Benedict Cumberbatch, Ava DuVernay Named PETA’s ‘Most Beautiful Vegan Celebs’ Of 2018

By Brent Furdyk. 11 Jul 2018 12:22 PM

ABC/Getty Images

“Sherlock” star Benedict Cumberbatch and “A Wrinkle in Time” director Ava DuVernay have never worked together, but they now share a common bond thanks to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

Cumberbatch, 41, and DuVernay, 45, have been named PETA’s “most beautiful vegan celebrities” of 2018, beating out a host of other meat-eschewing stars who were also up for the honour, including Ellen Pompeo, Ne-Yo, Thandie Newton, Zac Efron and Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am.

Both have been vocal about being vegan. For example, in an interview with Time Out London, Cumberbatch revealed that his “plant-based diet” helped him get in shape to play Marvel’s Doctor Strange in “Avengers: Infinity War”.

Meanwhile, last year DuVernay tweeted a link to a New York Times feature about “black veganism.”

Like many food trends that seem new, black veganism has historical roots. "For a lot of black people, it’s also about social justice and food access. The food we've been eating has been killing us.”https://t.co/xja5tGRVUs

— Ava DuVernay (@ava) December 1, 2017

“Ava DuVernay and Benedict Cumberbatch are saving animals not only by going vegan, but also by sharing their commitment with the world,” said PETA senior vice president Lisa Lange in a statement. “The vegan powerhouses behind ‘Selma’ and ‘Doctor Strange’ beautifully show what it means to be a compassionate star in 2018.”

Past winners of PETA’s “most beautiful vegan celebrity” include Ruby Rose, Jared Leto and Jenna Dewan, Liam Hemsworth, Carrie Underwood, Kristen Wiig, Jared Leto, Miley Cyrus and Jessica Chastain, to name a few.