Alicia Silverstone Poses Nude in a Bold New PETA Campaign | “I’d Rather Go Naked Than Wear Animals”

The advertisement shows the 'Clueless' star adopting a 'Birth of Venus' pose in a cactus-filled desert while wearing only a pair of faux leather shoes.

Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Jamie McCarthy

By Suchitra B

December 23, 2022

Posted December 23, 2022

Alicia Silverstone hopes to make a bold statement about animal rights by baring (nearly) everything.v Silverstone posed in the nude for a new PETA (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals) campaign, which was released on Tuesday. The advertisement, shot by photographer Brian Bowen Smith, shows the Clueless star adopting a Birth of Venus-style posture in a cactus-filled desert while wearing only a pair of faux leather shoes. “Don’t be a prick,” the ad tagline reads, per Huffpost. “Wear vegan.”

Silverstone revealed in a behind-the-scenes video released alongside the ad that she made a conscious decision not to go naked in film or television throughout her Hollywood career. Doing so for a worthy cause, on the other hand, was a completely other story. “There’s this idea that leather is somehow better for the earth,” she said in the clip. “But what they don’t realize is the amount of resources, water, food, oil for transport, the amount of energy that goes into making leather is extraordinary. It’s just not sustainable. The earth can’t handle it.”

Silverstone then encourages people to choose plant-based leathers such as mushrooms and pineapples. In a sentiment echoed by her Clueless character, Cher Horowitz, she hopes that similar things may one day be welcomed by high fashion. “My dream is to get these earth-friendly, vegan materials into the hands of the greatest designers,” she said. “I’d rather go naked than wear animals.” A billboard showcasing Silverstone's advertisement debuted this week in Times Square, New York, ahead of the city's Christmas and New Year's Eve events.

Silverstone became a vegan in 1999 and has since become a vocal champion for animal rights and the transition to a plant-based diet. The actor frequently gives shoutouts to vegan brands, encouraging her followers to switch to vegan products. In an interview, she shared that her vegan diet is important to her parenting skills as well. "I’ve never had to raise my voice to Bear. I can just say ‘no, thank you’ and we respect each other and listen to each other." She claims that it's the food that makes them like this, adding, "A lot of it is the parenting, but a lot of it is the food," the actress said. "When your kid feels good, they act well."

"He’s never had to take medicine in his life," she said, reported Yahoo News. "Two times in his life has he been like 'Mommy, I don’t feel good,' and it was only for a few hours and he was back running around."