Joaquin Phoenix spent the majority of awards season campaigning for several causes. He advocated for vegan diets in hopes to offset climate change and acknowledged that systemic racism was rampant in Hollywood and that he was also part of the problem, among other social issues. Not long after winning an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Arthur Fleck in Joker, Phoenix is back at it again. This time, however, the actor was at the front lines, assisting the Los Angeles Animal Save in rescuing a cow and her newborn calf from a slaughterhouse.
The actor, who named the cow and her calf Liberty and Indigo, respectively, has been working with the grassroots group, attending their peaceful vigils at local slaughterhouses. Liberty and Indigo are the fifth mother and child to be liberated from the Manning Beef slaughterhouse. In a statement, Phoenix discussed the endeavor and that the fight to save animals from these oppressive systems continues.
“I never thought I’d find friendship in a slaughterhouse, but meeting Anthony [president/CEO of Manning Beef] and opening my heart to his, I realize we might have more in common than we do differences. Without his act of kindness, Liberty and her baby calf, Indigo, would have met a terrible demise. Although we will continue to fight for the liberation of all animals who suffer in these oppressive systems, we must take pause to acknowledge and celebrate the victories, and the people who helped achieve them.”
Phoenix’s efforts have been ongoing and the video released by Farm Sanctuary details the rescue of Liberty and her calf, with the actor helping both animals out of their pen and calmly and safely loading them into a truck, where they’ll be taken to Farm Sanctuary to live without the threat of being killed. The actor concluded that it’s his “hope” to watch Indigo grow up with her mom and that, with an open mind, friendships can happen “in the most unexpected places.” Watch Joaquin Phoenix rescue Liberty and Indigo in the video above!
