For one 15-year-old, a childhood favourite film proved to be the final push towards vegetarianism. Aardman's Chicken Run, the tale of plucky hens escaping a pie-making farm, had been a family staple since its 2000 release. But rewatching it as a teenager, the film's moral message became impossible to ignore.
The writer describes feeling torn between a love for animals and the convenience of McDonald's Mayo Chicken or Greggs steak bakes. While she had long known her meat-eating habits conflicted with her animal-loving nature, it was Chicken Run that forced a reckoning. The film's depiction of the Tweedy farm, where hens are exploited and eventually turned into pies, suddenly resonated as a real-world parallel.
It was the character of Mr Tweedy who inspired the moral shift. Despite his dim-wittedness, he recognises the chickens' intelligence and their revolt. The writer saw herself in his shoes: aware of animals' value but lacking the courage to act. She says it was strange to realise she had become the villain, supporting fictional claymation chickens while consuming real-life pies guiltily.
The film's vivid hero-villain dynamic made the decision clear. The lead hen Ginger's struggle was so compelling that the writer resolved never to eat chicken – or any animal – again. She cites school lessons on battery farming as a contributing factor, but says Chicken Run was 'the final straw'.
She cut out meat immediately, surprising her carnivorous family. Though sharing a love for the film, no one followed her lead. Vegetarian alternatives were limited a decade ago, but her parents were supportive. She often downplayed the film's role, citing environmental concerns instead. The film's legacy continued with the 2023 Netflix sequel Dawn of the Nugget, which prompted its director Sam Fell to stop eating chicken nuggets, reinforcing her dietary choice.
