There are many, many famous vegetarians. Here we are listing a few of them. Some are historical persons that chose to eat a vegetarian diet in the beginning of time, and some are people of our time. Some of them are quite outspoken about it too.
- Albert Einstein - German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of relativity, one of the two pillars of modern physics - Einstein was vegetarian for the last four years of his life, though he appears to have supported the idea of vegetarianism for many years before practicing it himself. (Source)
- George Bernard Shaw - Nobel price winner in Literature and Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist - Shaw was strict vegetarian, anti-vivisectionist and opponent of cruel sports. (Source)
- Al Gore - Politician and environmentalist - His decision to embrace veganism wasn't as much a surprise as it was long awaited. For years he spoke about the environmental destruction caused by factory farming. (Source)
- Benjamin Franklin - American polymath and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States - Only 16 years of age, Franklin read a book that was recommending a vegetable diet, and decided to stop eating meat. (Source)
- Ralph Waldo Emerson - American essayist, lecturer, philosopher, and poet who led the transcendentalist movement - Emerson was considered to be a vegetarian for much of his life. (Source)
- Plutarch - Ancient Greek historian - Could be considered the first outspoken vegetarian, as he was considering that it is 'immoral' to eat animal flesh. (Source)
- Pythagoras - Ionian Greek philosopher - Pythagoras is believed to have been vegetarian. (Source)
- Plato - Greek philosopher - Plato is said to have been a vegetarian. (Source)
- Socrates - Greek philosopher - Socrates maintained that the ideal city was a vegetarian city, his argument being that meat was a luxury driving decadence and war. (Source)
- Buddha - An ascetic and sage, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded - Buddha is believed to have followed a vegetarian diet. Many Buddhists are vegetarian. (Source)
- Alicia Silverstone - American actress - Alicia is a well-known vegan and activist for the plant-based lifestyle. With two guidebooks published, and a flourishing website dedicated to health and sustainable living and full of information and resources, she is a strong presence in the world of eco-friendly voices. (Source)
- Shania Twain - Canadian singer-songwriter - Twain's decision to become vegetarian was shaped by the experience of friends who had cancer. (Source)
- Ellen DeGeneres - American comedian, television host, actress, writer, producer and LGBT activist - Ellen and her wife went vegan in 2008. (Source)
- Natalie Portman - Actress, film producer and director - Natalie was a vegetarian since age nine, and went vegan after reading Jonathan Safran Foer's book 'Eating Animals'. (Source)
- Christina Appelgate - American actress and dancer - Christina became a vegetarian on the set of Married With Children after being served a bloody piece of meat. She appeared in an anti-fur ad for PETA in 2007. (Source)
- Chrissie Hynde - Frontwoman for the British/American rock band The Pretenders - Hynde is a lifelong animal rights activist. She cut meat out of her diet in 1969, phasing out dairy and eggs later in her life. “I don’t believe there is any justifiable reason for killing any animal, unless perhaps if it’s killing you… That would be negotiable.” (Source)
- Mike Tyson - Former heavyweight boxing champion - Tyson is vegan, a regimen he credits with helping him lose 140 pounds and getting him in fighting trim. (Source)
- Carl Lewis - Olympic sprinter - "I've found that a person does not need protein from meat to be a successful athlete. In fact, my best year of track competition was the first year I ate a vegan diet. Moreover, by continuing to eat a vegan diet, my weight is under control, I like the way I look. [...] I enjoy eating more, and I feel great." (Source)
- Patrik Baboumian - Strongest Man of Germany - “I just found myself thinking that if I would have to kill the animals I ate with my own hands I couldn't because I was too compassionate. I felt that I was fooling myself eating meat considering my inability to kill an animal so I just thought I'd better be honest to myself and stop eating meat.” (Source)
- Paul McCartney - English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and composer - Paul McCartney has been vegetarian since 1975. He delivers a powerful narration of the video Glass Walls. (Source)
- Chris Hemsworth - Australian actor - Went vegan during filming of The Avengers. (Source)
- Joaquin Phoenix - American actor, producer, and activist - Phoenix went vegan at the age of 3, and is a longtime vegan activist. 'We said to our parents, “Why didn’t you tell us?” It’s amazing. I remember my mom’s face, I remember her crying. She didn’t know how to answer. It became very obvious we weren’t going to eat meat anymore.' (Source)
- Casey Affleck - American actor and director - Casey took aim at the meat industry in a PETA public service announcement by exposing its abuse of animals. (Source)
- John Denver - American singer-songwriter, record producer, actor, activist, and humanitarian - "Many things made me become a vegetarian, among them the higher food yield as a solution to world hunger." (Source)
- Moby - American musician, DJ, record producer, singer, songwriter, and photographer known for his electronic music, veganism, and support of animal rights - Moby went vegetarian in 1985 and vegan in 1987. He wrote an article about his reasons for being vegan in Rolling Stone in March 2014. (Source)
- Leonardo Da Vinci - Italian polymath - Leonardo is believed to have been vegetarian. (Source)
- Jean-Jacques Rousseau - Philosopher, writer, and composer, who strongly influenced the theories of the French Revolution and the romantics - Rousseau writes in Emile, his treatise on education: "The indifference of children towards meat is one proof that the taste for meat is unnatural; their preference is for vegetable foods, such as milk, pastry, fruit, etc. Beware of changing this natural taste and making children flesh-eaters, if not for their health's sake, for the sake of their character." (Source)
- Henry David Thoreau - American essayist, poet, philosopher, abolitionist, naturalist, tax resister, development critic, surveyor, and historian - Thoreau was a 'polite vegetarian'. (Source)
- Leo Tolstoy - Russian writer who is regarded as one of the greatest authors of all time - Leo was a vocal proponent of vegetarianism. (Source)
- Lord Byron - Nobleman, poet, peer, politician and leading figure in the Romantic movement - Lord Byron was vegetarian for most of his life. (Source)
- Mahatma Gandhi - Indian activist who was the leader of the Indian independence movement against British rule - Ghandi believed in being the change he wished to see in the world, and one such benevolent change was his vow to never consume meat, milk or milk products. (Source)
- Albert Schweitzer - Alsatian theologian, organist, writer, humanitarian, philosopher, and physician - Schweitzer expressed support for vegetarianism, and is believed to have become vegetarian the last few years of his life. (Source)
Halifax Association of Vegetarians
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