Actor Paul Wesley—known for his starring role as Stefan Salvatore in The Vampire Diaries—took to Twitter this week to urge his 4.1 million followers to go vegan in the new year. “Factory farming is, in my opinion, one of the most important issues of our time. If not the most important,” Wesley tweeted. “The unimaginable suffering imposed on living beings, the cause of numerous diseases/pandemics, and the greatest contributor to climate change. Join me and go vegan in 2021.”

Wesley on animal rights
The 38-year-old vegan actor is a longtime animal-rights activist. In 2012, Wesley co-hosted the Humane Society of the United States’ H-Couture 2012 event, a fashion show to promote cruelty-free clothing. In 2014, the star penned a letter to the CEO of pork company Seaboard Foods to protest its use of gestation crates, which he called “cruel methods of the past.” In addition to personally attending animal-rights events hosted by Mercy For Animals and other organizations, Wesley uses his social media platforms to promote veganism. 

In November, Wesley took to Instagram to respond to a Thanksgiving recipe Vice President-elect Kamala Harris posted of cornbread dressing that called for pork. “How about we use veggie sausage instead of pork and help fight climate change?” Wesley asked. Shortly thereafter, a petition to challenge Harris to go vegan for the month of January was launched by JIVINITI Women’s Coalition, a diverse group of organizations composed mostly of women of color.

JUMP TO ... Latest News | Recipes | Guides | Health | Shop