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Sexiest Vegetarian alum Tobey Maguire made no bones about not wanting to sit on cow skin.

While filming The Great Gatsby in Australia, Tobey was a great envoy for animals, asking Bazmark Films to return the Mercedes-Benz it had loaned him for his stay and have the leather upholstery replaced with vinyl. The studio complied because, well, he's right about the cruelty of leather, and you don't mess with Spider-Man.

The vegan version of Nick Carraway has us carried away with his unfaltering advocacy for animals.

Written by Michelle Sherrow

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Today is National "Save a Spider" Day,  a day when arachnids everywhere relax and let their spinnerets down. Since I am not personally adept at saving spiders, I'm fortunate to have a husband who has honed his cup-and-paper trapping skills, so that is how we'll be celebrating. (Cup-and-paper–impaired? Try the Humane Bug Catcher.) For those of you arachnophobes who may be wondering if it counts if you watch a Tobey Maguire film, consider the following facts about spiders that you may not know of yet: 

• Fans of Spyder roadsters, did you know that spiders extend their limbs using hydraulic pressure?
• Spiders eat a lot of the insects whom people aren't always so fond of, such as mosquitoes, flies, ants, and aphids. They do not, however, eat curds and whey.
• Spider webs are similar in strength to nylon, but they're much more elastic and less prone to breaking or losing their shape. I'd like them to teach the makers of my pantyhose a thing or two.
• Spiders were used in some ancient artwork to symbolize patience.
• One species of spider is actually vegetarian. (Spiders for the Ethical Treatment of Animals?)

If you're one of the Mazda or Honda drivers whose car saved a spider and you would rather not celebrate the holiday on the interstate, PETA will gladly accept your car and its inhabitants for our lifesaving work for all animals, leg count notwithstanding.

Written by Michelle Sherrow

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You might already know that Spiderman's Tobey Maguire is vegan, as is Oscar nominee Woody Harrelson, Golden Globe–winner Joaquin Phoenix, and Ultraman Rich Roll. And you may remember that fitness trainer Bob Harper and the NBA's Amar'e Stoudemire both rely on animal-free cuisine to promote peak physical form.

Now The Boston Globe has introduced its readers to "hegans"—as in "he" plus "vegan" equals "hegan." Many hegans are middle-aged, and they all seem to be unassuming fellows who—in their individual pursuits of longevity, improved strength and energy, weight loss, or decreased risk of killer diseases such as cancer and heart disease—have all quietly embraced vegan lifestyles. They may also have read that vegan diets are the best for making sure that their kids have a planet to inherit, or they don't like the idea of eating Babe for breakfast. According to Rip Esselstyn, veteran firefighter, triathlete, and author of The Engine 2 Diet, "Real men eat plants.''

We absolutely agree—and so do the red-hot hunks in our 2010 Sexiest Vegetarian Next Door contest. After you've cast your vote, tell us: Will you use the term "hegan" to describe men who eat only animal-free foods—or are you inclined to stick with "vegan"?

Written by Karin Bennett

Gorgeous, voluptuous, and sexy: All of those words describe actor/singer Scarlett Johansson. And now that she's the newest luminary to show support for the Healthy School Meals Act, we can add "humanitarian" and "friend to animals" to the list.

 

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If launched, this $4 million pilot program will ingrain (sorry, couldn't resist) vegetarian food and drinks into school districts' lunch programs over a two-year period. In her letter, Scarlett points out, "Millions of families in America rely on subsidized school lunches, and these meals are absolutely crucial to children's well-being." The Healthy School Meals Act will give kids a chance to develop healthy eating habits that center on nutritious plant-based fare, instead of body parts from stressed, mutilated, and exhausted animals.

By joining Spiderman's Tobey Maguire and health experts around the country in this effort, Scarlett has revealed her smarts and her 24-carrot heart of gold. (Oh, yes, I did.)

Written by Karin Bennett

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"I was like, 'Um, could you make two of those?' And I'd make a cute face, and they'd roll their eyes and give me another falafel."
—Natalie Portman, on how easy Brothers co-star Tobey Maguire, who brought his own vegan chef to the set, made it for the newly vegan starlet to eat humanely.

Jake Gyllenhaal hasn't issued a statement yet, but I'm willing to bet he chowed down with his co-stars on some vegan vittles too. Could you resist food from a personal vegan chef?

Written by Logan Scherer

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The Spider-Man star has teamed up with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine to encourage public schools to escape the unhealthy web (yeah, I went there) of greasy cafeteria fare and offer healthy vegetarian options. He also says that as a father, "[T]his issue is tremendously important …"

If only all dads were that fly. (All right, I'm done. Promise.)

Written by Shawna Flavell

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Some celeb blogs are reporting that vegan actor Tobey Maguire asks guests at his home to remove any leather garments before entering the house. He says the smell makes him sick—which, well, he’s not alone there. Part of me is praying that some clueless B-lister like Kate Moss shows up for a party at Tobey’s place wearing leather pants. A man can dream …

This is the second time in recent months that Tobey has been in the news standing up for animals: In a recent interview, the Spidey star told Parade magazine:

Yeah, it kind of bums me out too, honestly. Anyway, thanks, Tobey, for sticking up for your beliefs.