'Succession' star James Cromwell glues hand to Starbucks counter in protest

The activist wants to send a message about the company's vegan milk surcharge. Photo / Getty Images

Actor and activist James Cromwell has gone from Succession's Uncle Ewan to real-life supergluin' - pasting his hand to a midtown Manhattan Starbucks counter on Tuesday to protest the coffee chain's extra charge for plant-based milk.

The 82-year-old Oscar nominee, known for Babe: Pig in the City and L.A. Confidential, channelled his role as the crotchety, anti-capitalist brother of a billionaire media mogul for the protest organised by the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Cromwell sat on the Starbucks counter wearing a Free the Animals T-shirt and read a statement denouncing the surcharge for vegan milk alternatives.

"When will you stop raking in huge profits while customers, animals and the environment suffer?" he demanded as fellow activists streamed the protest on Facebook.

Cromwell glued his hand to the counter, and then later used a knife to scrape it off. Police said there were no arrests.

The spokesperson said Starbucks respects customers' right to voice their opinions "so long as it does not disrupt our store operations."

Actor James Cromwell received a Humanitarian Awards at PETA's 30th Anniversary Gala in Los Angeles, California. Photo / Getty Images

Cromwell began a second life as a fearless animal activist, following his Oscar-nominated role as the farmer in Babe. Interacting with the piglets on set inspired the actor to become vegan and start fighting for animal rights.

Now a veteran activist, Cromwell has even been arrested a few times, most notably in 1971 at a Vietnam protest and in 2017 when he was charged for trespassing after interrupting an orca show at SeaWorld San Diego.

*additional reporting NZ Herald