Vegan activist Joaquin Phoenix gets back in the saddle for Napoleon - five years after sharing his 'regret' at riding horses for movie roles

Daily Mail ^ | 7 April 2023 | ALISON BOSHOFF

[nickcarraway]

Ardent vegan activist Joaquin Phoenix finds himself uncomfortably on horseback in the new Napoleon film by British director Ridley Scott.

Indeed, you can see in Phoenix's face just how much he enjoys it.. the answer being, not a lot.

Phoenix will have found himself horribly conflicted when forced to get back in the saddle.

He has been vegan since the age of three and believes that using any animal products — or using animals full stop — is a 'gross abuse of power'.

In 2018 he talked about having to ride horses in The Sisters Brothers — and how he regretted it.

'I didn't really think about it until I was there and realised: "Oh, it's a western and we're on horses a lot."

'I felt bad about riding them. I had the feeling that they were like, "I don't really want you on my back."

When somebody suggested the experience might be mutually enjoyable for rider and mount, Phoenix said: 'Yeah, but the horses tell you something different.'

The Apple TV+ movie will get a cinema release in November. British actress Vanessa Kirby co-stars as 'not tonight' Josephine.

In 2020 Phoenix took to the streets of London in a bid to urge Londoners to embrace a vegan lifestyle as he protested on behalf of animal rights.

The screen star, who just hours later would scooped the coveted Leading Actor trophy at the EE British Academy Film Awards, also tied himself to the city landmark Tower Bridge as he joined forces with activist group Animal Equality.

Showing his commitment to the cause, the Hollywood actor joined fellow protesters as they unfurled a huge 390 square-foot banner over the bridge, which read: 'Factory farming is destroying our planet. Go vegan.'

[skr]

Lol, yes. Much less energy-consuming than bucking.