Being famous comes with an array of benefits, including being able to influence people. Today I decided to create a top 10 list of the most compassionate celebrity vegans who are making a difference.  Here,  is my list of celebrities, in no particular order,  who widen the circle of humanity in the world. Please share yours.

 Carrie Underwood

She is not only beautiful and talented, but she is also a supporter of the Humane Society and has done several public service announcements for the organization. She will not wear fur and supports PETA. She said,  “I would rather people look back on my life and say, “she made the world a better place.” “We can all do good things, and I believe when opportunities arise for you to do good, you should do good”.

 Joaquin Phoenix

Joaquin has supported a  number of charities and humanitarian organizations including Amnesty International. He is a member of PETA and an organization called In Defense of Animals. He said:

“It all comes down to pain and suffering. Not intelligence, not strength, not social class or civil right. Pain and suffering are, in themselves, bad and should be prevented or minimized, irrespective of the race, sex, or species of that being that suffers.”

 Peter Dinklage

Peter,  most famous for his role in “Game of Thrones”, donates his spare time to promoting a campaign to change the way society treats farm animals. He is the national spokesman for Farm Sanctuary.  He said he joined the cause “because he felt animals used for food are treated like unfeeling machinery.” Farm Sanctuary is a terrific organization who provides care for rescued farm animals.

 Casey Affleck

Casey, was nominated for an Oscar for his role in The Assassination of Jesse James,  but that isn't the only thing he is famous for. Affleck is involved with many animal rights movements and campaigns. He is also a supporter of the Farm Sanctuary. You can hear him narrate this highly informative video about farm animals for kids. This just in. On September 12, 2012, Casey Affleck went back to school to hand out dairy free milk and ice-cream to raise awareness about the cruelty to animals in the dairy industry.

He said,  “imagine living in a cage in the dark, unable to move, day after day. The suffering of today's American farm animals is almost beyond belief. They don't have a choice, but you do, and their lives depend on it.”

 Barbi Twins

These lovely and tenacious twins,  Shane & Sia Barbi, became extremely popular in the 1990s for their calendars, posters and photo layouts in Playboy.  It is said that even Prince William had one of their posters in his dorm room. Later, they parlayed that fame to fight for animal rights. They have single-handedly saved thousands of animals from suffering and death. They are relentless and passionate about what they do. They also wrote a book called The Eco Anti-Diet to help people understand how to be “eco and animal friendly”. No surprise, 100% of the proceeds go to animal charities.

 Alicia Silverstone

How can you have a list of compassionate vegans and not include Alicia?  Not only is Alicia a talented actress, she is one of the most popular vegans on the planet. She lives in an eco-friendly house in LA,  with a pack of rescued dogs. She created her own line of animal free cosmetics and the author of The Kind Diet. In her free time, she is an animal rights activist.

 Ellen DeGeneres

Veganism and animal welfare are frequent topics on her Ellen's weekday talk show. She alone reaches more people daily (2.7 million viewers) than any other vegan and animal rights celebrity.  She is also launching a vegan dog food and animal free restaurant.

 Russell Simmons

Russell is most famous as a pioneer in the world of hip hop, starting one of the most successful labels in music which is still going strong.  What most people don't know about Russell Simmons, is that he is a vegan and animal rights activist. His beliefs and activism extend to his clothing line called Argyleculture which is free of fur, wool and leather. In 2003, he called for a boycott of KFC because of their inhumane treatment of chickens. He spoke,  and they listened. In 2011, he was honored by PETA and named person of the year.

 Morrissey

He may sing about doom and gloom,  but the Smith's band member and founder,  Morrissey has been spreading his message of love for animals since he was 11 years old. He said,  “If you love animals, obviously it doesn't make sense to hurt them.” He is a supporter of PETA and, always the renaissance man,  wrote “Meat is Murder”  with Johnny Mar 27 years ago.

 Thich Nhat Hanh

Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, author, poet and peace activist. He is one of the best known and respected Zen masters in the world. He is well known for his firm conviction to refrain from taking any life. He said, ” We must look deeply. In every country,  in the world, killing human beings is condemned. The Buddhist precept of non-killing extends ever further, to include all living beings.” You can buy Thich Nhat Hanh's books here

The Hindu's view is meat cannot be obtained without injury to animals,  and he who injures harmless beings ,never finds happiness. It's not easy to change life long habits, but when you do, happiness will follow. Vegan Day 505 – Wish me luck.