Ariana Grande, Thomas Dekker—Who Will Be Named peta2’s ‘Sexiest Vegetarian’?

Teens’ Favorite Celebrities Battle It Out for Top Honors on peta2.com

For Immediate Release:
August 1, 2014

Contact:
Alexis Sadoti 202-483-7382

Hollywood is packed with hot young stars whose compassion for animals and concern for their health or the environment prompted them to go vegetarian or vegan—but who are the Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrities of 2014? That’s what peta2, PETA’s youth division, hopes to determine with this year’s edition of its annual contest, now live at peta2.com. The nominees are more varied than ever, with indie rockers, Disney stars, punk icons, Oscar winners, pro athletes, and others all up for the title. The winners—one male and one female—will be announced on August 25.

This year’s winners could be musicians, such as Ariana Grande, Fall Out Boy’s Andy Hurley, or Travis Barker. Television stars Ashley Argota, Christian Serratos, Daniella Monet, Thomas Dekker, Renee Olstead, or Zendaya could take home the honors—or Cupcake Wars champion Chloe Coscarelli‘s vegan baking expertise might help her rise to the top.

Many of these meat-free stars went vegetarian out of concern for animals, as Dekker did when he was just 12 years old. “When I was about eight years old, I stumbled on a pig factory,” he told Vegetarian Times magazine in 2009. “After seeing what went on there, I immediately gave up all pig products. Then, four years later, I asked … ‘Why am I not eating pigs, but still eating other animals?’ So at that point I gave it all up.” Others were inspired to improve their health—Grande, for instance, went vegan after watching Forks Over Knives and learning about how unhealthy cow’s milk is.

Other nominees include Jared Leto and Ellen Page—whom PETA named the sexiest male and female, respectively, vegan celebrities for 2014—as well as musicians Juanes and Grimes, Entertainment Tonight correspondent Rocsi Diaz, and mixed martial arts fighter Akira Corassani, among others.

The 2014 winners will succeed last year’s champions—Zendaya and The Wanted’s Jay McGuiness—and join the ranks of previous winners Kristen Bell, Renee Olstead, Davey Havok, Gabe Saporta, Christofer Drew, and Olivia Wilde, among others.

Voting to help peta2 pick who it should name as the winners ends on August 22. Winners will be chosen by peta2 based on several factors, including vote count, and announced on August 25. For more information, please visit peta2.com.