From working as an actor and adopting a vegan diet to hosting podcasts and launching a successful vegan beauty business, Evanna Lynch dishes it all!
Evanna Lynch is an actress, vegan activist, podcast host, and co-founder of the cruelty-free beauty subscription box brand Kinder Beauty. From Harry Potter child star to vegan activist and business owner, Evanna Lynch is a force to be reckoned with! We spoke with her about her vegan lifestyle, acting career, and hopes for the future. Here’s what she had to say.
VegOut (VO): When did you first go vegan? What was the leading factor that caused you to make the switch?
Evanna Lynch (EL): I started transitioning to veganism in late 2013. I found it completely overwhelming at first. I thought I’d switch a few things around in my lifestyle and re-emerge as a fully formed, morally irreproachable vegan. The reality was that it took several months of trial and error, good intentions, and forgiveness. Eventually, veganism was an integrated part of my life. It was the best thing I’ve done for my health and relationship with my body. As for what caused me to make the switch, it was the book Eating Animals by Jonathan Safron Foer.
VO: You started acting at an early age! What was that like for you to experience Hollywood as a teenager?
EL: My early acting experiences were very un-Hollywoodesque! I was lucky to start out with Harry Potter. We [the actors] were protected from the outside world, the industry per se. There was a naiveté to our experience that’s impossible to replicate for young actors today, as everyone has social media, and any actor who becomes known for something is immediately confronted with their fame. Sometimes I envy those young actors, because having that awareness means they’re much savvier about the business. On the other hand, the price of that knowledge is a loss of innocence. I moved to Hollywood at 19. That was quite a rude awakening, but a good one. It taught me to be assertive about who I am and what I want out of life.
VO: Have you noticed a difference in the plant-based options on set over the years? Do you still request vegan options for your gigs or are they available more naturally?
EL: Yes! 10 to 15 years ago, there would perhaps be one vegetarian option. In the past couple years, there have been amazing vegan options clearly labeled by the caterers. That said, I know it’s not always the case. I filmed a show over the summer, and I commented to the cameraman (who was the only other vegan in that crew) how delicious and substantial our food was. He wryly told me this wasn’t the norm for him, and he suspected he was benefitting from his proximity to me and the privileges I enjoyed as one of the key cast members. That was important for me to hear. I don’t like to think of myself as powerful or influential, but I do have the capacity to speak up and ask for vegan options, and others just don’t have that privilege. So now I always ask for vegan options.
VO: It’s cool to see how much of your work has shifted to promoting plant-based living. How has your acting career helped further your vegan advocacy efforts?
EL: The minute I announced I’d gone vegan, I got a loud and enthusiastic welcome from the vegan community. It gave me incredible access to people and organizations who were extremely generous and forthcoming in sharing their experience and resources. That’s one of the best things about going vegan, the supportive spirit. The energy and passion I witnessed in all these people responding to me inspired me to pursue activism because I loved their idealism and determination to help the most vulnerable beings. I wanted to help get their message out there.
VO: The idea behind Kinder Beauty is amazing! What is the curation process like for each cruelty-free beauty subscription box?
EL: Each curation is a combination of our favorite partners, products we know our subscribers would love, and products that are currently trending in clean beauty to allow our subscribers to have the most well-rounded and relevant unboxing experience. We are grateful to have worked with incredible brands such as 100% Pure, Earth Harbor, OSEA, Kopari, and Au Naturale Cosmetics.
VO: What are some of your all-time favorite vegan beauty products to use?
EL: Inika’s Curvy Lash Mascara—I’ve worn that every day for years! Lately I’ve been loving Elikya Beauty’s blue eyeliner. It’s a striking electric blue that gives a boring everyday makeup look a bit of an edge. I love a red lipstick and go to Folly Fire for that. It’s SO rare to find a nice red lipstick without carmine, but they’ve nailed it. For hair, I’m devoted to IGK’s Beach Club Texture Spray. It gives so much volume and texture to fine-haired people like myself. But honestly, the best beauty secret I have is eating lots of plants! Dairy was playing havoc with my skin and adding in all these nuts and seeds made my hair healthier.
VO: Let’s talk about podcasts! You have two, right? We’d love to learn more about what you discuss in each series.
EL: Yes! The ChickPeeps was my first vegan project. I’d started to share my vegan lifestyle openly on Instagram and noticed I was being asked over and over to share tips on transitioning to a vegan lifestyle. I tried to answer the questions in comments and DMs until I realized it would be more beneficial to open the conversation to a wider community. I recruited three friends to co-host with me to explore vegan issues and news stories, as well as to interview activists and advocates we admired. A Little Kinder is a project of Kinder Beauty. Kinder Beauty is a mission-focused business, so it felt natural for us to start a podcast that discussed the deeper values we hold.
VO: If there’s one thing you wish non-vegans knew about veganism, what would that be?
EL: It’s a choice that is willfully made. I always correct non-vegans when they ask me, “You can’t eat this, can you?” because there’s an important difference between “can’t” and “won’t.” “Can’t” implies something forbidden. It suggests veganism is defined by what you don’t eat, rather than what you do. It’s important that people are shown veganism can be delicious, abundant, and creative.
