That’ll Glue, Pig: Actor James Cromwell Superglues Himself to Starbucks Counter Over Cow’s Milk Use

It’s not every day an 82-year-old, Emmy Award-winning actor joins a political protest - it’s far rarer that he shows up and then superglues himself to something.

Tuesday was that rare day, however, for one Manhattan Starbucks cafe when James Cromwell showed up with several other activists from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to demand the company stop charging customers more for non-dairy milk, such as soy or oat milk, than for dairy milk.

“Save the planet, save the cows - end the vegan upcharge now!” the activists chanted. They also carried signs and wore t-shirts with slogans like “free the animals.”

This is how you get an animal rights message to STICK!

James Cromwell joined PETA’s campaign and glued himself to a @Starbucks counter to call on the company to stop charging extra for animal and earth-friendly vegan milks! pic.twitter.com/N9aitSQHSm

— PETA (@peta) May 10, 2022

“This is how you get an animal rights message to STICK!” PETA said in a tweet containing a video of the protest.

At one point, Cromwell and another activist glued one hand each to the countertop near the cashiers. Despite their chanting and gluing, business was not significantly interrupted by their protest, and customers continued to place orders.

“Starbucks claims that it wants to be more sustainable, but it discourages customers from choosing sustainable products,” Cromwell said at the protest. “My friends at PETA and I are calling on Starbucks to stop punishing kind and environmentally conscious customers for choosing plant milks.”

“Up to 95% of Asian Americans and 80% of African Americans cannot digest cow's milk. Starbucks makes them pay more!” he added.

The Seattle-based coffee house giant ended the price discrepancy in the UK at the end of last year, but the practice has persisted in the US, where adding plant-based milk to your drink could cost you up to $0.50 more. Starbucks offers several types of plant-based milk, including coconut, soy, oat, and almond milk.

A Starbucks spokesperson told the Associated Press that the company respects customers’ right to voice their opinions “so long as it does not disrupt our store operations.”

After New York police arrived, Cromwell used nail polish remover to un-glue himself and was escorted outside, along with the other demonstrators. The whole affair lasted about 38 minutes, according to a livestream of the protest posted on Facebook.

Cromwell has been protesting in defense of animals since 2013, when he was arrested for interrupting a University of Wisconsin Board of Regents meeting over alleged mistreatment of cats on campus. In addition to animal advocacy, Cromwell has also demonstrated against the use of natural gas.

The 82-year-old actor has starred in a number of prominent film roles over several decades, including as sheep farmer Arthur Hoggette in “Babe”; warp drive inventor Zefram Cochrane in “Star Trek: First Contact”; and prison warden Hal Moores in “The Green Mile.” He won a Prime Time Emmy award in 2013 for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for his portrayal of mad scientist and secret Nazi war criminal Dr. Arthur Arden/Hans Grüper in “American Horror Story: Asylum.”