Roger Moore

Sir Roger Moore, the British actor best known for playing James Bond, became a prominent celebrity advocate against foie gras production and sales. Moore served as what PETA called a "foie gras ambassador," lending his celebrity status to anti-foie gras campaigns throughout the mid-2000s34.

Moore's most significant contribution was narrating PETA's 2005 investigative video that featured graphic footage from all three operating U.S. foie gras farms, including Hudson Valley Foie Gras, as well as French production facilities2858. The video showed geese in small wire pens, unable to move under the weight of their engorged livers, which Moore described as evidence that foie gras represented "torture in a tin"34.

Beyond video narration, Moore actively campaigned against luxury retailers selling foie gras. He personally wrote letters to Fortnum & Mason's CEO and even to Queen Elizabeth II, successfully pressuring the iconic London department store to drop foie gras from its shelves34. Moore also convinced Selfridges to stop selling the product13. His famous quote that "foie gras is sold as a luxury product but there is nothing luxurious about animal cruelty" became a widely-used soundbite in anti-foie gras messaging4.

The British press particularly embraced the narrative of James Bond taking on traditional luxury establishments, giving Moore's campaign significant media coverage34. His celebrity involvement helped establish foie gras as synonymous with cruelty in much of the English-speaking world, contributing to the stigmatization of the product beyond traditional animal rights circles34.

Sir Roger Moore, the renowned British actor best known for portraying James Bond, became a prominent celebrity advocate against foie gras production in the mid-2000s. Moore leveraged his fame to support animal welfare campaigns, particularly partnering with PETA UK to oppose foie gras sales at high-end British retailers34.

In 2005, Moore narrated a graphic PETA investigation video that included footage from all three operating U.S. foie gras farms at the time—Hudson Valley Foie Gras, La Belle Farm in New York, and Sonoma Foie Gras—as well as French production facilities2858. The video showed geese in wire pens panting in distress and unable to move under the weight of their engorged livers34. Moore's narration helped publicize what PETA characterized as systematic animal cruelty in foie gras production.

Moore's activism extended beyond video narration to direct corporate engagement. He personally wrote letters to the CEO of Fortnum & Mason, the prestigious London department store, and even to Queen Elizabeth II, urging them to stop selling foie gras34. His campaign against Fortnum & Mason became a media sensation, with the British press highlighting the "James Bond versus Fortnum & Mason" narrative34. Moore also successfully persuaded Selfridges, another major London retailer, to cease foie gras sales13.

Moore famously described foie gras as "torture in a tin" and stated there was "nothing luxurious about cruelty"434. His celebrity status and quotable opposition helped PETA stigmatize foie gras consumption throughout the Anglophone world34. Moore's sustained involvement made him what PETA termed their "foie gras ambassador," demonstrating how celebrity endorsements became central to animal welfare organizations' strategy against the foie gras industry34.

Sir Roger Moore, the British actor best known for portraying James Bond, became a prominent celebrity advocate against foie gras production and sales. Moore served as PETA's "foie gras ambassador," lending his celebrity status to campaigns targeting major retailers and raising public awareness about the production methods34.

Moore narrated a graphic PETA investigation video released in 2005 that included footage from all three U.S. foie gras farms operating at the time, as well as several French producers2858. The video showed geese in small wire pens panting in distress, unable to move under the weight of engorged livers34. Moore's involvement gave significant media attention to the campaign, with the British press covering "James Bond versus Fortnum & Mason" stories34.

The actor personally wrote letters to executives and even the Queen as part of his advocacy efforts34. Moore successfully persuaded Selfridges in London to stop selling foie gras, and his campaign contributed to pressure on Fortnum & Mason to drop the product413. He famously described foie gras as having "nothing luxurious about cruelty" and characterized it as "torture in a tin"434.

Moore's advocacy extended beyond the UK, as he urged Emirati shoppers to boycott Fortnum & Mason stores that sold foie gras34. His sustained campaigning helped establish foie gras as a controversial luxury product in much of the English-speaking world, with his celebrity endorsement providing credibility to animal welfare arguments against the industry3444.

Sir Roger Moore, the British actor best known for portraying James Bond, became a prominent celebrity advocate against foie gras production, describing it as "torture in a tin" and arguing there is "nothing luxurious about cruelty."34 Moore's opposition centered on animal welfare concerns, famously stating that "foie gras is sold as a luxury product but there is nothing luxurious about animal cruelty."4

Moore's activism took multiple forms, including narrating undercover investigation videos for PETA that documented conditions at foie gras farms. In 2005, he narrated a graphic video that included footage from all three U.S. foie gras farms operating at the time, as well as French production facilities.58 The video showed "geese in small wire pens panting in distress, unable to move under the weight of engorged livers, and being grabbed by workers."34

Beyond video narration, Moore engaged in direct corporate campaigning, personally writing letters to executives and even the Queen as part of efforts to pressure retailers to stop selling foie gras.34 His most notable success came with Fortnum & Mason, the prestigious London department store, which he persuaded to drop foie gras from its inventory.4 The British press covered this campaign extensively, framing it as "James Bond versus Fortnum & Mason."34 Moore also successfully convinced Selfridges in London to cease foie gras sales.13

PETA designated Moore as their "foie gras ambassador," leveraging his celebrity status to amplify their message that foie gras production constitutes animal torture.34 His sustained campaigning efforts extended internationally, including urging shoppers in the United Arab Emirates to boycott stores selling foie gras.127 Moore's celebrity endorsement helped establish foie gras as a controversial luxury item in the Anglophone world, contributing to its stigmatization as "torture in a tin."34