Ricky Gervais Opens Up About His Judgment-Free Vegan Lifestyle
After getting his start on the United Kingdom's "The Office," Ricky Gervais became a household name. While the show wasn't exactly a huge success at first, as the BBC noted, it picked up steam and would become the foundation for one of America's favorite shows by the same name but with a different cast.
Gervais played a pivotal role in the US version of the show. His character, David Brent, was the main inspiration behind Steve Carell's Michael Scott. He would even make a cameo on an episode of the American show playing his infamous character.
Gervais isn't only known for his role on "The Office." He became a popular actor in the United States with roles in shows like "After Life" and his stand-up comedy work, and has hosted the Golden Globe Awards multiple times.
During Gervais' time as a pop culture icon, he has never been afraid to speak his mind, especially when it comes to his vegan lifestyle. Now, the actor is opening up about his veganism in a non-judgmental way.
Gervais prefers education over judgement when it comes to veganism
Gervais has been a known animal rights activist for years but recently shared that he was in fact vegan. During an appearance on "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon," the comedian was asked who he would eat if he had to become a cannibal. He responded, "Well I'm vegan so it's even worse for me. I wouldn't..." before Fallon suggested he consume Paul McCartney.
For many, the thought of going vegan can be overwhelming. Cutting out all animal products from your diet sounds taxing, plus, the vegan community hasn't always been known for being open to new members. There are stereotypes involved with veganism, but Gervais is here to put those to an end.
In an interview with WSJ Magazine, Gervais shared that he is not here to force people to join him in his vegan journey. "I don't want to preach about it because when I was vegetarian, I saw people on Twitter making other people who were trying feel bad." He continued, "For me, it's not about being 100 percent vegan. One, it's about being better than you were yesterday. It's about education."
By taking the pressure off, Gervais is hoping more people will make gradual changes to eliminate animal products from their diet.