Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, Joaquin Phoenix, and More: Celebrities Who Are Inspiring Kindness in 2026

These celebrities don’t just make headlines—they use their influence to challenge cruelty, promote compassion, and push for a kinder world for animals. Is your favorite star on the list of those helping to make 2026 the best year for animals yet?

14  Vegan Celebrities Who Will Inspire You in 2026

1. Natalie Portman

Vegetarian since age nine, Natalie Portman went vegan in 2011 after learning more about how we exploit our fellow animals for food. The Harvard-educated, Oscar-winning actor frequently uses her platform to advocate for animals. She refuses to wear animal-skin leather or fur and has partnered with PETA to encourage people to consider how their everyday choices reflect their values—and spare animals from suffering.

“Three times a day, I remind myself that I value life and do not want to cause pain to or kill other living beings. That is why I eat the way I do.” –Natalie Portman

2. Travis Barker

Travis Barker makes a lot of noise on stage as the drummer for blink-182—and offstage, he raises his voice for animals as co-owner of vegan fine-dining restaurant Crossroads Kitchen, bringing delicious, high-end, animal-free foods to the Los Angeles and Las Vegas areas. Barker was a longtime vegetarian who then went vegan after surviving a plane crash. In interviews, Barker said the near-death experience pushed him to rethink his health, values, and the impact of everyday choices

“I feel great after every meal and I know that no animals are getting hurt in the process. That’s a win/win.” –Travis Barker

3. Ariana Grande

Wickedly talented Ariana Grande is a proud vegan, and her popular beauty brand, r.e.m. beauty, is on PETA’s Ultimate Cruelty-Free list! Along with no animal testing, all r.e.m. beauty products are vegan, meaning they’re free of beeswax, carmine, lanolin, collagen, and other ingredients derived from animals.

“I love animals more than I love most people, not kidding. But I am a firm believer in eating a full [vegan], whole food diet that can expand your life length make you an all-around happier person.” –Ariana Grande

4. Sadie Sink

Stranger Things star Sadie Sink is no stranger to animal rights. Vegan for the animals since before the series began, her compassion has fueled her strength and courage on and off screen.

“I went vegetarian and then vegan solely because of the animals. That is kind of the most obvious reason for me.” –Sadie Sink

5.  RZA

As the visionary founder and producer of the legendary Wu-Tang Clan, RZA helped reshape hip-hop by blending sharp social commentary, philosophy, and innovation. Offstage, he brings that same intentionality to his life as a longtime vegan and PETA supporter, urging everyone to think critically about how their choices affect other living beings.

“I don’t need a dead animal or dead piece of flesh to go into my live body. There’s … nothing on this planet that doesn’t want to live.” –RZA

6. Alicia Silverstone

From her breakout role in Clueless to recent projects like Bugonia, Reptile, and Pretty Thing, actor and PETA Honorary Director Alicia Silverstone balances a thriving acting career with outspoken advocacy for animals. She is always—ALWAYS—taking opportunities to highlight cruelty-free living!

“Being vegan truly is the secret to my life’s joy and peace. I feel physically and spiritually better than I could have ever imagined knowing that I am doing everything I can to reduce animal suffering with simple lifestyle choices like being vegan, never wearing any products made from animals (like wool and leather), and buying only from companies that NEVER test their products or ingredients on animals.” – Alicia Silverstone

7. Billie Eilish

Eilish is famous for using her massive platform to support animal rights and sustainability. In 2021, Eilish was PETA’s Person of the Year after she successfully urged Oscar de la Renta to ditch fur. She’s also brought Support + Feed—the vegan nonprofit founded by her mother, Maggie Baird—on tour with her, inspiring fans to go vegan, too.

“I just can’t go on in my life knowing what’s going on in the animal world and like, not doing anything about it.” –Billie Eilish

8. Joaquin Phoenix

Phoenix is a proud PETA supporter who vividly remembers what made him go vegan at age three:

“My family and I were on a boat catching fish. As one fish was caught, he was writhing, and then he was thrown against the side of the boat. You couldn’t disguise what it was. This was what we did to animals to eat them. The animal went from a living, vibrant creature fighting for life to a violent death.”

