When Moby reflects on the iconic figures who have crossed his path, he speaks with the stark disbelief of someone who never expected to leave his local library. Over a legendary career spanning more than four decades, the electronic music pioneer has - to his own amazement - befriended his idols: from rock royalty like David Bowie, Lou Reed, and Chris Kristofferson to cinematic visionaries like David Lynch.
“It's not in any way the life I expected for myself,” Moby tells HELLO! “I really thought I would be teaching philosophy at some college in New Hampshire to a bunch of bored students.”
Yet, even amid that extraordinary pantheon of human greatness, when asked where Dr Jane Goodall sits in his life, he doesn't hesitate.
"Most of my heroes have been artistic heroes, and self-evidently music and film are important," he explains. "But Jane was on an elevated level because she was fighting the real fight for the literal survival of our planet. I’m not saying there’s a hierarchy, but in my mind, you can’t have art, music, or culture in an uninhabitable world. If we can’t breathe the air, eat food, or drink the water, there is no room for film or music. The fact that she was focused on the literal survival of our planet made her place in the celebrity pantheon completely unique. I can’t think of anyone else who has occupied that place."
© MobyAs the world marks the one-year anniversary of the primatologist's death aged 91, the loss remains profound. But for Moby, celebrating Jane goes far beyond mourning a friend - it’s about carrying forward a revolutionary legacy that forever changed how humanity views wildlife, global conservation, and our shared future.
A shattering revolution: Jane’s historic legacy
To understand why Jane Goodall meant so much to Moby - and millions across the globe - you only have to look at the seismic shift she created in science and conservation.
When a 26-year-old Jane first stepped into the forests of Gombe, Tanzania, in 1960, mainstream science viewed animals as unfeeling, instinct-driven creatures. Approaching her studies of chimpanzees in the wild with patience and empathy rather than rigid dogma, her discoveries shattered those outdated beliefs. She observed chimpanzees making and using tools, displaying distinct individual personalities, and experiencing complex emotional bonds. Her work famously prompted paleoanthropologist Louis Leakey to declare: "Now we must redefine tool, redefine Man, or accept chimpanzees as humans."
© Bettmann Archive
© CBS via Getty ImagesOver the next six decades, Dr Goodall expanded her scope from primatology to global activism. She founded the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) in 1977 to protect habitats and establish sanctuaries for abused and orphaned chimpanzees. In 1991, she launched Roots & Shoots, a global youth organisation now active in over 75 countries, empowering millions of young people to lead local conservation projects. Appointed a United Nations Messenger of Peace in 2002, she spent her final decades travelling over 300 days a year to champion animal rights, environmental protection, and a global transition away from factory farming.
"Growing up in the 60s, 70s, and 80s, I knew about Jane from National Geographic specials and magazine covers," recalls Moby, born Richard Melville Hall but given his famous moniker by his parents due to a believed family connection to Moby Dick author Herman Melville. "At first, I thought she was like other animal celebrities of the era. But as time passed, I learned about her actual revolutionary activism and her willingness to live a 100% authentic life of total service. She was the real deal."
© MobyA vegan brunch and an A-list supper with Leo
Their paths finally crossed when a mutual friend invited Moby to an intimate vegan brunch in Los Angeles to meet Jane.
"I was so intimidated," Moby admits. "Similar to when I met David Bowie, I was like, 'How are you a real person? I thought you were some sort of demigod construct!' But Jane was so real, friendly, and smart. That was when I discovered she wasn't just an activist for monkeys and chimpanzees - she was an unapologetic activist for all animals, and a committed vegan."
Their initial meeting blossomed into a close friendship, exchanging emails, sharing thoughts on advocacy, and celebratory dinners. One particular birthday gathering for Jane organised by fellow environmental champion Leonardo DiCaprio in Los Angeles stands out vividly in Moby's memory.
"It was the most ridiculously A-list event I’ve ever been to," Moby laughs. "There were only about 30 people at Crossroads in LA. Tom Hanks was there, Julia Roberts, James Cameron, the Red Hot Chilli Peppers... captains of industry and the most successful movie stars of all time. But what was amazing was that everyone was intimidated by Jane. They were basically sycophants to her because she was the only real star in the room. Seeing people who are used to being the most famous person in the world suddenly being diffident and nervous around Jane was extraordinary."
© Getty Images“She would go to the White House and meet with heads of state in palaces, unapologetically talking about animal rights and veganism. She was more of a revolutionary than most 25-year-old activists I know.”
Finding comfort in rescue animals amidst childhood chaos
Moby’s bond with Jane was rooted in a devotion to animals that began long before he ever stepped into a recording studio - a compassion forged during a turbulent childhood.
"Jane famously said she was 'born loving animals,' and it was the exact same for me," Moby reveals. "I even have a photograph of myself when I was two weeks old in a baby bath in our basement apartment in Harlem. My mom is giving me a bath, and surrounding the tub is a dog, a cat, and two lab rats that my father had rescued from Columbia University, where he worked."
