Nadine Lustre poses during a photoshoot for her vegan campaign for PETA. Ganiel Krishnan, ABS-CBN News

Award-winning actress Nadine Lustre has once again made a powerful statement — this time as “Mother Earth” in a striking new campaign for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). 

The campaign, which promotes veganism in the Philippines, features Lustre in a provocative body-painted look, symbolizing her commitment to environmental conservation and animal rights.

In an interview during the shoot, Lustre shared her thoughts on PETA’s bold advocacy and why she chose to take part in the campaign.

“If you guys see the previous campaigns for PETA, it’s really something that’s, I guess, what is the word? Palaban. It’s always like that. I mean, we have to take a stand. So it has to be something that’s fearless,” Lustre said.

She also revealed that the shoot featured multiple concepts, with one to be unveiled later this year. “We actually did three shoots today, so the first one that we did, we’ll reveal it around Q3 or Q4. This one, in particular, was suggested by Team PETA — they wanted to go for a body paint concept to deliver a general message: Go vegan, Pilipinas!”

Lustre, who has been a vegan since August 2022, opened up about how her lifestyle aligns with her personal and professional choices.

“I’ve been vegan for almost three years now. And it’s hard to stray from that — I really can’t. If this is what I’m fighting for, these are my values. Even when it comes to my businesses, I want to make sure they align,” she explained.

The actress also expressed her gratitude to brands that have supported her vegan journey. “A lot of the brands I work with now have transitioned me into another brand within their company that’s more vegan or plant-based. I’m really happy that everyone has been very welcoming of my values and understanding as well.”

When asked whether it was difficult to make people understand her advocacy, Lustre admitted that it was a process.

“To be honest, mayroong times na hindi naman mahirap. Parang I understand naman na we’ve been conditioned a certain way. Like even I was like that. So parang it takes a lot of adjustments lang and a bit more understanding. But I guess if I’m very vocal about my advocacies and I post a lot about it, eventually, people accept it,” she said.

She recalled that in the beginning, people were more skeptical about her decision to go vegan.

“At first, people were like, ‘Bakit? Why did she do that?’ There were people who couldn’t understand why. But, you know, it’s normal because I guess the concept is new for some. Now, I would say that a lot of people are more understanding.”

Lustre also offered advice to those who want to transition to a plant-based lifestyle.

“If people want to try out a more plant-based lifestyle, it’s really not overnight. Every time people ask me, they think I did it overnight, but it’s really a process. I first went pescetarian, then eventually vegetarian, and then went fully vegan. It’s really not an instant switch — you have to give yourself the time and patience to adjust,” she advised.

Apart from her advocacy, Lustre is set to return to television as a judge on a popular singing competition. Though not a long-term project, the actress shared her excitement about the experience.

 “It’s not a long-running project. We’re only shooting for a month because it’s just one season of 'Masked Singer.' I’m very excited about it because working on set is just so fun,” Lustre said.

She added, “I didn’t imagine it would be this enjoyable. If you all know 'Masked Singer,' the contestants wear costumes, and it’s a celebrity singing competition. It’s really a unique and exciting show.”