As Hollywood's brightest arrived at last night's Academy Awards, they were sure to be asked, "Who are you wearing?" But the real story is who they weren't wearing since cruelly produced animal fur was noticeably absent from the red carpet once again. 

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The lovely Anne Hathaway won a well-deserved Oscar for her heart-rending performance in Les Miserables, but this vegan superstar is a winner for animals every day. Anne has been turning it out all through awards season, and this time was no exception, landing solidly on best-dressed lists in custom vegan heels from Giuseppe Zanotti. That no animals lost their skin to the leather trade for her look gives us even more reason to cheer the spectacular success that Anne calls "the cherry on top of a wonderful, wonderful dish of vegan ice cream."

Although his pro-fish ad for PETA was deemed too controversial for the Oscar broadcast, Best Actor nominee Joaquin Phoenix was also on the scene. Indeed, PETA faves abounded both inside and outside the Dolby Theatre, from Best Actress nominee and vegan Jessica Chastain and animal adoption advocate Charlize Theron (who showed off some impressive dance skills during the show) to the stunning anti-fur crusader Olivia Munn and a glowing Jenna Dewan-Tatum. The media stars in attendance included PETA pals Kelly Osbourne and Michael Strahan.

So congratulations to the winners—including the animals who didn't end up on the shapely shoulders and elegant tootsies of the attendees!

Is Bill Clinton's healthy diet rubbing off on his wife? Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was in a vegan state of mind on her birthday, celebrating with her family and a vegan cake.

The Clintons might be a power couple for decades to come: Bob Barker names his vegetarian diet as the reason for his longevity and vivacity, telling Vegetarian Times, "I became a vegetarian out of concern for animals, and I was a vegetarian for a very long time before I realized that many people become vegetarians out of concern for their health. I think they are absolutely right. I think it is the healthiest way to live. I worked until I was 83 years old."

Ever wondered what made country cutie Carrie Underwood first ditch meat? Now we know. On VH1's Behind the Music, she described seeing her parents castrate calves. "And lightbulb," she said. "I was horrified and sad and I just couldn't believe this was happening, you know, in our pasture."

Another vegan singer, Renee Olstead, might have made a certain magazine editor cringe recently when she prominently rep'd PETA in an interview. We've had our famous run-ins with furry Vogue editor Anna Wintour, but in Renee's Teen Vogue interview, the singer and actor proudly declared, "I love animals. I'm getting ready to do a campaign with PETA. I went vegetarian when I was twelve, and I went vegan about a year and a half ago."

Staunchly fur-free Mayte Garcia just made the list of the hottest reality stars. Would her naked ad for PETA have had anything to do with that?

One of the hottest former reality stars, Lauren Conrad, has a reason to celebrate as well: She just adopted a new puppy, Fitz, from a shelter. Fitz scored some "welcome home" toys and treats from PETA to share with his new canine sister, rescued dog Chloe.

The Los Angeles City Council's vote to ban stores from selling animals who came from breeders  and puppy mills was a hot topic on Twitter this week, as were the bill that could end the Canadian seal slaughter and protecting animals during Hurricane Sandy.

To keep up with what all your favorite celebs are doing for animals, follow @PETA on Twitter.

Eva Mendes' performance in Bad Lieutenant has Hollywood talking. And today, with Fur-Free Friday fast approaching, the talk of tinsel-town debuted PETA's new fur exposé.

 

 

Eva says, "I didn't always know how animals were killed for their fur, and I even wore fur once myself." But then the compassionate (and smoldering-hot) actor learned that millions of animals are killed every year in the cruel fur industry. "I swore that I'd never wear it again," she says. Now, in PETA's new exposé (and just in time for the holiday shopping season), Eva is urging viewers to go for a look that kills without killing animals—by forgoing fur in favor of glamorous alternatives.

Why should you go-go-faux? Dogs, cats, foxes, minks, rabbits, and other animals often suffer the pain of having their skin ripped from their bodies while they are conscious and able to feel every agonizing minute. The only way to bring an end to the suffering is to follow Eva's lead and never wear any fur.

Written by Logan Scherer

This ad, along with details on a hotline that whistleblowers who witness abuse on movie sets can call, appeared in Variety magazine this week

A while back a whistleblower from the set of Speed Racer reported that one of the chimpanzees used to play Speed Racer’s sidekick, Chim Chim, was beaten during filming and bit a human actor. The Speed Racer movie is coming out next week, and while the industry’s fleeting attention is attuned to the issue of animal abuse in Hollywood—especially after a bear used in the recent Will Ferrell movie attacked and killed his trainer—we figured now was the perfect time to encourage Hollywood insiders to speak up when they see abuse. Because nobody else is doing it right now.

A full-page ad prominently placed in yesterday's Variety magazine calls on Hollywood insiders who witness or suspect animal abuse in the production of a movie to immediately report the incident to PETA via a special hotline. Here’s what PETA Director Debbie Leahy told the media:

The story’s been making its way around the blogosphere today. There’s a good write-up on Deadline Hollywood Daily, and there’s tons more info on our campaign to prevent animals from being abused behind the scenes in movies and on TV on our cleverly titled “No More Monkey Business” website.

P.S. Check out the sweet article about the issue on HuffPo.

P.P.S. You can tell Warner Bros. that you’re boycotting their Speed Racer movie through this webform.