PETA’s Naked Speaker Wears Her Heart on Her Sleeve
I didn’t hesitate for a second to jump from 12,500 feet or touch clouds over Kauai—but I’m pretty certain it would take a lot of convincing to get me to strip in front of a camera.
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So I say “Hats (and skirt, blouse, and stay-ups) off!” to L.A.-based actor Marissa Lewis for her rousing delivery of PETA’s annual State of the Union Undress. Not only was the curvy cutie willing to bare her body for animals, she took time to sit down and share her thoughts and feelings about animal rights—and why she didn’t hesitate to take it all off for this project.
What made you decide to take it all off for PETA’s State of the Union Undress?
When I was a little girl, I dreamed of being a veterinarian when I grew up. As I got older, I decided to choose a different career path. I have always had a strong love for animals, and I believe that your mind, body, and soul is a supernatural inheritance from God, and how you use it is your choice! It’s up to us as individuals to make a difference.
A vegetarian diet looks great on you! What inspired you to go vegetarian, and how has it changed your life?
My love for animals inspired me to go vegetarian. PETA’s informative videos are very eye-opening—seeing all the cruelty that is imposed upon animals turned me vegetarian instantly. Since I stopped eating meat, I have felt lighter and leaner.
What is one major victory for animals that you’d like to see happen in 2010?
I would love to see a law passed saying that no animal could be caged or chained.
While talking about her naked PETA ad, Eva Mendes recently said, “My mom cringed when she saw me naked.” Does your mom know about this video? What does she think?
When I told my parents about the video, they were pretty excited. They are very supportive of me and my choices. My mother told me that when she was pregnant with me, her doctor placed her on a vegetarian diet. She could not keep meat down at all. 🙂 That was something that I never knew until I shared my choice with my parents. 🙂
You’re an actor in L.A., so—besides this PETA video—what else can your newfound fans see you in?
Follow me at Twitter.com/MarissaForPETA. 🙂
OK, I know that there are a lot of readers out there wondering this: Are you single?
I’m definitely not ruling out the idea of a boyfriend, but right now I’m focused on God, myself, and my career.
Besides being vegetarian and willing to strip for the cause, is there anything else that you do to stay active for animals?
I actively post and tweet PETA links at Twitter.com/MarissaForPETA, I suggest animals rights books to friends, I place animal rights stickers on each envelope I mail out, and I refuse to wear fur! In the future, I plan on getting the message out to local, national, and international media and to as many people as I possibly can in the hope that I can make a difference. I also want to mention that I adore my kitty Simba. She means everything to me—I love to pamper my beautiful lioness (meeeoww). 🙂
Now I’d like to ask you: Which of PETA’s naked demos or events would you jump to join in on?
Written by Karin Bennett
