Costa Rica to learn about food and energy, France to learn about water, and Sardinia to learn about longevity (via
"Down to Earth" helped fans see Efron as more than a high school singing star, but he actually started pursuing a healthy lifestyle long before his Netflix special was release — and this includes a primarily vegan diet. In a 2018 interview with Teen Vogue, Zac Efron shared that he'd "been experimenting with eating purely vegan." Efron told the publication that eating this way "completely changed the way that my body works, and the way that I metabolize food, the way it turns into energy, the way that I sleep."
Rooney Mara
It seems that the lovely and mysterious Rooney Mara is a vegan through and through. Not only has Mara kept a vegan diet for over a decade, but she is now co-owner of the vegan clothing brand, Hiraeth. According to the company's website, the brand is committed to making "garments and accessories that are completely free of animal products."
In an interview with Coveteur magazine, Mara discussed the moment she decided to transition from vegetarian to full ethical vegan. "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," said Mara. "I went down the YouTube rabbit hole."
It comes as no surprise that her passion for animal protection would move beyond just her diet. Mara wanted to wear animal-free clothing, but she struggled to find high-end vegan options. She told Coveteur about her difficult experience with finding ethically made clothing in the past. "[Losing] leather was the hardest part. It's in so many things—every shoe, every bag, all your cool jackets. I used to have so many cool jackets," she continued.
After growing tired of searching for vegan clothing she liked and trusted, Mara decided to launch her own brand with her two friends, Sara Schloat and Chrys Wong. Now, she can make her own "cool jackets" and truly trust that she is sticking to her values.
Lizzo
If you're a fan of Lizzo or have spent any time on her social media accounts, then you know she is a celebrity with a very healthy lifestyle. Lizzo openly shares about her fitness, diet, and spiritual routines, and proudly calls herself a "fat vegan."
In June 2020, Lizzo posted a TikTok video that went viral called "What I Eat in a Day: Tales from a Fat Vegan." In her video, she shared everything she ate that day, and fans went wild for all the deliciousness. According to the TikTok, Lizzo started with a breakfast smoothie made with coconut water, spinach or kale (she says it depends on what she has in the fridge that day), and frozen fruit. For lunch, she went with a salad made of broccoli, red cabbage, kale, onions, and carrots with some avocado on the side. For her snack, she enjoyed hummus and a "Cheeto alternative" because according to Lizzo, "I used to eat a bunch of hot Cheetos but that was not good for my acid reflux." For dinner, she enjoyed mushroom balls with truffle chickpeas, quinoa, and the same salad from lunch. And finally, for dessert, Lizzo indulged in a PB&J smoothie with peanut butter, frozen strawberries, oats, oat milk, and vegan vanilla protein powder.
In the caption of the video, she shared with her viewers, "As a new vegan I'm enjoying exploring flavors from plants & plant-based proteins! Every journey is personal & deserves to be celebrated."
Ellie Goulding
Ellie Goulding may be most known for her music, but the chart-topping pop star fills her daily life with much more than just work. Goulding has been a vegetarian for some time, but the star told The Cut in 2018 that she starting going vegan. "Once I fully understood where meat came from ... I found that concept quite hard to live with, said Goulding. "If you don't need meat to survive, I don't see why you have to have it."
Fitness has always been an important part of Goulding's life, especially in the morning. Goulding shared with The Cut, saying, "My morning routine will be some kind of workout, whether it's Barry's, yoga, or even a run outside." Although some people worry about what it's like to exercise without animal proteins in your diet, Goulding doesn't share this concern. "In being vegetarian, I realized I could be an athlete and not need meat for the protein," explained Goulding.
Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande is busy being an international pop star, grammy award-winning musician, model, actor, and newlywed. Despite everything she has going on, she still somehow finds time to focus on her love of animals through a vegan diet.
In an interview with The Mirror, Grande revealed the main reason she went vegan: "I love animals more than I love most people, not kidding." Aside from being an animal lover, Grande acknowledged that her plant-based diet helps with her overall health as well. "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," said Grande.
Eating vegan hasn't always been easy for the celeb, though, especially with her family roots. Grande was born in the U.S. and identifies as Italian American, and this has of course shaped her diet growing up. Grande told the British publication that she no longer eats many Italian dishes because of her vegan lifestyle. However, she clarified, "I was raised on meat and cheese, so I've had enough for anyone's normal life span."