Phoenix also requests that his costumes not be made from animal skins. His “leather” costumes in Walk the Line and Gladiator, and even his “feathered” costumes in Quills, were all made of high-quality animal-free materials.

9. Anitta

Global pop sensation Anitta isn’t just a chart‑topping artist—she’s also a proud vegan. Named one of PETA’s Most Beautiful Vegan Celebrities, the Brazilian star is helping to bring animal-free meat into the spotlight as the face of a Brazil-based vegan company.

“Who has tasted plant meat? It’s like me: innovative, super hot, and good for the environment!” –Anitta

10. Maggie Q

Known for her roles in action-packed films like Divergent and Mission: Impossible III, actor Maggie Q is no stranger to making powerful moves. Through PETA campaigns and interviews, Q utilizes her visibility to highlight how our food choices impact the world around us.

“I know that when I’m eating, I’m not hurting the planet, I’m not hurting other people on this planet, I’m not hurting animals, and I’m not hurting nature.” –Maggie Q

11. Jermaine Dupri

Grammy-winning producer, songwriter, and entrepreneur Jermaine Dupri has influenced hip-hop and R&B for decades. He’s a dedicated vegan who advocates for compassion for animals, health, and environmental responsibility.

“I’ve been vegan for over a decade, and for me, there’s nothing better for feeling your best and knowing you’re helping the planet and animals.” –Jermaine Dupri

12. Pinky Cole

PETA Honorary Board Member Pinky Cole is one of the most influential voices in vegan food. She not only launched a new business, Voagies, serving vegan sandwiches, but also reclaimed ownership of her groundbreaking vegan brand, Slutty Vegan, in 2025.

What began as a single Atlanta burger concept has grown into a multi-city movement, with Slutty Vegan locations now offering craveable vegan comfort food in Georgia, Alabama, and New York.

“If you want to go vegan, all you have to do is commit to yourself and make the decision … and the minute that you make up your mind, you’re already halfway there.” –Pinky Cole

13. Pamela Anderson

Pamela Anderson is living proof that compassion for animals makes you gorgeous on the inside and out! Since Pamela made her PETA debut with her “Give Fur the Cold Shoulder” billboard in Times Square, she has become an Honorary Director of PETA and has been involved in countless campaigns and victories for animals. Whether by writing letters, starring in public service announcements, or traveling the globe to speak with world leaders, she has been instrumental in PETA’s successful efforts.

“The more animal products you remove from your diet, the better you feel … I feel so much better as a vegan. “ –Pamela Anderson

14. A Tribute to the Wonderful Dr. Jane Goodall

For devoting her life to reshaping how humans perceive our fellow animals, world-renowned primate expert, vegan, and trailblazing animal advocate Dr. Jane Goodall was posthumously named PETA’s 2025 Person of the Year.

Dr. Goodall exemplified the compassion and determination necessary to drive positive change for the other animals with whom we share this planet. From her groundbreaking research that reframed animals as “someone, not something,” to her outspoken compassion for all beings, she embodied everything that PETA stands for.

“I stopped eating meat some 50 years ago when I looked at the pork chop on my plate and thought: this represents fear, pain, death. That did it, and I went plant-based instantly.” –Dr. Jane Goodall

New Year, New You: Why 2026 Is the Time to Go Vegan

These celebrities have massive platforms, and we’re grateful they use them to speak up for animals. But influence isn’t limited to red carpets or sold-out arenas.

Something as simple as ordering free vegan starter kits and leaving them at a gym, library, or doctor’s office takes seconds. But that small action could introduce someone to compassionate choices they’d never considered—and that ripple can change the lives of thousands of animals. Every person who goes vegan saves nearly 200 animals every single year—chickens who form friendships, pigs who play, and cows who love their babies.

If you’re thinking about going vegan, you don’t have to change everything overnight. Start by swapping one of your favorite meals for a vegan upgrade. And remember, every change you make spares someone from suffering. You never know whose life you’ll change—including your own.