Babe star James Cromwell slams Walmart over pig welfare

Actor James Cromwell, who received an Oscar nomination for his role in 'Babe', has joined a campaign accusing suppliers of pork to Walmart of 'animal abuse' and 'torture'.

The star, who played Farmer Hoggett in the film, became a vegan following his starring role, and has now taken aim at the giant US retailer.

Appearing in a video for the group Mercy For Animals, he narrates over shocking footage of pigs being violently beaten and abused at a supplier used by Walmart in Minnesota.

[Animals WERE harmed in the making of this movie]

“Walmart likes to tout its low prices, but when it comes to the pork sold in its stores, animals are left to pay the highest price of all: a life filled with misery and deprivation,” he says in the video.

“Although this kind of cruelty is shocking, it is considered standard practice at Walmart pork suppliers nationwide.”

Cromwell has also protested outside a branch of the store in Los Angeles.

Other actors have joined the campaign too, signing a letter to the company's CEO Mike Duke, including Ryan Gosling, Kristen Bell and Zooey Deschanel.

[Shocking photos of dead animals on The Hobbit film set]

The retailer has since addressed the footage, branding the practices 'unacceptable'.

Cromwell, who has also starred in films like 'LA Confidential', 'The Green Mile' and 'The Artist', has long supported animal rights.

After appearing in 'Babe', he told Vegetarian Times: “I decided that to be able to talk about this [movie] with conviction, I needed to become a vegetarian.”

Check out the PETA ad below starring Joaquin Phoenix encouraging people to consider veganism...