2010
Actor Olivia Wilde and NBC's The Biggest Loser trainerBob Harper were crowned the Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrities of 2010. On her decision to go vegan, Olivia explains, "Beyond my desire to boycott the torture factories, I am also way happier when I eat a plant based diet, and I feel about a thousand times more energetic." Bob Harper relies on a vegan diet to keep him in top form. "I enjoy living a plant-based diet because it makes me feel clear headed and strong, not to mention my genetically high cholesterol dropped more than 100 points," says Harper. "That was all the motivation I needed."
2009
Top honors went to country singer Kellie Pickler and heartthrob actor Milo Ventimiglia. Kellie cites health benefits and the treatment of animals as reasons for going vegetarian. She explains, "It's animal cruelty. A lot of it has to do with knowing what happens to the animals and it really bothered me and so I will not eat meat." Ventimiglia, a lifelong vegetarian, stated that he was even "vegetarian in the womb." He's living proof that you can grow up healthy, happy, and hot without consuming flesh.
2008
Red Hot Chili Pepper Anthony Kiedis and sultry songstressLeona Lewis were named the Sexiest Vegetarians Alive in 2008. Kiedis went vegan after learning about the worldwide depletion of fish in the oceans and after a doctor recommended a healthy vegan diet for his son. "Soon after I [went vegan] I saw some documentary footage of what happens in the factory farming of cows .... It sealed the deal," says Kiedis. On being vegetarian Lewis—whose album Spirit made her the first British artist to top the U.S. Billboard chart with a debut album—said "I don't have clothes, shoes or bags made from leather or suede or any animal products. ... I'm on a mission."
2007
The Tonight Show's Kevin Eubanks, who has long been known for his buff body in addition to his musical skills, is proof that turning to veggies doesn't mean turning down muscle. "Every night before the show, I make sure [my] guitar is perfectly tuned. And every day, I do the same for my body—with healthy, vegetarian meals," Eubanks has said. "It's the easiest way to stay fit and feel great." Two-time sexiest vegetarian winner Carrie Underwood is a lifelong animal lover. "I quit eating beef when I was about thirteen," she has said. "I do it because I really love animals and it just makes me sad. … I don't like to watch commercials where they have meat. It weirds me out."
2006
Going vegetarian was an easy choice for brainy beautyKristen Bell, who says, "I have always been an animal lover. I had a hard time disassociating the animals I cuddled with—dogs and cats, for example—from the animals on my plate, and I never really cared for the taste of meat. I always loved my Brussels sprouts!" Grammy-winning rock royalPrince says he won't eat "anything with parents" because "Thou shalt not kill means just that!" The strict vegan was praised by animal lovers everywhere for giving fans the lowdown on wool in the liner notes of his CD Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic.
2005
Country crooner and American Idol winner Carrie Underwood wore a "V Is for Vegetarian" T-shirt onAmerican Idol, sending her popularity soaring among animal lovers everywhere. She grew up on a farm in Oklahoma and has said that she decided she'd rather sing to cows than eat them. Chris Martin and his wife, Gwyneth Paltrow, are known for their love of vegan cuisine, and they made international headlines when they gave their daughter, Apple, a vegan birthday cake from Moby's New York eatery, teany.
2004
Alicia Silverstone, who shot to fame on the big screen inClueless, has said, "Once I became vegan, my nails were stronger, my skin was glowing, I lost a lot of weight. … Going vegan is the single best thing I've done in my life. I am so much happier and more confident. I made a decision based on my moral beliefs." OutKast frontman André 3000 took the music world by storm, landing a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album and multiple number one hits on the Billboardcharts. When he was asked how he would spend his last day on Earth, he replied, "I'd probably go for a great meal—some broccoli probably, because I'm a vegetarian."
2003
Lauren Bush, top Tommy Hilfiger model and the niece of President George W. Bush, has been a vegetarian since the age of 4 and is passionate about animal protection issues. One Thanksgiving, she told friends that she'd contribute a pie to the family meal but would not cook stuffing for the turkey, saying, "I am a vegetarian. I won't do anything that has to do with the turkey." Josh Hartnett's decision to go meat-free came several years ago and happened in an instant. "One day I was cutting up a chicken for my mom, and I hit a tumor with the knife," Hartnett said. "There was [pus] and blood all over the place. That was enough for me."
2002
Tobey Maguire has been meatless since 1992. He bulked up for his role as Spiderman by eating lots of tofu, and he said of his pre-veggie past, "I had a really tough time eating chicken, because I would start imagining what I was eating and what kind of life the animal led." Natalie Portman, who starred as Queen Amidala in the Star Wars prequels and more recently starred in V for Vendetta, has been a strict vegetarian since she was 8, after seeing a demonstration of laser surgery on a chicken at a medical conference with her father. She does not eat meat of any kind and avoids gelatin and other animal products. Says Natalie, "I am a very strict vegetarian. … I just really, really love animals, and I act on my values."
2001
Shania Twain was the first star named Sexiest Vegetarian Alive by PETA.org voters. "I don't eat meat, fish, or eggs. I was never a big meat-eater, but I've got more energy now," said Shania, who hasn't eaten an animal since she married longtime vegetarian (and record producer) Mutt Lange in 1993. Her favorite food is pasta, and she says, "I eat a lot of tofu, and I drink soy shakes with fruit every morning. I always have soybeans, black beans, or chickpeas for lunch or dinner."