How is Alec Baldwin Involved In The Bizarre 'Bad Vegan' Netflix Docuseries?

As if the tale at the heart of the new Netflix docuseries “Bad Vegan” isn’t complex and strange enough, Alec Baldwin is also woven into the narrative.

Sarma MeIngailis was once a celebrity restauranteur who brought raw and vegan food to the forefront. She was the founder of the One Lucky Duck and Pure Food and Wine hot spot New York City eateries, but her successful business took a nosedive after she married Anthony Strangis, who also went by the name Shane Fox. He apparently managed to convince her that he would make both her and her beloved pit bull immortal if she gave him large sums of money — money she embezzled from investors and employees. 

Strangis claimed that he was putting her through a series of tests to achieve great success and immortality. These tests required Melngailis to make wire transfers to him, on-demand, of hundreds of thousands of dollars. In turn, he promised that she would become a queen in another form and realm. Strangis also maintained that he was not human, and that in time he could make her a different kind of being as well. 

In turn, the entrepreneur drained all her business accounts. Her businesses closed as a result and MeIngailis served four months at Rikers for grand larceny, criminal tax fraud, and a scheme to defraud. Meanwhile, Strangis received five years of probation for taking nearly one million dollars from the businesses. 

But before she served time, and while her career as a vegan queen was still thriving, Alec Baldwin felt a pull towards her.

In 2011, he tweeted, “… when in NY, folks, go to Pure Food and Wine on Irving Place. Even if just to stare at @Sarma.”

MeIngailis also found her dog while chatting with Baldwin. She said she was searching for a dog for him, even though he was more interested in her than a dog, and came across Leon, who became her beloved companion.

She detailed that they met while she was still in a relationship and that she instantly felt like she had known the actor forever. She expressed regret that she didn’t take things further with Baldwin because soon enough he was in a relationship while she was single.

He actually met his eventual wife, Hilaria, while eating at Pure Food and Wine. He noted this in a 2019 tribute to his spouse. 

MeIngalis also met Strangis, in a roundabout way, through Baldwin. Strangis was active on Twitter and seemed to interact with Baldwin regularly. MeIngailis took notice and figured that since she had such luck finding her dog through Baldwin, his twitter friend might be a great guy too.

Baldwin recently made his own crime news headlines after he was connected to the accidental shooting of two people on the set of a movie in October, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. He has since insisted that he didn’t pull the trigger when the prop gun in his hand discharged while on the set of the film “Rust.”

“Bad Vegan” is streaming on Netflix now.