Phoenix, De León, Regil, Hathaway in the Running for PETA’s ‘Sexiest Vegetarian’

Annual Contest Now Underway at PETA.org

For Immediate Release:
June 19, 2013

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Los Angeles — The only thing hotter than June’s rising temperatures may be the 100 nominees—50 men and 50 women—who are in the running to be named PETA’s Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity 2013. And this year, the field is more varied than ever, with actors, musicians, politicians, athletes, and comedians all up for the award.

Vegan moms Jenna Dewan Tatum or Tia Mowry—PETA’s latest vegan star supporter—could win this year’s title, but that’s if they can defeat actors Daniella Monet and Christian Serratos. Les Misérables star Anne Hathaway might add it to her list of 2013 awards, political powerhouse President Bill Clinton could run away with the vote, or Minuto Para Ganar host Marco Antonio Regil could win big. Hollywood herbivores Jared Leto, Joaquin Phoenix, or Natalie Portman could take home top honors, or it could be TV’s Patricia De León, Natalia Villaveces, or Jane Velez-Mitchell. Visitors to PETA.org can cast their votes for their favorite meat-free celebrities to help PETA decide who it should choose as the winners, and the winners—one man and one woman—will be announced on June 27.

Their motivations for going vegetarian are as varied as their professions. Regil’s empathy for animals first prompted him to go vegan. “Can you imagine the terror that a live being should feel when … they’re seeing other animals being slaughtered?” he asks. “It just completely breaks my heart.” Others made the change for their health, including Clinton, who famously went vegan to fight heart disease: “I just decided I’d like to hang around and see if I become a grandfather … so I changed my diet to try to drastically cut down on my cholesterol intake.” And he had great results. “All my blood tests are good, and my vital signs are good, and I feel good,” he says.

Previous winners of PETA’s Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity contest include Woody Harrelson, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Russell Brand, Olivia Wilde, Carrie Underwood, Prince, Natalie Portman, Shania Twain, Leona Lewis, André 3000, Tobey Maguire, and Alicia Silverstone.

Voting ends on June 26. Winners will be chosen by PETA based on several factors, including vote count, and announced on June 27. For more information, please visit PETALatino.com.

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