Erykah Badu
Erykah Badu is most known for her soulful voice and grammy-winning music. What some fans don't know is that she thrives on an all-vegan diet. Although Badu told People that she has eaten vegan since 1997, she wanted to make it clear that she doesn't actually call herself a "vegan." She explained, "I wouldn't call myself a vegan because I don't subscribe to any type of organization. It's just what's best for my body." Badu went on to say, "If I was a Lamborghini I would want to put the best gas in it."
Badu doesn't let her vegan diet limit the love she has for her favorite foods. Back in 2016, Badu celebrated the 2016 Soul Train Awards with Erikah Badu's Soul Food Vegan Dinner Party. With the help of vegan chef Bryant Terry, Badu fed her 25 guests a delicious plant-based, multiple-course meal. Badu told People that she has tried her best to stay true to a healthy diet and lifestyle. "I eat raw mostly, kale salad, avocados, fruits, vegetables and alkaline water. One of my favorite dishes is my own coconut collard greens," said Badu.
Olivia Wilde
Olivia Wilde is known for far more than just her debut character "Thirteen" on the medical drama "House." She is now a renowned actor, director, writer, and animal activist. Like many vegans, Wilde started as a vegetarian at a young age. "I have been a vegetarian since I was like... 12," Wilde told HuffPost. And now, Wilde is fully vegan and doesn't seem to be changing her mind anytime soon. "It's a way of life and makes me as a person feel really good and physically look better. My skin was better, energy was better," she revealed.
Wilde also shared that Alicia Silverstone helped encourage her in her pursuit of a vegan diet. "We were shooting a movie called 'Butter' and we were in Northern Louisiana — where there is no vegetarian food — and she cooked the most incredible recipes from the Kind diet for me everyday. I have never looked or felt better in my life," she explained.
Olivia Wilde was also acknowledged by PETA as one of the Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrities in 2010, alongside Bob Harper. "Beyond my desire to boycott the torture factories, I am also way happier when I eat a plant based diet, and I feel about a thousand times more energetic," remarked Wilde.
Peter Dinklage
When it comes to animal protection and advocacy, Peter Dinklage may be one of the hardest-working celebrity voices. According to Insider, this multi-award-winning "Game of Thrones" actor was a vegetarian for 15 years before going fully vegan in 2014. Aside from shifting his diet, Dinklage has sought out other ways to protect animals. For one, he became an ambassador for Cruelty Free International, an organization that "works to end animal experiments worldwide."
Dinklage is also passionate about proper animal adoption. When "Game of Thrones" first aired, there was an enormous increase in the purchase of huskies because they looked like direwolves from the show. But Dinklage teamed up with PETA to urge fans to stop and think before buying these dogs. "Not only does this hurt all the deserving homeless dogs waiting for a chance at a good home in shelters, but shelters are also reporting that many of these huskies are being abandoned — as often happens when dogs are bought on impulse, without understanding their needs," he said.
Protecting huskies isn't the only time Dinklage partnered with PETA. In 2014, Dinklage made a video called, "Face Your Food," which challenged viewers to truly think about where their animal products come from. In this video, Dinklage opens with, "The images that you're about to see might make you want to turn away. But this is what you pay for every time you buy meat, eggs, and dairy products."
Jenna Dewan
Jenna Dewan can do it all. This actor, dancer, and mom has built a career for herself through hard work, determination, and a relentless pursuit of health. In 2017, Dewan sat with Women's Health magazine to discuss her love of fitness, food, and her husband (although since the interview, she and Channing Tatum have divorced). Dewan sees physical exercise as a necessary part of staying healthy.
"I try to work out a couple of days a week just because it's good for my mind, body and soul," she told the publication. When she's not dancing, hiking, or doing yoga, Dewan is thinking about what vegan meals she's going to enjoy. Jenna told Women's Health that she has been a vegan since she watched a slaughterhouse documentary at the age of 10 — and she doesn't plan on going back to meat anytime son. "I'm never eating meat again," she continued. "It just stuck. I feel good about it morally and physically."
Mike Tyson
It may surprise some people to learn that Mike Tyson, former heavyweight boxing champion, has struggled with severe health problems in the past. Tyson was drinking heavily doing drugs, and gaining weight. In 2013, he did an interview with Oprah to discuss how going vegan transformed his health and his life.
"I lost weight. I dropped over 100 pounds," said Tyson. "I just felt like changing my life, doing something different. And I became a vegan." Tyson also told Oprah about his past health issues. "I was so congested from all the drugs and bad cocaine. I could hardly breathe — high blood pressure and almost dying," he continued. But when he changed his diet to a plant-based one, he started noticing all the areas of health in his life shifting as well. "Once I became a vegan, all that stuff diminished." For Mike Tyson, going vegan was more than just a change in what he was eating. "Becoming a vegan gave me another opportunity to live a healthy life," Tyson continued.
