Joaquin Phoenix Goes to Pig Slaughterhouse Directly After Winning SAG Award

Directly after the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards on Sunday, vegan actor Joaquin Phoenix—who won the SAG award for best actor for his role as Arthur Fleck in Joker—spent the remainder of his night comforting pigs headed for slaughter. Still clad in his Stella McCartney tuxedo, Phoenix joined grassroots organization Los Angeles Animal Save to “bear witness” as pigs endured their final moments on idle trucks in front of slaughterhouse Farmer John in Vernon, CA. “Most people don’t really know of the torture and murder in the meat and dairy industry. I’ve seen it for what it is, so I have to be here,” Phoenix told vegan activist Jane Velez-Mitchell on the scene. “We have moral obligations to talk about it and expose it for what it really is. We are so indoctrinated with these happy images of animals on farms, on the covers of meat containers, at restaurants, and it’s a lie. I think people need to know the truth and we have an obligation to do that.” Phoenix regularly attends peaceful protests to bring awareness to the plight of animals exploited for food. “Joaquin’s regular attendance at our vigils in LA has inspired activists both locally and globally,” LA Animal Save founder Amy Jean Davis said. “We are so grateful for his voice. All over the world, activists are bearing witness to animals bound for slaughter and waking up the world to their plight.” This month, Phoenix has won best actor awards at the Golden Globes, Critics Choice Awards, and SAG Awards, all events that served a fully vegan menu for the first time this year. On February 7, the actor’s talent agency, William Morris Endeavor Entertainment (WME), will be hosting its first vegan pre-party for the 92nd annual Academy Awards.