ime is elastic,” Marty says and Describing his connection to animals hunt, drifters become the targets. Martin’s smiles. Ten years have passed Martin said: "It comes down to character Warren is one of the hunted. “Tsince our paths last crossed, something as simple as my desire to The film has received critical acclaim since we had shared time talking love, life not die or be killed today. All other living becoming the fifth most watched film of and all things animals. When we last met beings share that same desire each and its genre on iTunes. we were, as now, both passionate about every day. The convenient idea that they our work — about . Not don’t is the problem.” With Christmas just around the corner much has changed in a decade, aside I asked Martin who his ultimate guests from our mutual transgression to a fully Sat on the grass in the afternoon would be for a vegan feast. plant based lifestyle. sunshine Martin shared some of his on set stories with me. “My beautiful wife Peta and our young When I began my vegan life five years son ‘Lucky’ Lakota both of whom share ago I had a long running internal “On the set of rom-com All That Jam, my passion for animal welfare and plant debate about in my mind. As which was filmed in Russia, I played the based lifestyle, and I am fortunate to a vegetarian of nearly 20 years I didn’t lead. The film was all about and consider (sic) Shaun Monson a good extend the connection to the egg and love. The team were so polite turning friend so he would be at the table, dairy industries. every scene dish in the script into a alongside a number of people in LA vegan friendly option. Last year I shot whose documentaries have impacted My journey first began when I went into Gun Shy in Chile with Antiono Banderas, me greatly. Many are vegans and we have the , battery cages directed by England’s own Simon West. gatherings of cruelty free celebrations and piggeries. Saw it. Smelt it. It was The catering on set is usually very broad, every Thanksgiving and 4th July. I’d arresting. The fear in the air is palpable. so there was no problem there but there invite Jim Morrision and Salvador Dali When you have that experience, the was a scene in the film set in a seafood both who seemed to wander back and switch is flicked. No negotiation. No market. I was overjoyed to get to set and forth through the door of the linking compromise. Done. Then five years ago discover all the fish, prawns and octopus dimensions. Morgan Freeman and Sir I was invited to a rough cut screening in were rubber!’ Anthony Hopkins, who are like my acting LA of an documentary. Any mentors, and probably Spielberg or philosophical grey areas were addressed Martin’s latest film is ironically called Coppola.” and resolved that night on screen. After Happy and tells the story of an that screening I was vegan. The film was annual hunting festival on the plains of Before he left I asked Marty how he felt ‘UNITY’ directed by Shaun Monson. Bedford Flats. With no animals left to being a vegan defined him.

“The answer to that question is so vast. I was asked by a Vegan Festival in Australia to be its ambassador but I was unable to attend in person so I did a piece to camera about this question. I choose not to be a part of the silent majority that supports animal trade with their purchasing dollar. ACCESS ALL "If you are coming at veganism from your head, go gradually, reduce intake and you will feel the positive difference in your body. Watch some documentaries until the decision is purely in your heart. That is where this world changes."

Happy Hunting can be viewed in the UK AREAS now on iTunes and Amazon. Follow Maria Slough on Twitter and Instagram for even more behind-the- scenes content. @mariasloughpics Maria Slough catches up with Australian-born, LA-based @mariasloughphotography actor Martin Dingle Wall

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