Actor and frequent animal rights activist Joaquin Phoenix wrote a long letter tonight. He offered his support for an effort to move bears at Florida's Bearad is e Ranch to an accredited sanctuary, where they would not be forced to perform or made available to rent out. It turns out that Phoenix has a connection to at least two bears. Named Bruno and Bambi by Bearadises, the animals were apparently used as models and inspiration for the bears in the Disney animated feature Brother Bear. This film was starred by Phoenix.AdvertisementAll this is per The Hollywood Reporter. It notes that Phoenix has joined the campaign to voice his opinion after PETA informed him about bear captivity. Phoenix wrote:Bambi and Bruno were the models for Disney's Brother Bear. I found out this just today. As Kenai, the main character in the movie, I voiced him. He is then magically transformed into a bear-eye view of the world. Now Im asking you to do the same. These bears deserve more than a life on wheels, where they are stripped of all that is natural and vital to them. If you could put yourself in their shoes, you would see the same thing. Bears are complex, curious animals that love to forage, climb, dig and forage. Their keen sense of smell and large paws were developed so they could find mates and food over vast distances. Unfortunately, their carefully honed skills are lost on the county fair circuit where they're forced to carry baskets and hoops in front of thousands of strangers.THR reported that Bearadise has reached out to them. They have 13 bears to be used for film shoots or festivals. It also allows interested parties to host events at the ranch, such as weddings or birthday parties. According to the ranch's website, its mission is promote habitat preservation and conservation of all bear species.
