Young Moviegoers to See PETA’s Pro-Animal Appeals Ahead of Films Including ‘Wicked’ and ‘Moana 2’

For Immediate Release:
November 25, 2024

Contact:
Rachel Hershkovitz 202-483-7382

Norfolk, Va. –

Good News! Parents and educators may scramble to switch up holiday menus and school curricula after kids of all ages see some of this holiday season’s biggest box office releases—Wicked, Moana 2, Mufasa,and Y2K—thanks to a series of family-friendly spots running in movie theaters, courtesy of PETA. The star-studded spots—featuring actors James Cromwell and Alicia Silverstoneand a beguiling little bird named Toby the Turkey—remind everyone that animals feel joy, pain, and fear just as humans do and may spark some serious conversations about protecting animals’ lives at home and in the classroom.

James Cromwell with rescued pig on bench — Actor James Cromwell revives his Farmer Hoggett role, singing “If I Had Words” to a rescued piglet, in a **pro-vegan video for PETA**. The piglet, “Babe,” fell off a slaughterhouse-bound truck and is now safe at an animal sanctuary.

Alicia and Bear Silverstone run out of a biology lab with several frogs. Text reads "Cut Class, Not Frogs! Empower your kids to say NO to animal dissection" — Older kids who see the horror flick “Y2K” will get a **special video message** from the film’s star, Alicia Silverstone, and her son, Bear, about opting out of animal dissection and urging schools to adopt superior, animal-free methods.

toby the turkey and human family member at vegan feast — ***PETA’s “Toby the Turkey” spot*** *shows Toby panicking over becoming a holiday centerpiece until, to the viewers’ relief, he is seen at the dinner table, not on it, tucking into a savory vegan roast with his loving human family.*

“Turkeys, pigs, and other animals are all wonderful, feeling individuals who love their families and value their lives and who don’t want to be carved up for food or experiments any more than we do,” says PETA Senior Vice President Colleen O’Brien. “Children have a natural affinity for animals, and PETA is encouraging kids to speak up for all Tobys, Babes, and other animals by persuading their families and teachers to leave them in peace this holiday and beyond.”

In nature, turkeys spend their days caring for their young and building nests, while pigs are naturally playful animals who are soothed by music and even enjoy getting massages. In the meat industry, tens of millions of turkeys are killed each year for Thanksgiving and Christmas alone, and approximately 129 million pigs are killed for food every year.

Frogs—who are highly protective of their tadpoles—are the most commonly dissected animals below the university level despite superior, animal-free methods being widely available—including the silicone-based Kind Frog^TM from TeachKind Science, PETA’s humane education division.

Cromwell’s pro-vegan message will run in theaters in Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, D.C.; Silverstone’s spot will run in theaters in Wisconsin, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Utah, and Kansas; and PETA’s “Toby the Turkey” short will run in theaters in Indiana, Minnesota, and Kansas, which are home to some of the top turkey-producing and slaughter operations in the country.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat, experiment on, or abuse in any other way”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. PETA’s free vegan starter kit and “ThanksVegan” guide include tips for anyone making the switch. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.