The Ant-Man star Paul Rudd has long been known for his youthful looks. But, lately, he has been in the news for another reason.
The star, who seems to have defied aging, made an appearance on the popular YouTube series Hot Ones in October 2019. The episode went viral as soon as it aired, for more reasons than one.
While on one hand, people appreciated his active participation and clever banter, on the other hand, his fans (and vegans) got curious over his vegan wings choice.
Rudd’s choice of food became the trending topic overnight. It seemed everyone wanted to know if Rudd had turned vegan.
Haven’t seen the video yet? Take a look…
Is Paul Rudd Vegan?
No. Paul Rudd is not vegan.
Wondering why did he choose vegan cauliflower wings, then? Read on to find out!
Why Did Paul Rudd Eat Cauliflower Wings on Hot Ones?
The actor, producer, screenwriter, and comedian himself stated that he eats meat. He did, however, also say that he was trying to reduce his meat consumption and eat more plant-based foods.
What Were All the Speculations About, Then?
It’s common (and somewhat expected) for people to get excited over any news that gives them insight into their favorite celebrities’ lives. Paul Rudd’s fans are no exception. In the case of this episode of Hot Ones, however, there was no ground to the speculations, as the actor clarified in the same show that he was not a vegetarian and was only trying to limit his meat intake.
While it became clear in the show that Rudd had not turned vegan, many viewers concluded from his remarks that he was trying to go vegan. Some even went so far ahead to presume that he observes Meatless Mondays (I don’t know where that came from because Rudd didn’t say anything like that, or did he?).
Well…whatever the exact reason behind Paul’s choice may be, and regardless of whether he will turn vegan or not, we vegans are happy to know that he cares for animals and the environment. We have to give him credit for realizing his responsibility and contributing (no matter how little) to reduce animal cruelty.
The Ant-Man star also got a shout-out from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) for his choice.
According to sources, plant-based foods have been a staple in the actor’s diet at least since 2015. Reportedly, he used to have vegan protein shakes daily when he was filming for Ant-Man.
Paul Rudd also seems to be highly respectful towards vegans. He chose to eat vegan food when he met Alicia Silverstone, who’s known to be one of the most dedicated vegan celebrities. The Clueless star also seemed to be pleasantly surprised by Rudd’s sweet and respectful gesture as she took to Instagram to appreciate the act.
Is Paul Rudd a Vegetarian or Vegan?
The Ant-Man star is neither vegan nor vegetarian.
“I’m actually not a vegetarian, but I’m trying to become better,” he said on Hot Ones.
But he consumes meat in limited quantities and has been trying to incorporate more plant-based foods in his diet for the past several years. He may convert someday!
Paul Rudd wasn’t the first person to opt for meatless wings on Hot Ones. Billie Eilish, Ricky Gervais, Natalie Portman, Jeff Goldblum, Alexa Chung, Vanessa Hudgens, Russell Brand, and “Weird Al” Yankovic have also opted for cauliflower wings on the same show. But, none of them sparked a discussion like Paul Rudd did.
Maybe people didn’t expect this from Rudd, or it could be the other way round. Whatever the reason is, it’s interesting to see how a celebrity’s simple food choice can take the internet by storm.
Want to know who in Hollywood is vegan? Here you go…
Vegan Celebrities
While I cannot list all the vegan celebrities here, the following are some of the big names in Hollywood that are known to be vegan:
- Ariana Grande
- Travis Barker
- Bryan Adams
- Benedict Cumberbatch
- Brad Pitt
- Pamela Anderson
- Billie Eilish
- James Cameron
- Mýa
- Natalie Portman
- Nathalie Emmanuel
- Sadie Sink
If this wing-centric discussion has you craving for some delicious vegan wings (like it did me), know that you can order in. Want to know where to buy cauliflower wings from?
Several restaurants offer vegan wings. Check out this PETA’s list of Tops 10 Vegan Wings places for recommendations. You can also get some frozen ones from your local grocery store. In fact, in case you didn’t already know, Wholly Veggie! and Birds Eye offer Buffalo Cauliflower Wings.
Those of you who are feeling adventurous and are in the mood for some cooking can check out the following video for vegan Cauliflower Wings…
You can also checkout my article Panda Express Vegan Options to find out if the popular American-Chinese restaurant caters to its vegan customers.
