Succession actor James Cromwell glued himself to a Starbucks counter in protest over the coffee firm charging extra for vegan milk.
The 82-year-old Oscar nominee, who is also known for his roles in Babe: Pig in the City and LA Confidential, joined the protest organised by the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) in New York City.
He sat on a counter wearing a “Free the Animals” T-shirt and read a statement denouncing the surcharge for plant-based milk.
“More than 13,000 customers have asked you, now we’re asking you,” he said.
“Will you stop charging more for vegan milk? When will you stop penalising people for their ethnicities, their morals?”
James went on to say the “senseless” charge affects mother cows – which are forced to reproduce to keep up with the demand for milk and then are separated from their calves.
“These mothers must endure the loss of their child over and over again,” he said. “They suffer no less than human mothers would.”
James – who plays Uncle Ewan, the anti-capitalist brother of a billionaire media mogul in Succession – later used a knife to scrape his glued hand off the counter.
Police said no arrests were made over the incident.
Starbucks branches in the United States charge between 50 cents to a dollar more for drinks made with plant-based milk.
“Customers can customise any beverage on the menu with a non-dairy milk, including soymilk, coconut milk, almond milk, and oat milk for an additional cost (similar to other beverage customisations such as an additional espresso shot or syrup),” a Starbucks spokesperson said in a statement.
“Pricing varies market by market.”
The spokesperson added that the coffee chain respects customers’ right to voice their opinions “so long as it does not disrupt our store operations.”
James was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as the farmer in 1995 film Babe and became a vegan after starring in the film. He became a vegetarian in 1974.
In 2017, he was charged with trespassing for interrupting an orca show at SeaWorld in San Diego.