James Cromwell helps save a real piglet from slaughter and names him 'Babe' in a full-circle moment

If you remember the 1995 movie "Babe," this story about James Cromwell—who played the role of farmer Arthur Hoggett in the classic—helping save a baby piglet from being slaughtered in real-life, will undoubtedly warm your heart.

The 83-year-old actor reportedly helped save a piglet who fell off of a truck on the way to get fattened for slaughter and named him Babe in honor of the movie that inspired him to go vegan 28 years ago. According to Variety, Cromwell, an honorary director at PETA, is working with the animal rights organization to transfer the piglet to the Indraloka Animal Sanctuary. 

When Cromwell learned from PETA that the piglet was found scraped, bruised and covered in mud and had been rescued just before the ham-heavy Easter holiday, he just had to meet him. The "Succession" star met the piglet virtually through Zoom on April 8 and named him 'Babe' in honor of his films, “Babe” (1995) and “Babe: Pig in the City” (1998).

In the franchise, Cromwell starred as Arthur Hoggett, a farmer who becomes the father of the eponymous orphaned pig. "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 from PETA. "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 actor shared a snippet from his virtual meeting with Babe on Twitter, writing, "This sweet little guy is NOT Easter dinner. He jumped off a transport truck and will now be traveling to an animal sanctuary to live a peaceful life. That'll do pig. That'll do. @peta⁩." PETA—whose motto reads that “animals are not ours to eat”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview.

According to PETA: “In the meat industry, which slaughters 129 million pigs every year, their tails are chopped off, their teeth are cut with pliers, and the males are castrated—all without painkillers. At the slaughterhouse, they’re hung upside down and bled to death.”

In the Twitter clip, reports PEOPLE, Cromwell greeted the baby pig saying: "Hello there, little man. I understand your name is Babe. I knew a pig named Babe. What a smart little pig she was. Bet you are too."

As the piglet snuggled in a blanket, he said, "I hear you're rather an extraordinary pig — besides being sleepy. So you jumped off a truck so you wouldn't be Easter's dinner. What a great thing to do. Nobody should have any animal for dinner. 'Invite the animals to dinner,' that's what I say. We're going to go to a sanctuary and you're gonna meet a lot of other incredible animals."

Cromwell then repeated the signature last words he said at the ending of "Babe": "That'll do pig, that'll do." Babe will soon be transferred to the Indraloka Animal Sanctuary in Pennsylvania, where he will join other rescue animals, such as alpacas, chickens and cows at the nearly 100-acre center. People on Twitter applauded Cromwell's kindness towards animals and how inspiring he is to others on the internet.

"You are an amazing actor and animal activist. You’ve inspired me to change what I eat and to care about where it’s sourced. Thank you for saving this pig," tweeted @marissaverdile. "You are always an inspiration, James. Thank you for everything. 'Babe' really touched me. God bless this little friend," added @1Martiano.

Anyone interested in contributing to Babe’s lifetime care can support the sanctuary here.