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Aaron Pierre plays a vegan superhero in HBO’s Lanterns.
In the very first episode, the show reveals both that Pierre’s character follows a vegan diet, and that other characters accommodate his lifestyle.
Read more: Research Finds Nostalgia Remains ‘Major Barrier’ To Widespread Plant-Based Diets
Lanterns follows characters from the DC Comics Green Lantern franchise, and stars Pierre (Rebel Ridge, Genius) as John Stewart and Kyle Chandler (Grey’s Anatomy, Argo) as Hal Jordan. According to HBO, the pair are “two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery” following a suspected extraterrestrial incident.
In the first episode of the new show, Chandler states that Stewart is a vegan, and jokes that he “doesn’t believe in anything that causes enjoyment.” Later, another character tells Stewart, “Ordered you up some tofu steaks. Hope that’ll do you.”
In a discussion of the choice in the John Stewart subreddit, one user wrote that they think the decision to make him vegan “gives him flavor as a character.” In an Instagram post about the episode, PETA wrote, “This is the future we all need.”
Is Aaron Pierre vegan, too?
While Pierre himself has previously said that he eats meat, a Gym and Fridge interview with Men’s Health from last year revealed that the actor regularly drinks coconut water from Rebel Kitchen, a raw, plant-based brand. He also eats plenty of lemons, limes, berries, and other fresh fruit, nuts, vegetables, and sweet potatoes.
In a new episode of Hot Ones featuring both Pierre and Chandler, Pierre appeared to opt for the plant-based chicken nuggets, which are visually distinct from the meat-based chicken wings eaten by Chandler. Last year, Winona Ryder ate tofu nuggets during her appearance on the show, and in 2022, Lizzo also chose vegan nuggets.
Read more: Supermodel Christie Brinkley Says She Follows A Vegan ‘Organic Garden Rainbow Diet’
Are there any other vegan superheroes?
Pierre’s iteration of Stewart isn’t the first superhero to cut out meat. During Greg Rucka’s time writing Wonder Woman, everyone’s favorite Amazon-Olympian followed a plant-based diet. (She can talk to animals, after all.) Meanwhile, in Marvel’s Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk, it was revealed that Bruce Banner, the Hulk’s alter ego, is a vegan. More recently, in the animated show Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy is canonically vegan.
Lanterns premiered on August 16, 2026, and will run until October 4.
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