Joaquin Phoenix
Joaquin Phoenix has played a brooding Johnny Cash, a shy and eager man who falls in love with an AI system, and arguably the most complex version of the Joker that audiences have ever seen. But behind the scenes, Joaquin Phoenix is a true animal lover and activist.
In an interview with Collider, Phoenix describes having an emotional reaction to the death of animals as early as four years old. "It was seeing these fish being killed when I was on a boat as a kid. They were catching fish, and I guess to stun them they were throwing them against the side of the boat. I just had a profound strong reaction. It felt like a real injustice," said Phoenix. He went on to describe his immense anger, even at such a young age. "I just thought it was such a gross abuse of power in a way. I think that during that moment we knew that we were not going to eat meat anymore," he continued. Phoenix and his entire family became vegetarians and then eventually vegan.
Kat Von D
Kat Von D is a world-renowned tattoo artist, musician, and makeup entrepreneur. According to her, it's the vegan lifestyle that keeps her going through her busy life. Back in 2015, Kat Von D gave The Kit a glimpse into her daily life. She is up at 7 a.m. and by 9 o'clock, she is thinking about food. "I used to drink coffee, but lately I've cut it out. I eat a macrobiotic, vegan diet, so once I wake up and head downstairs, I prepare my breakfast," said Von D. For lunch, she heads to one of her favorite vegan restaurants. Von D told The Kit, "Los Angeles is blessed with so many great vegan options."
The star doesn't just stop at a vegan diet, though. She is also largely known for her vegan makeup line, KVD. The brand was 100% cruelty-free at launch and, by 2016, KVD was fully vegan and cruelty-free.
Serena Williams
Serena Williams is an internationally famous tennis star, an epitome of health and athleticism, a mother, and now a fashion entrepreneur. And this multi-talented athlete supports her successful lifestyle with a mostly raw and vegan diet. According to Body+Soul, Williams goes full raw vegan during tennis season and takes a bit of a break during the off season.
Her start with veganism wasn't just for her health, though. In 2011, her sister Venus Williams was diagnosed with Sjogren's syndrome. In order to return to playing tennis, Venus adapted to a raw vegan diet and experienced more control of her symptoms. Serena chose to make the switch to raw vegan to show support for her sister. She ended up enjoying veganism so much that she stuck to it! Per Body+Soul, she "eats plenty of nuts, beans, lentils, and sprouted quinoa." And when she's in the mood for splurging on her favorite snacks, she'll sometimes break her vegan diet for some "moon pies, grits, and fried chicken."
Williams took her vegan journey to a new level when she launched the spring 2020 collection of her clothing line, S by Serena. This collection featured fully vegan leather, something still fairly difficult to find.
Jessica Chastain
Jessica Chastain is another multitalented Hollywood actor to embrace the vegan lifestyle. Chastain opened up to W Magazine in 2017 about her experience with a vegan lifestyle. When asked why she made the choice to give up animal food products, Chastain said, "It was because I was really low on energy. ... I mean I've always had some problems, like my cholesterol was very high and the doctor wanted to put me on medicine." Chastain tried switching to veganism. "Immediately I just had more energy than I've ever had in my life," she revealed.
Chastain also told W that going vegan has greatly improved her skin. "If you're not getting enough sleep you see it in your skin, if you're not eating well you see it in your skin, and when you eat a clean diet you feel like you don't have to cover up your skin or hide things," Chastain explained.
Madelaine Petsch
Madelaine Petsch spends most of her time playing Cheryl on CW's "Riverdale." But when she's not acting, Petsch is helping design her own athletic clothing collection for Fabletics, as well as filming her daily life for her beloved YouTube followers. After learning about her busy day-to-day life, Petsch fans may not be surprised to learn that she fuels her lifestyle with a vegan diet.
And Petsch isn't new to veganism, as she has been eating plant-based her whole life. "Being vegan keeps my body fueled and running smoothly," she told People. And she isn't just vegan. Petsch specifically enjoys a very clean, non-processed vegan diet. "[Eating clean and non-processed] helps me avoid feeling fatigued on long workdays," said Petsch.
The star gave People a look into an example of what she eats in a day, so fans were able to learn more about her vegan diet. She enjoyed things like overnight oats with almond milk, spinach salad with chickpeas, a protein bar broccoli steak, and homemade banana ice cream. "I'm not always able to plan ahead. My diet works for me because I can be very flexible about what I eat in a day," said Petsch.