Eli Roth Speaks Out Against Violence

by Patricia Trostle

His name may be synonymous with some of the most gruesome torture scenes in film today, but Eli Roth knows that's just where violence belongs … in the movies. Cruelty to animals is something that Eli knows shouldn't be ignored. That's why he agreed not only to direct and star in an anti-violence TV PSA for peta2 but also to pose for an anti-violence print ad.

As the man behind such horror classics as Cabin Fever, Hostel, and Hostel 2, Eli specializes in giving audiences what they want: blood, guts, and a really good scare. But the Inglourious Basterds star knows that when it comes to animals, torture is not entertainment.

Watch Eli's PSA directorial debut now.

Eli Roth's Anti-Violence Ad for peta2

Research has shown that animals are sometimes the first victims of domestic violence in the home. Each year, countless dogs, cats, and other animals are abused, tortured, or killed, and these crimes are often ignored. Studies have also shown that people who commit violent acts against animals often move on to human victims. In fact, some of the most notorious serial killers in history started out by torturing animals.

Violent acts toward animals should never be ignored. If you know about someone who is abusing animals, report the abuse to the police, animal control, or other appropriate authorities.

"I thought that in my case in particular, my link to violence in movies could be really helpful with this campaign," Eli says. "People see me and they expect, OK, something is going to happen, someone's going to get beheaded ... I wanted to use that attention that I get with violence in movies to draw attention to the problem of violence against animals." Find out what else Eli told us in our exclusive interview and check out the great outtakes from his peta2 photo shoot on the peta2 blog.

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