Oscar-winner Joaquin Phoenix has frequently participated at peaceful vigils outside animal slaughterhouses, joining animal rights activists in comforting animals en route to processing plants. Now, an image of Phoenix, a proud and passionate vegan, reaching out to a pig during one of those trips is part of a new ad campaign from Los Angeles Animal Save.
The campaign includes billboards and bus stop benches located on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles and near the Farmer John slaughterhouse in neighboring Vernon, California, at 3049 E. Vernon Ave. Phoenix attended one of the vigils just hours after he won a best actor statue for Joker at the SAG Awards Jan. 19, still wearing his tuxedo and tie. The image featured on the billboard, he's seen wearing a black hoodie, a frequent staple of his wardrobe.
At the time, Phoenix spoke about his involvement in the vigils with Renee Marinkovich for Jane Velez-Mitchell's media platform Jane Unchained. “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,” the actor said. “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.”
L.A. Animal Save founder Amy Jean Davis says she's "profoundly grateful" to Phoenix for "reminding us that our individual and collective voices are powerful, and that each of us has this potential impact.” She continued: “At a time of enormous challenges, we are reminded that our individual actions also have enormous impact. We can choose compassion every day by going vegan, for all sentient beings, for the environment, for the health of our families and communities."
Due to limited public gathering mandates amid the coronavirus pandemic, L.A. Animal Save has pressed pause on the vigils for the time being.
