Pharrell Williams was interrupted by a PETA activist during the premiere of his new Lego biopic Piece by Piece at the Toronto International Film Festival on Tuesday (September 10).
The multi hyphenate artist was in the middle of a post-screening Q&A when the campaigner approached the stage to protest against his use of fur and animal skins in his work as Louis Vuitton’s men’s creative director. The activist held a sign that read “Pharrell: Stop Supporting Killing Animals for Fashion,” and shouted at Williams.
“Your Louis Vuitton collection…Pharrell’s collection is made from their blood,” they yelled. “Pharrell, stop torturing animals! Ostriches are being hung upside down, electrocuted with their necks slit!”
Williams replied, “You’re right, you’re right, god bless you, it’s OK.” He then urged the crowd to applaud the protestor, who was soon escorted out of the building while shouting, “Pharrell stop torturing animals.”
Williams then turned to the crowd, addressing the protest. “Rome wasn’t made in a day,” he stated. “And sometimes, when you have plans to change things and situations, you have to get in a situation of power and of influence where you can change people’s minds and help progression.”
He continued, “That is not necessarily the way to do it, and sitting in my position, when I have conversations on behalf of organizations like that unbeknownst to them, they come out here and do themselves a disservice. But that’s OK, when that change comes, everybody in this room will remember that I told you, we are actually working on that. And if she would’ve just asked me, I would’ve told her. But instead, she wanted to repeat herself.”
PETA protester jumped onstage at premiere of Pharrell’s PIECE BY PIECE, screaming, “Pharrell, stop hurting animals!” #TIFF24 pic.twitter.com/NnbMq85lRA
— Jada Yuan (@jadabird) September 10, 2024
PETA Respond To Pharrell Williams
PETA shared a clip of the interaction on Instagram, urging Pharrell Williams to “do the right thing.”
It’s not the first time PETA have protested against Pharrell Williams. They brandished signs reading, “Fur Is Dead” and “Pharrell: Stop Killing Animals for Fashion” at a screening for this movie on Saturday. Additionally, last November the group issued a statement calling out his Louis Vuitton collection.