Actress Alicia Silverstone first went vegetarian at the age of eight, when she learned about baby cows being taken from their mothers on an English farm.  While her chosen diet was off and on for a while, by the age of 21 she was fully vegan. 

Alicia started modelling at the age of six, and her film debut came at the age of 16 with a role in the thriller The Crush.  She went on to start as Cher Horowitz in the teen comedy film Clueless, and in numerous movies, TV shows and stage performances since.  

Her fame gave her a platform to promote animal rights and she has been an outspoken advocate in the vegan movement for many years. Alicia has written two books on veganism.  The Kind Diet: A Simple Guide to Feeling Great, Losing Weight and Saving the Planet became a New York Times bestseller after its release in 2009.  The Kind Mama focuses on pregnancy and fertility. 

She talks about how to encourage friends to go vegan.  Educating non-vegan friends and family can often be a daunting task. Alicia believes that embracing the small changes will help those further their efforts of reducing meat and dairy.

“Anyone who makes a change, embrace it, celebrate it, be excited and proud about it.”

While it’s important to spread the vegan message, the actress admits that it is also important to embrace ‘slip-ups’.

“I have hiccups too, I would say I’m 99.9% vegan….I don’t think it makes sense to crucify myself for that.”