A video has just been released of Joaquin Phoenix rescuing a calf and its mother from a Los Angeles slaughterhouse, two days after his Best Actor win at the Academy Awards. In his powerfully unique acceptance speech, the actor addressed the continuing issues of animal rights abuse, discrimination and lack of diversity which plagues society.
The powerful video shows 2020’s messiah of environmentalism and (literal) good shepherd Phoenix carrying the calf to LA’s Farm Sanctuary while an intense string accompaniment and overlays of his Oscars speech are played.
After his impassioned Oscars speech about animal rights, Joaquin Phoenix has shown that he’s a man of his word by rescuing a slaughterhouse calf.
Phoenix accompanied Los Angeles Animal Save, a nonprofit that holds peaceful vigils at local slaughterhouses, to meet with the owners of the facility. In an odd twist of events, the slaughterhouse owner actually refuses to kill any cow born on or who has given birth on his property, as well as refusing to seperate the mothers and calves. Thus, giving the green light for Phoenix’s grand rescue mission of Liberty and her calf Indigo.
The owner, however, still refers to killing his cows as “harvesting” them, which Phoenix adamantly corrects to “murdering”.
“I never thought I’d find friendship in a slaughterhouse, but meeting Anthony (the owner) and opening my heart to his, I realise we might have more in common than we do differences,” Phoenix said in the video. “Without his act of kindness, Liberty and her baby calf, Indigo would have met a terrible demise.“
“My hope is, as we watch baby Indigo grow up with her mom Liberty at Farm Sanctuary, that we’ll always remember that friendship can emerge in the most unexpected places.”
Phoenix has used this awards season to advocate for diversity, animal rights, and environmental conservation. He recently joined Los Angeles Animal Save to comfort pigs on their way to the slaughterhouse, coming straight from the Screen Actors Guild Awards (tux and all) to see them off.
