Image by Getty Images

By John A. Oswald October 1, 2015

When it comes to animal cruelty, actress Alicia Silverstone says she’s not clueless.

The 38-year-old still-stunning Hollywood beauty, who grew up in a conservative Jewish family, was one of several big-name vegetarians and vegans of the year Wednesday night.

It was a star-studded bash celebrating People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals’ 35th year — and came on the eve of today’s World Vegetarian Day.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

The other honorees included “Real Time” host Bill Maher, the son of a Hungarian Jewish mother and Irish dad who was raised Catholic but is now an atheist; and “American Pie” star Jason Biggs, who is often mistaken as Jewish, has joked he usually gets role playing Jewish, but is not a Jew.

Silverstone, whose silver screen flicks include “Clueless,” “The Crush,” and “Batman and Robin,” has been meat-free for two decades.

“If you ever have a chance to meet a cow, pig, turkey, or goat, you will see that they are just as cute and funny as your dogs and cats and that they, too, want to live and feel love,” the animal activist has said.

“They don’t like pain. Now when I see a steak, it makes me feel sad and sick because right away, I see my dog or the amazing cows I met at a sanctuary.”

She also has her own advocacy website: The Kind Life.

Performing at Wednesday night’s gala were famous PETA allies, Sir Paul McCartney, and Beck.

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$90 $180

$360

Other amount