Twenty years later, Babe's legacy continues | Animals | Forums

Interesting interview with James Cromwell

t was 20 years ago when a heartwarming Australian movie about a sociable pig named Babe captivated audiences in theaters across America. The media was touting blockbusters like Apollo 13 and Braveheart, but moviegoers just couldn't get enough of Babe.

Grossing $254 million at the global box office, the tale of a little pig turned sheepherding champion won an Oscar for best visual effects (one of seven for which it was nominated) and nearly two dozen other awards. James Cromwell's performance as farmer Arthur Hoggett earned him an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor. The experience, he says, changed his life.

Before Babe, Cromwell had appeared in TV movies, sitcoms and a few big-screen films. But in his mid-50s at the time and burned out on smaller roles, he worried about his future in Hollywood. So Cromwell, who grew up in Manhattan, went to New York, where he rekindled his love for acting in a Broadway production of Hamlet. When that gig ended, his agent approached him about Babe.

I would say that I owe my career to a pig.

He almost turned it down. Almost.

Since Babe, Cromwell has starred in dozens of major films and TV shows, including Star Trek: First Contact, The Green Mile, Space Cowboys and The Artist. He's received many award nominations, most recently winning an Emmy for his portrayal of Dr. Arden in American Horror Story: Asylum.

But Babe didn't merely boost Cromwell's career. After working closely with animals on the movie set, he adopted a vegan diet. He has since championed myriad animal protection causes, from the use of animals in entertainment and research to factory farming, horse slaughter and hound hunting. He presented at the HSUS Genesis Awards ceremony (now celebrated online) nearly every year since Babe won a Genesis Award for best feature film in 1996. And in 2014, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from The HSUS.

In this edited interview with staff writer Ruthanne Johnson, Cromwell discusses the animal issues near to his heart and the ways Babe changed his life.

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