'Succession' star James Cromwell helped rescue a pig that escaped on its way to a slaughterhouse and named it Babe

James Cromwell heard about the pig from PETA, and its name came from his 1995 movie about a talking pig called "Babe."

• "Succession" actor James Cromwell rescued a pig that fell off a truck on its way to a slaughterhouse.
• Cromwell named the pig Babe after the 1995 movie of the same name, where he played Farmer Hoggett.
• Cromwell is an active animal-rights activist and has been arrested numerous times for his protests. 

After learning about a piglet that fell from a moving truck on its way to a slaughterhouse, "Succession" actor James Cromwell is helping PETA transfer the animal to a sanctuary in Pennsylvania.

Cromwell, 83, named the pig Babe — a nod to the 1995 film of the same name, "Babe," about a piglet who learns to herd sheep. Cromwell, who starred in the film, learned of the pig's survival from PETA, where he is an honorary director.

Cromwell and PETA will be transferring Babe, who was according to PETA, "scraped, bruised, and covered in mud" after falling from the truck, to Indraloka Animal Sanctuary, an animal rescue in Pennsylvania.  

"Having had the privilege of witnessing and experiencing pigs' intelligence and inquisitive personalities while filming the movie Babe changed my life and my way of eating, and so I jumped at the chance to save this real-life Babe," Cromwell said in a statement. 

"Every pig deserves to live in peace and joy at a sanctuary, choosing when to frolic, where to forage, and how to spend their time, yet few do," the statement continued.

Cromwell met Babe via Zoom, and PETA posted their meeting to their Instagram account on Friday.

"So you jumped off a truck so you wouldn't be somebody's Easter dinner? What a great thing to do. Nobody should have any animal for dinner. Invite the animals to dinner. That's what I say," Cromwell said in the video.

According to PETA, the meat industry kills 1.5 billion pigs each year.

According to The Times of London, Cromwell has been vegetarian since 1975 but became a full vegan after making "Babe." This is not the actor's first time getting involved in animal activism. 

In May 2022, the actor glued his hand to a Starbucks counter in protest of the company's extra charge for vegan milk.

—PETA (@peta) May 10, 2022

He's even said he does not remember all of the times he's been arrested for his various protests.

"Oh, I lose track," Cromwell told Page Six in March. "Seven or eight times, maybe more."