"I grew up surrounded by a lot of human chaos, addiction, and violence," he says. "From day one, the animals were safe, rational, and predictable, as odd as it may sound. So I think, at an early age, I learned to not really trust humans and to love animals."
That deep connection led to a pivotal awakening at age 19. "I grew up with the baked-in paradox of loving animals but loving to eat them," he explains. "We had cats, dogs, lab rats, guinea pigs, and lizards, and I loved them unconditionally. But I also loved pepperoni pizza and hamburgers. In 1984, I realised the glaring inconsistency: how could I do anything to protect the rescued animals in my house, but be engaged in a process that caused the suffering and death of other animals?"
Moby went vegetarian in 1984, and by 1987, he made the full transition to strict veganism. Over the decades, he has literally put his money where his mouth is, donating 100% of the profits from his recent tours, solo albums, his 2019 memoir and his former Los Angeles plant-based restaurant Little Pine to animal rights groups like Mercy For Animals and Animal Equality. He has sold off his personal record collection, equipment, and even his New York country estate to fund legal and political campaigns against factory farming.
His commitment is even etched permanently onto his skin. Around his 50th birthday - marking over 30 years as a vegan - he got "ANIMAL RIGHTS" tattooed in bold letters down his arms, and has "VEGAN FOR LIFE" across his neck to show his dedication to animal advocacy.
"It’s the single most important thing in my life," Moby says. "Every day I wake up asking myself how I can be a better animal rights activist. Coming from the world of punk rock, I’ve always liked the idea of respectful confrontation. Having 'VEGAN FOR LIFE' tattooed on your neck is a pretty good conversation starter!"
© MobyJane’s final birthday
Despite her global fame, Jane's truest joy was found far away from red carpets and Hollywood royalty. On her final birthday, she chose to spend the day recording an episode for Moby's podcast - a memory he holds dear.
"We spent the day interviewing her, and we brought my best friend Bagel, who is an 11-pound dog," says Moby. "Bagel usually takes a long time to warm up to humans, but Bagel immediately loved Jane and went over, nuzzling her. Jane just lit up. I think when she travelled, she didn't get to see animals that often. Her raison d'être was engaging with animals.
“That night, there was another celebrity party planned for her, and she was saying how she didn’t want to go. She was being lighthearted - because Jane was really funny - like, 'oh, another celebrity party!' But later that day, she was heading to Northern California to get on a boat and observe wild sea otters. Out of Tom Hanks, Leo DiCaprio, and all the celebrities at dinner, the most excited I saw her all day was when she was with Bagel and talking about going to see those otters!"
Going viral and fearlessness in the face of death
The power of Jane’s message hit home during Moby’s concert at the Royal Naval College in Greenwich this summer. When Moby broadcast a video message from Jane onto the massive stage screens, HELLO! filmed it along with the audience’s reaction. The clip blew up on social media, racking up over a million views and hundreds of thousands of interactions.
Why does Moby think her voice resonates so deeply, even in a music concert setting?
“We all grew up with her, and she never gave anyone a reason to question her sincerity,” he says. “The moment a politician opens their mouth, you immediately assume they're being dishonest. The moment an influencer posts, you think, ‘Okay, this is disingenuous.’ We live in a culture where it's so rare to encounter actual authenticity and intelligent sincerity, and Jane represented that for decades.
“She carried herself in such an unapologetic yet gentle way that even people who disagreed with her perspective respected where she was coming from.”
Even more encouraging than the millions of views on the viral reel are the comments by viewers: “I haven’t eaten meat since I saw this video.”
“That's the goal,” says Moby. “There's something so liberating about basically dedicating your life to animal rights activism because there can be no benefit to me and my ego can't be involved.
© Getty Images"When you hear that people stopped eating meat because of her message, it’s wonderful - but it also reminds me it has very little to do with me. In a weird way, I hope there’s no benefit to me because the moment there is, I’ll have to start questioning my motives - the focus has to be on the goal. It can’t be about ego gratification."
When asked how he processes her loss one year later, Moby points to Jane’s own fearless perspective on mortality.
"When I spoke with her about dying, she was remarkably sanguine," he says. "She looked at it as the next adventure. When you spend time out in nature, you are reminded of a three-and-a-half-billion-year continuum. Life can only exist if it's fed by the decay of other entities - without falling leaves, you can't have new trees. I think Jane spent so much time in nature that she had a peaceful, serene acceptance of that natural end."
For readers wondering how best to carry Jane's memory forward, Moby says the answer is simple.
"Live for a cause bigger than yourself," Moby says. "Ask yourself what your most noble values are, and let your everyday choices and actions flow from that. If you're horrified by what’s happening to the climate or to animals, stop supporting the systems causing that harm. That is what Jane did every single day of her life."
