‘Babe’ Is Still Influencing People to Go Vegan 30 Years Later
When Babe hit theaters in 1995, it wasn’t just a family-friendly box office hit; it was a wake-up call that changed the lives of actors in the film, viewers, and pigs. A “tale about an unprejudiced heart” and a gentle pig who escapes slaughter inspired countless viewers to rethink their relationship with animals. Now, as the film celebrates its 30th anniversary, its impact remains ferocious. Find out how PETA is honoring Babe’s legacy.
‘That’ll Do, Pig’: James Cromwell Reflects on the Powerful Lessons From ‘Babe’ On Its 30th Anniversary
For the 30th anniversary of Babe’s release, actor James Cromwell—who played the beloved farmer Arthur Hoggett in the film—shared in an op-ed how the experience inspired him to go vegan, forever changing his life.
PETA Supporters Spark Vegan Epiphanies Outside ‘Babe’ Anniversary Premiere
PETA supporters handed out more than 100 delicious vegan “Bacon”, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches to moviegoers attending a 30th Anniversary screening of Babe. Seizing the opportunity to connect hearts and minds, the volunteers gathered outside the Rio Theatre in Vancouver, BC. They shared animal rights leaflets in addition to the sandwiches, and held signs reading “Pigs Feel Pain, Joy, and Fear—Just Like Babe,” sparking thoughtful conversations with attendees. Many of the Babe attendees thanked the volunteers for being there and gratefully accepted the vegan BLT before heading into the theater.
Among the moviegoers was a father and his two children. He shared that his family stopped eating pigs after learning about their suffering and intelligence. One PETA supporter gently expanded the conversation to include other animals exploited for their bodies, like cows who are separated from their babies so that their milk can be sold to humans. The entire family was apparently open and eager to take the next steps towards going vegan after learning more. They happily took their vegan sandwiches into the theater to watch the inspiring movie.
PETA Pig Pals Hand Out Vegan Sandwiches
Fans flocking to the 30th-anniversary screening of Babe at the Revue Cinema received a special vegan treat, courtesy of PETA pig pals.
PETA supporters handed out scrumptious, animal-friendly, vegan bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches from local eatery Animal Liberation Kitchen outside the theater. Even a downpour of rain couldn’t dull anyone’s joy while enjoying their free pig-friendly sandwiches.
James Cromwell Introduces Fans to His New Babe
When PETA told Farmer Hoggett himself, James Cromwell, that a piglet had fallen off a transport truck and had been rescued just before the ham-heavy Easter holiday, he just had to meet him. Cromwell named him Babe in honor of the film that inspired him to go vegan decades ago.
In the video, the PETA Honorary Director reprises his Farmer Hoggett role, singing “If I Had Words” to the rescued piglet. Babe will spend the rest of his life in peace at an animal sanctuary, enjoying dirt baths with other rescued pigs.
“Having had the privilege of witnessing and experiencing pigs’ intelligence and inquisitive personalities while filming the movie Babe changed my life and my way of eating, and so I jumped at the chance to save this real-life Babe. Every pig deserves to live in peace and joy at a sanctuary, choosing when to frolic, where to forage, and how to spend their time, yet few do.”
– James Cromwell
Babe Fans Share How the Movie Inspired Them to Go Vegan
Cromwell isn’t the only one forever changed by Babe. Fans flooded social media with powerful stories about how the film sparked their compassion: thousands shared their stories of how Babe impacted them, many mentioning they went vegan after watching.
It’s no surprise that Babe inspired many to make the compassionate and ethical choice to go vegan. Pigs, like Babe, are playful, affectionate, and intelligent animals who form tight-knit bonds with their families and constantly communicate with one another. More than 20 types of oinks, grunts, and squeals have been identified, which they use for different situations—from wooing their mates to expressing hunger. When able to express their natural behaviors, newborn piglets learn to run toward their mothers’ voices, and mother pigs sing to their children while they’re nursing.
On many farms, mother pigs spend most of their miserable lives in tiny gestation and farrowing crates so small that they can’t even turn around. Workers forcibly manually impregnate them again and again until their bodies give out. Then they are sent to slaughter. This intensive confinement, loneliness, and deprivation often cause mother pigs to go insane, and they demonstrate neurotic behavior, such as incessantly chewing the air, biting cage bars, and pressing on water bottles.
Piglets, like Babe, are torn away from their distraught mothers just a few weeks after birth. Workers chop off their tails, snip their teeth with pliers, and castrate the male piglets. The young pigs then spend their short lives in cramped, crowded pens on filthy slatted concrete.
When the piglets are about 6 months old, workers force them onto transport trucks that will take them to a slaughterhouse where workers kill those who survive the journey. Many pigs die from heat exhaustion in the summer or arrive frozen to the inside of the truck in the winter. According to industry reports, more than 1 million pigs die in transport each year, and at least 40,000 sustain injuries by the time they arrive at the slaughterhouse.
How You Can Help Pigs Like Babe
Every animal is someone with their own interests and needs. Being vegan means you can spare nearly 200 animals per year, help protect the environment, and improve your health. Making the switch is easier than ever. Check out our favorite vegan bacon and ham brands, and join the 3-Week Vegan Challenge, which includes delicious vegan recipes, tips for eating out, and more:
