Feb 20, 2020 at 10:48 pm

Joaquin Phoenix Saved a Baby Calf Just Hours After Winning the Oscar (Video)

Joaquin Phoenix is practicing what he preached.

Less than 48 hours after winning Best Actor at the 2020 Academy Awards on Sunday, February 9, the 45-year-old actor helped the Los Angeles Animal Save free a cow and her newborn calf from a local slaughterhouse.

PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Joaquin Phoenix

The cow gave birth in the holding area of Manning Beef – a slaughterhouse – in Pico Rivera, Calif. They are the fifth cow mother and child rescued from Manning Beef by L.A. Animal Save.

Joaquin has since named the mother cow Liberty, and her calf Indigo.

Ahead of the rescue, Joaquin was given a tour of the slaughterhouse by CEO Anthony Di Maria.

“I never thought I’d find friendship in a slaughterhouse, but meeting Anthony and opening my heart to his, I realize we might have more in common than we do differences,” Joaquin shared in a statement through L.A. Animal Save. “Without his act of kindness, Liberty and her baby calf, Indigo, would have met a terrible demise. Although we will continue to fight for the liberation of all animals who suffer in these oppressive systems, we must take pause to acknowledge and celebrate the victories, and the people who helped achieve them. Shaun Monson, Amy Jean Davis, and the entire LA Animal Save community, have taken their pain of bearing witness and turned it into effective, diplomatic advocacy for the voiceless. As a result, Liberty and Indigo will never experience cruelty or the touch of a rough hand.”

Liberty and Indigo now live at Farm Sanctuary’s Acton location in northern L.A. County.

During his Oscars acceptance speech, Joaquin gave an impassioned speech veganism and saving animals, while referencing “stealing” a baby calf away from its mother.

“My hope is, as we watch baby Indigo grow up with her mom Liberty at Farm Sanctuary, that we’ll always remember that friendships can emerge in the most unexpected places,” Joaquin continued. “And no matter our differences, kindness and compassion should rule everything around us.”

Joaquin‘s Oscars speech encouraged this actress to go vegan.