Hall used to be vegan, but that’s no longer the case.
For nearly two decades, one quirky detail has stood out to Dexter fans: Dexter Morgan loves to eat. From his very first scene in the original Dexter series—expressing his love for cuban food and pork sandwich—to countless shots of him devouring steaks with Debra, eating became more than just a character trait. It grew into a recurring tradition and, eventually, a beloved fan meme.
The show’s producers leaned into it, sprinkling food scenes throughout every season. Social media amplified the joke, and by the time Dexter: Original Sin (the recently canceled prequel starring Patrick Gibson) hit screens, the writers even turned it into a running Easter egg. Young Dexter could often be spotted scarfing down bacon, sandwiches, and other meals—a direct callback for longtime fans.
But here’s the twist no one saw coming: the actor behind Dexter, Michael C. Hall, actually became vegan in real life.
Michael C. Hall’s Vegan Journey
In the early 2010s, following his illness, Michael C. Hall made major changes to his lifestyle. He shifted toward healthier, more natural living—and adopted veganism. At first, many fans dismissed it as just an online rumor. But in a 2018 interview with The Daily Beast, Hall himself confirmed that he had, in fact, embraced veganism for both ethical and health-related reasons.
For fans who had watched Dexter gleefully enjoy steaks and sandwiches for years, this revelation was shocking. Could the man who so convincingly ate on-screen actually be turning down meat in real life?
Dexter: Resurrection Raises Questions
Fast-forward to Dexter: Resurrection. By Season 1, Episode 8 (“The Kill Room Where It Happens”), viewers once again saw Dexter sit down with Harrison at a Manhattan steakhouse, slicing into a juicy steak.
Naturally, fans who knew about Hall’s vegan past immediately asked: Was that steak real? Or was it a plant-based prop?
The answer may surprise you. According to insiders, the steaks were real—and Michael C. Hall actually ate them. No spit bucket, no trick photography.
Michael C. Hall Is No Longer Vegan
The mystery was officially put to rest on the Dissecting Dexter podcast. In the episode discussing Season 1, Episode 9 (“Touched by an Ángel”), host Gareth Watkins asked guest Scott Reynolds (co-showrunner and producer of Dexter: Resurrection) about Hall’s vegan lifestyle.
Reynolds, surprised by the question, chuckled and replied:
“Maybe he was at one point. I know he’s not [vegan] because I share many hamburgers with him on set.”
That settles it: Michael C. Hall may have once embraced veganism, but today, he’s back to enjoying meat—just like his on-screen counterpart.
A Funny Coincidence: Dexter’s Vegan Victim
Interestingly, Dexter: Resurrection itself wove veganism into a storyline this season. In Episode 4, Dexter discovers that one of his targets—Ronald Schmidt, aka “The Dark Passenger Killer”—was vegan.
When Dexter impersonated Schmidt to infiltrate Leon Prater’s exclusive serial-killer dinner party, he expected gourmet feasts fit for billionaires. Instead, he was served a special vegetable-based dish, leaving him disappointed and starving while the others enjoyed lavish meat courses.
Later, during Prater’s retreat at his castle in Episode 7, Dexter (still disguised as Schmidt) could no longer resist. He broke character, dug into the meat dishes, and admitted he wasn’t sticking to veganism anymore. Ironically, this moment earned him even more trust from the killers around him.
The storyline feels like a cheeky wink to Michael C. Hall’s own short-lived vegan journey—life imitating art in reverse.
Final Thoughts
Dexter Morgan’s love of food is a tradition, a fan meme, and now a meta-joke that connects directly to Michael C. Hall’s real life. So, the next time you see Dexter cut into a steak, know this: it’s not just a prop. Michael C. Hall is enjoying it, too.