Joaquin Phoenix comforts pigs at slaughterhouse after SAG win

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By VT

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It has been an incredible month for actor Joaquin Phoenix.

Fresh off 'Best Actor' wins at both the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards for his role as Arthur Fleck in The Joker, Phoenix has also been praised for his contribution to tackling environmental issues and animal welfare.

Firstly, Stella McCartney - the fashion designer behind Phoenix's sleek tuxedo - praised the actor for choosing to wear the same tux throughout awards season in an effort to reduce waste.

The famed designer tweeted: "This man is a winner… wearing custom Stella because he chooses to make choices for the future of the planet. He has also chosen to wear this same Tux for the entire award season to reduce waste. I am proud to join forces with you"

And as Phoenix accepted his Golden Globe earlier this month, he not only thanked the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for serving a plant-based menu, but also made a plea for stars and viewers alike to make "changes and sacrifices" to help benefit the planet.

He said: "First I'd like to thank the Hollywood Foreign Press for recognizing and acknowledging the link between animal agriculture and climate change. It was a very bold move, making tonight plant-based, and it really sends a powerful message.

"Together hopefully we can be unified, and hopefully make some changes. It's great to vote, but sometimes we have to take that responsibility on ourselves and make changes and sacrifices in our own lives, and I hope that we can do that. We don't have to take private jets to Palm Springs. I'll try to do better and I hope you will too."

Check out Phoenix's Golden Globes acceptance speech below:
[[youtubewidget||https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3pdeTv-8GI]]

Now, the 45-year-old actor - who has been vegan since the age of three - has been praised for joining a group of animal rights activists on Sunday night, just hours after his win at the SAG Awards.

Phoenix joined the activists at a downtown Los Angeles slaughterhouse, where they offered water to pigs that were about to killed for meat.

A video of the interview was shared to Facebook by Jane Unchained News, where Phoenix could be seen wearing the same tuxedo he wore at the awards show.

You can see the full video below (Phoenix appears at 16:54):
[[facebookwidget||https://www.facebook.com/JaneVelezMitchell/videos/192314958577321]]

In the video, Phoenix states: "Most people don’t really know of the torture and murder in the meat and dairy industry. I’ve seen it for what it is, so I have to be here.

"We have moral obligations to talk about it and expose it for what it really is.

"We are so indoctrinated with these happy images of animals on farms, on the covers of meat containers, at restaurants and it’s a lie. I think people need to know the truth and we have an obligation to do that. Those of us that have seen it for what it really is, we have an obligation to expose it, so I have to be here."

The Joker star also addressed the recent rise in activism, of which, his industry friends have "been really receptive". He said:

“There is a change that is happening and it’s now just becoming undeniable. Slowly but surely we’re getting there.

"As heartbreaking as it is when we’re here giving water to the pigs I have a certain optimism in our community and how committed everyone is. People come down here week after week after week so I had to come here tonight and support and it’s a little antidote to what I was just given, so I’m blessed to be here."

After footage of him helping the pigs surfaced online, many of his fans have praised the actor: