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Fame in Hollywood doesn’t happen overnight. For most actors, their early years are filled with worries about making it big in the industry — jobs are scarce and inconsistent, which makes for a lot of money worries. So really, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that countless Hollywood stars turned to adult films during those times when money was tight.
These hard times were usually toward the beginning of their acting career, but some stumbled upon the industry out of pure chance. Or in some cases, they just did it because they were good at it. A few stars were recruited off the street by modeling companies and seedy magazines! And if there's one X-rated-to-Hollywood star you need to know about, it's Traci Lords. We can't make her story up! For theFriendsfans, Matt Leblanc's story is a must-read. Not only is it surprising, but there's a 99.9% chance it will set your heart aflame.
Some just made a video to pay the bills, while others had a respectable career in this world before moving to more mainstream entertainment.Whatever the reason, these 55 stars dabbled in the world of adult entertainment at some point in their illustrious careers.
Cameron Diaz
Love her or hate her, Cameron Diaz has been a Hollywood mainstay for years at this point. But before her fame, Diaz starred in an adult film. The world will probably never see it, though, because she boughtthe rights to it with her earnings from the 1994 film The Mask. She later commented to Vogue:"If you are a woman who’s been labeled as a sex symbol... inevitably you get to a point when you are no longer a sex symbol... that’s where I think a lot of women get in trouble.”
Ironically, Diaz starred in a 2014 comedySex Tape,which required a few nude scenes."People have seen my butt. I've shown the top of my butt, the bottom of my butt," she told Marie Claire. "I'm not opposed to doing nudity, as long as it's part of the story. I'll do whatever has to get done if it's the right thing."
Arnold Schwarzenegger
There’s no Arnold Schwarzenegger sex tape floating around on the internet, and for that, we should all be grateful. However, before this body builder-turned-actor-turned-politician hit the big times, he did take some risque shots for a pornographic magazine.After Dark, the magazine in question, has featured quite a few big names over the years.
After Darkonly lasted a few years because of fierce competition from other big-name (and moreexplicit) magazines. It was originally marketed as an entertainment magazine covering everything related to performance art with the first issue releasing in May 1986. Compared to competitors, After Dark's website claims it placed a "greater emphasis on quality writing," though there was "plenty of skin on show" after Louis Miele took over the editorship.
Matt Leblanc
Matt Leblanc may forever be known and remembered as Joey from Friends, but his beginnings as an actor were a bit more sultry. The actor took an opportunity in the early '90s to be featured in The Red Shoe Diaries, a premium cable show that straddled the line between drama and porn.
Funnily enough, Leblanc almost wasn't an actor at all, even in adult films! During an interview withJimmy Kimmel, he surprised audiences with claims he almost became a carpenter."Everyone in my family goes to work with some kind of tool in their hands," he said. I made a complete kitchen and installed it in a house." In fact, he dropped out of school for carpentry because he already knew all of the practical skills, and the rest is history!
Shu Qi
Lin Lui-hi AKA Shu Qi made her big-screen debut as Lai Kwai in the 2002 film The Transporter.She was among the best-paid models in Tawain in 2014, but before her big break, she was no stranger to the world of adult entertainment. She has appeared in Chinese editions of both Penthouse and Playboy.
Aside from explicit films like Sex & Zen II, she portrayed a performer in the industry for the 1996 film Viva Erotica, which focused on Hong Kong's erotic film industry. Because of this film, Qi won an award for Best Supporting Actressat the 1997 Hong Kong Film Awards.
David Duchovny
You might know him as Fox Mulder from the X-Files, but before he was chasing aliens, David Duchovny dipped his toes into the waters of adult entertainment. He starred in the same early-90s Showtime series as Matt Leblanc,The Red Shoe Diaries. While it was technically billed as “erotic drama” it was little more than softcore porn.
Director of the series Zalman King has fond memories of working with Duchovny on the series, telling an interviewer for DVDtalk Geoffrey Kleinman that he'd "for sure" work with him again. As for how Duchovny even began hosting the show, King said, "I did a movie first which will be coming out on DVD Soon, which was the original Showtime movie, which launched the Red Shoes Series,and he played the main character in that, and I contracted with him to be the host of the series."
Greg in Hollywood (Greg Hernandez), CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Sasha Grey
Sasha Grey was a big figure in the adult film industry of the early 2000s, and she used that fame to break into mainstream acting as well. Her credits include both television (Entourage) and movies (The Girlfriend Experience). She rode the new technological wave that created an entirely new and convenient way to experience adult content.The Economistreported that the industry's revenue skyrocketed to around $40-$50 million during the 2000s!
Out of the biggest stars on the early 2000s online platforms, Sasha Grey is at the top. Her first film,Fashionistas Safado: the Challenge, released in 2006 and instantly set the tone for the rest of her X-rated career after asking her costar to punch her "in the stomach." Well, that's an interesting way to get your name out there. In fact, she won an award for Female Performer of the Year in 2008, emphasizing how influential she was during her five years performing.
Sylvester Stallone
Before the fame of the Rocky franchise, Sylvester Stallone was a youngactor down on his luck. Facing homelessness, Stallone starred in the adult film The Party at Kitty and Stud’s. This movie was later renamed Italian Stallion, to piggyback off the notoriety of Stallone’s role as boxer Rocky Balboa.
The softcore romance film was released in 1970 and marketed as a romance. Directed by Morton Lewis, The Partywas actually Stallone's first lead role! Apparently, the famous actor only worked on the film for two days, was paid a heft sum of $200, and went his own way. Seems to have worked out in his favor!
Spalding Gray
Spalding Gray’s acting credits paint a picture of an accomplished actor. He’s done movies. He’s done TV. And, strangely, he’s done porn. Before his career really began to take off in the '80s, he starred in a number of adult films in the late '70s. Some fans remember him for his autobiographical monologues while certain fans remember... other things.
More than anything, Gray is remembered for his stark honesty. The Huffington Postanalyzed his personal journals and monologues, revealing just how much fear consumed his life. "I felt a slight feeling of loss and bitterness that these people were using me as their jester," Gray wrote in 1979 seemingly in reference to his work as an actor. In a tragic turn of events, Gray went missing in January 2004 and was pronounced dead two months later after his body was found in New York's East River.
Jon Hamm
Best known for his award-winning performance as Don Draperin the period drama Mad Men, Jon Hamm's acting career began with him waiting tables and taking up odd jobs, as cliché as it sounds. One of those jobs was working as a set designer for an unnamed softcore pornography movie.
In August 2009, Hamm told Ellemagazine that the softcore gig was his ultimate "low point" in his early career. “I’m, like, $150 a day? I will totally do that…. But it was soul-crushingly depressing," he lamented. "There was no actual [sex], but it was so sad; the actors were dead but they were trying their best. I was like, Man, this can’t... be it.”
Riley Steele
Riley Steele is another adult film star to make the jump to mainstream movies, but only barely. While she is probably most well known for her work in the porn-themed Pirates of the Caribbean spoofs, she also had a role in Piranha 3D, which we guess is technically a legit acting credit? But honestly, porn is more reputable than that terrible series of movies.
Born in California, Steele got her start in the performance industry working at Starbucks and a snack bar like most amateur actresses in Hollywood. She then met Jesse Jane in 2005 who led Steele to the world of pornography, but Steele wouldn't be convinced until a few years later. But once she signed with Digital Playground, her life changed forever.
© Glenn Francis, PacificProDigital/Toglenn, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Francois Sagat
French actor Francois Sagat is no stranger to the world of porn -- he’s starred and directed in numerous adult films. So many that there are too many to list here. But this X-rated reputation doesn't mean he’s a stranger to the world of mainstream movies,sporting roles in films like Saw IV and Man at Bath.
As one of the top gay actors in the industry with a one-of-a-kind scalp tattoo, he's come a long way since his first performance at age 25 under the pseudonym Azzedine. He switched to his birth name after transferring his practice to the U.S. and shooting his first film thereArabesque. Sagat retired from pornography in 2017 but made a brief return to film aJustice Leagueparody.
Sibel Kekilli
During the early seasons of Game of Thrones, Sibel Kekilli made a name for herself as the character Shae, a prostitute and handmaiden. But before this rise to stardom, she starred in several adult films in her home country of Germany. Her past came to light in 2004 when she starred in the film Head-On.
Kekilli was a porn star for around six months with the stage name Dilara, but she kept that stage of her career private until it was released by the media after her Head-Onsuccess. Her father toldBild,"The disgrace is too great for the family...I can never forgive her for it. I don't want to ever see her again." Harsh, much?
Jackie Chan
We all know Jackie Chan from his iconic performances in numerous Kung Fu movies, but even this martial arts master found himself on tough times early in his career. In the '70s, Chan starred in a Hong Kong-based comedy porn called All in the Family. Sounds like a weird combo, but you know you want to see it.
Chan admitted to this early-career appearance, tellingHYPEhe's never regretted his decision.“I had to do anything I could to make a living 31 years ago, but I don’t think it’s a big deal, even Marlon Brando used to be exposed in his movies. The porn movie at that time was more conservative than the current films."
Robert Kerman
Robert Kerman AKA R. Bolla is no stranger to fans of horror movies -- he’s had roles in classics such as Cannibal Holocaustand The Goodbye Girl. a minor role in Spider-Man. But he also had a prolific adult film career that’s equally iconic, if not more so, with his credits including the infamous adult film Debbie Does Dallas.
According toThe Rialto Report,Kerman profited greatly from his porn career, claiming that he rose to fame during the industry's "golden age" in the '70s and '80s. During these decades, Kerman starred in around 250 pornographic films but sorely regrets it. "In retrospect, I'm really sorry that I did it," Kerman told Channel 4, "because I probably ruined the best years of my life as an actor." Even so, he was inducted into the AVN Hall of Fame in 1998.
Traci Lords
Traci Lords has starred in numerous cult classics, like Serial Mom and Blade, but she’s probably most infamous for appearing in Penthouse magazine when she was only 16. After that, she went on to star in numerous adult films likeWhat Gets Me Hot!in 1984 as well as appearing in the magazinesVelvet, Juggs,andClub.
Lords starred in some of the first porn films during the industry's "golden age," was hailed as the "Princess of Porn," and made more than $1,000 per day as the best-paid sex performer ever. But her career in the industry wasn't made to last as she transitioned to mainstream acting in the late '80s.
Channing Tatum
Channing Tatum is basically synonymous with 2012'sMagic Mikefor many Gen X and Millennial women, but that's not the only place he purposefully flaunted his abs for a sultry set. In fact, the film was directly inspired by Tatum's early days as a male stripper in Florida. That gig only lasted eight months before he decided he'd rather modelwithhis clothes on.
The plot of Magic Mikefeatures Tatum as the lead character Mike who is a young dancer taken under the wing of an experienced performer to learn how to "hustle on and off the stage." That same year Tatum -- appropriately -- wonPeople magazine's yearly award for the"Sexiest Man Alive."
Kim Kardashian
We probably don't need to spell out Kim's rise to fame. Out of everyone on this list, no one should be more grateful to the world of porn than Kim Kardashian. It’s literally the only reason she is famous. After her sex tape with then-boyfriend Ray J was “leaked”, her hit reality show, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, followed shortly behind.
Kim suedVivid Entertainment for distributing the tape as Kim Kardashian, Superstar,but she later settled he later dropped the suit and settled for $5 million that allowed Vivid to release the tape. The Kardashians profited greatly from the tape and were criticized for the so-called publicity stunt, but the family didn't seem to care. Kim later went on to pose nude for a December issue of Playboy.
Simon Rex
Simon Rex has done a little of everything.He’s an actor, a rapper, a comedian,a model, was an MTV VJ in the '90s, and unsurprisingly dabbled in the adult entertainment realm early in his career. Before his rise to stardom, Rex appeared in several solo scenes with the stage name "Sebastian."
First working as a nude model for Brad Posey's Club 1821, he transitioned to the three X-rated films. According to Vulture, he took the parts "to pay for rent and food for his girlfriend's 2 year old son." Soon after, he was recruited by a casting director and began modeling mainstream for Calvin Klein, Versace, and Levi's. Plus, we can't forget his professional acting gigs inWhat I Like About You,the Scary Movie franchise, and National Lampoon.
Adam West
Adam West was Batman for an entire generation of kids in the '60s, but in the '80s he had roles in a number of softcore films. That being said, his roles were all non-sexual, but it’s still bizarre to think of the Caped Crusader popping up at all in softporn.
While he never appeared in a completely X-rated film, his version of Batman did! The character was parodied in 2010 and became the topbestselling superhero porn parody ever on Adult Empire. West probably doesn't want to be remembered by this spoof, but it happened anyway.
Paris Hilton
Socialite. Model. Businesswoman. Heiress. Porn star? How did "New York's leading It Girl" turn global superstar in two years? Right after her TV show The Simple Lifealongside Nicole Richie first aired,the leaked sex tape "1 Night in Paris" with ex-boyfriend Rick Salomon solidified Paris's fame forever.
Paris wasn't particularly thrilled about the video and was caught in a suing battle with Saloman for two years. In2006, Paris told BritishGQ,"I never received a dime from the video. It's just dirty money and [Salomon}should give it all to some charity for the sexually abused or something. To be honest, I don't even think about it anymore."
Kevin Costner
Though billed as an “independent film," the 1986 movieSizzle Beach, U.S.A. was little more than softcore porn -- starring Kevin Costner. That’s right, before his hit filmsDances with Wolves,The Untouchables, No Way Out, andField of Dreams, Costner got his start with a skin flick!
IMDbdescribes the movies as,"A fabulous Malibu beach house is the setting for sin in sun, as a trio of lovely ladies find love in Los Angeles over one sizzling summer." Alternatively namedHot Malibu Summer, the movie was filmed in the winter of '78, ironically enough. Plus, many fans don't realize thatSizzlewas his debut film.In fact, most resources that list his filmography citeThe Touchfrom 1983 as his first film appearance.
Ron Jeremy
In terms of porn stars, not many names are as recognizable as Ron Jeremy. And it’s this fame that has allowed him to break into the world of mainstream movies. Granted, he’s playing a fictionalized version of himself most of the time, but you can still catch him in films like Ghostbusters and Boondock Saints.
Unfortunately, Jeremy is infamous for much more than his films. In September 2021,USA Todayreported that 21 women testified against Jeremy for "using his fame" to "lure" and "rape" his accusers. Jeremy was originally arrested back in January 2020 and eerily echoes the ongoing Harvey Weinstein scandals that began a few years prior.
Heather Rae Young
Before shebecame a Netflix star on the hit reality TV showSelling Sunset, Heather Rae Young did her fair share of modeling forPlayboy. In fact, she was awarded the title ofPlayboyPlaymate of the Month in February 2010 before moving on to star in mainstream films likeLove in the Time of Monstersand Christmas in Compton.
A few of her roles in films were NSFW. In the 2013 comedyThe Internship, she starred in the role "Exotic Dancer #2" during a strip club scene. Two years later, she was featured in the TV-MA documentaryPlaymate Playbackas herself. The purpose of the series was to "meet the latest Playmates ofPlayboylike never before." Funnily enough, she's made a bigger name for herself as a real estate agent for luxury L.A. pads over her time as a sultry star.
Marilyn Monroe
MarilynMonroe never bore it all for a movie, but during a period when she was on the decline, she did appear in nude photos for a magazine. While her on-screen persona was limited to the dumb blonde trope, that wasn't the reality. Scholar Sarah Churchwell claims, "The biggest myth is that she was dumb. The second is that she was fragile. The third is that she couldn't act. She was far from dumb... [and] such a good actress that no one now believes she was anything but what she portrayed on screen."
Plus, nobody can forget her performance of "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" for JFK's birthday on May 19, 1962, at Madison Square Garden in New York. The song itself wasn't the source of awe, however, because she drew more attention from her form-fitting beige dress that appeared nude. The moment has been parodied and referenced in countless shows, films, and specials over the years, including the 2012 seriesSmash.
Popular Library New York, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Kristine DeBell
Many of you may not know that mainstream actress Kristine DeBell first entered the acting industry after closing out her modeling career with Ford to star in the 1976 hardcore musical comedy reinterpretation ofAlice in Wonderlandat 22 years old. She subsequently posed on the '76 cover ofPlayboyas well as thePlayboypictorial for "200 Motels, or How I Spent My Summer Vacation."
But DeBell didn't make a name for herself until she officially moved into mainstream Hollywood filmmaking. Fromcomedies likeMeatballsalongside Bill Murray to playing Jackie Chan's partner inBattle Creek Brawl, she managed to scrub her reputation clean from adult entertainment and advertise herself as a classy professional actress.
Kim Basinger
Kim Basinger was an international sex symbol of the '80s and '90s after starring in the late '70s three-part NR-rated miniseries remake ofFrom Here to Eternityas a prostitute who engages in an affair with one of the leading characters Private Robert E. Lee Prewitt. But what really got audiences talking was her leading role in the cult-classic9 1/2 Weeks.
Anyone who's seen the erotic drama knows that the nudity is slim but the sexual themes are heavy throughout every scene. And despite telling historian Victoria Sherrow that she "couldn't stand" modeling, she both starred in the filmKatie: Portrait of a Centerfoldand actually posed nude forPlayboyin 1981. But we can ignore her cringe-worthy performance in the 2017 adaptation of E.L. James'sFifty Shades Darker...
Julie McCullough
Best known for her role in the TV showGrowing Painsas nanny Julie Costello, actress Julie McCullough dabbled in erotic modeling and sexploitation filmography before launching her mainstream career. Shortly after graduating from high school, McCullough was approached to pose forPlayboy, subsequently appearing in four issues as well as on the cover of other magazines as a swimsuit model.
Plus, McCullough voiced the tutorial guide in the video game sponsored byPlayboytitledPlayboy: The Mansion. As for other mainstream roles, she appeared inBeverly Hills, 90210; Jake and the Fatman; Harry and the Hendersons;andDrexell's Class. Plus, she currently works as a stand-up comedian, performing regularly at the Laugh Factory and similar establishments.
Philkon Phil Konstantin, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Perrey Reeves
Entourageactress Perrey Reeves is another actor featured in the Playboy Entertainment erotic drama the Red Shoe Diaries.While she only appeared in one episode and didn't have to go "all the way" in terms of bearing it all like some of the other actors, Reeves did appear topless throughout the scene.
Among other facts that you might not have known about Reeves, she moved to Costa Rica in 2012 to start a yoga retreat called The Sanctuary at Two Rivers. She's been a yoga practitioner since the early '90s and is particularly interested in Ayurveda, which is a form ofalternative medicine. We're not saying she fled to Costa Rica because of Red ShoeDiaries, but we also don't have evidence against it either.
Anna Nicole Smith
What a surprise! Anna Nicole Smith started her career in adult entertainment? We're shocked! All jokes aside, Anna Nicole Smith is one of the celebrities on this list who was very publicly involved in pornographic modeling from the start. In 1993, she won Playboy's "Playmate of the Year" award andlaunched her modeling career.
From Guess and H&M to Heatherette and Lane Bryant, Smith was a successful model but couldn't replicate the same success into the acting realm. Her leading role in the '96 direct-to-video film Skyscraper could have been her big break but it wasno more than "soft-core exploitation." Tragically,Smith died in Hollywood in early 2007 from an accidental overdose.
Chyna
Joan Marie Laurer AKA Chyna has worked in everything from professionalwrestling and modeling to bodybuilding and porn. You heard that last part correctly. First garnering fame in the world of WWE wrestling, the company claims she left"a lasting legacy as the most dominant female competitor of all time."
Aside from revolutionizing WWE, Chyna was also considered a sex symbol in the early 2000s. She modeled forPlayboy twice and starred in five X-rated films after a sex tape with wrestler Sean Walman was released in 2004. Playing off Paris Hilton's infamous tape, it was dubbed 1 Night in China, becoming AVN's best-selling title in 2006.
Helen Mirren
From the stage to the big screen, Helen Mirren has done it all. And we meaneverything.Not only is she the only person to achieve the Triple Crown of Acting in both the US and the UK, but she dabbled in the realm of adult entertainment with roles inCaligulaand the filmHussy.
If you know anything about Caligula,Mirren isn't shy about baring it all onscreen. Caligulais anexcessively erotic historical drama produced by the magazine Penthouse. Mirren told People, "Everyone was naked in that. It was like showing up for a nudist camp every day. You felt embarrassed if you had your clothes on in that movie."
Katie Morgan
Katie Morgan first entered the adult entertainment industry after being arrested for smuggling 100 pounds of marijuana into the U.S. in 2000. Those charges resulted in a hefty bail and plea bargain; thus, she turned to porn to pay off her debts. Her first appearance was in the 2001Dirty Debutantes 197.
According to the 2003 HBO documentary Katie Morgan: A Porn Star Revealed (2005), Morgan revealed that she chose the pen name "Katie Morgan" because of Gone with the Windand the rum Captain Morgan's. Morgan retired from the industry in 2008 for talk show hosting gigs and traditional acting, but returned to shootingafter seven years.
Tom Hardy
Black Hawk Down,Inception, andBand of Brothersstar Tom Hardy has been nominated for countless mainstream Hollywood acting awards, including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, a couple Critics' Choice Awards, some British Academy Film Awards, and the 2011 BAFTA Rising Star Award. Unfortunately, Hardy struggled with substance abuse as a young adult, which led him down a few difficult paths.
After rehab, Hardy landed a spot onThe Big Breakfast's Find Me a Supermodelin 1998 and won the competition! As a prize, he worked with Models for a brief time before landing his first major mainstream role inBand of Brothers. In 2006, he starred in the British comedyScenes of a Sexual Natureplaying the character Noel who is tricked by Anna (played by Sophie Okonedo) into thinking they would have sex, but he's left abandoned, embarrassed, and pants-less. And don't forget his iconic MySpace profile that includes quite a few NSFW pics from his modeling days.
Jayne Mansfield
Jayne Mansfield got an early start in the entertainment industry world through beauty pageants and a few on-stage productions of Death of a Salesman and Anything Goes. But her name wasn’t recognizable until Hugh Hefner started Playboy in ‘53 and Mansfield won Playmate of the Month in ‘55, launching her modeling career. Soon, she embarked into mainstream films, stripteasing at nightclubs, and three tumultuous marriages.
In 1963, Mansfield became the first American actress to appear nude in a mainstream Hollywood role forPromises! Promises!Although the movie was banned in Ohio and resulted in Chicago taking Hugh Hefner to court for publishing on-set photographs of her, Mansfield's career only improved after release. She also guest-starred in the documentarySpreeAKALas Vegas by Nightwhere she stripped and sings the song "Promise Her Anything" fromPromises!
Ursula Andress
Swiss actress Ursula Andress is a sex symbol of the '60s, famous for a few mainstream acting roles such as in Dr. No, the first James Bond film. Before this breakthrough success, however, Andress struggled to be cast in Hollywood. After failing to land any roles for seven years, she got the part of Honey Ryder and became an international phenomenon as the first Bond girl. As recorded by Quirk Books, she credits her white bikini for her fame:"This bikini made me into a success."
While Ursula starred in countless mainstream films, she also made a name for herself in adult entertainment. She appeared in multiple Italian "sex comedies"likeSex with a Smile II andThe Sensuous Nurse.Playboyalso published nude pics from the set ofNightmare in the Sunin 1965. She modeled for the magazine seven times over fifteen years and never regretted it, tellingtheLos Angeles Timesshe did it "Because I'm beautiful."
Carol Lynley
Carol Lynley isn't known for posing nude or reciting sultry scripts, but she did manage to score aPlayboyphotoshoot in 1965 despite glares from critics. "I did it because I wanted to," Lynley told Sheilah Graham, a gossip columnist. "I wanted to do it so much that I wouldn’t even take the money. I didn’t wear a stitch and I felt wonderful all over.”
Lynley began her career at 15 as a model, so she wasn't shy about showing off. At least with herPlayboyshoot, she was able to control how much of her body the world could see, yet it doesn't always work out that way. According to some sources, a video of Lynley was leaked of her strip-dancing, which we're certain she didn't intend on the world getting a hold of.
Electronovision-photo by Sinclair for Electronovision, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Margot Kidder
Margot Kidder always wanted to be an actress. At 14 years old after being dumped by her boyfriend, she turned to acting. According to an interview withYahoo! Entertainment, Kidder believed a life on the big screen would let her "real self out... and no one would know it was me." Soon enough, she did become an actress!
With an illustrious acting career spread across five decades, the late actress was best known for her starring role as Lois Lane in the four originalSupermanfilms. But before Lois Lane, Margot was a mere low-budget actress and appeared in the '75 issue ofPlayboyunder the condition that she wrote her own feature article. Later in '79, she landed lead roles for the cult-classic horror filmAmityville Horror, whichfeatured a nude scene or two that was later cut from the final film.
Kira Reed
Ever since childhood, Kira Reed has been passionate about acting. By 10 years old, she was regularly acting in commercials and scoring modeling gigs. By the time she grew up, Reed became a successful producer, writer, and TV host for a slew of productions, including film projects sponsored byPlayboy.
She reported and produced a series on Playboy TVcalled Sexcetera as well as producing the second season of the 69 Sexy Things 2 Do Before You Die. Before Playboy, Reed starred in the erotic series the Red Shoe Diariesand The Prince of Desire. She also participated in mainstream TV, including ER, NYPD Blue, and The War at Home.
Marilyn Chambers
Marilyn Chambers was graciously dubbed "porn's most famous crossover" due to her seamless transition from adult entertainment to mainstream films. She's most famous for her debut hardcore adult filmBehind the Green Doorin 1972, but she actually broke into the industry a year before when she appeared nude in the filmTogetherafter working as an exotic dancer and topless model.
At first, Chambers was hesitant to participate in porn because she feared it would ruin her chances in mainstream Hollywood, but she managed to become successful in both realms.After acting during the "Golden Age of Porn" and making it to #6 of the Top 50 Porn Stars of All Time, she broke into mainstream acting like she always dreamed forRabidand a couple of on-stage productions. Eventually, she returned to porn with the hit filmInsatiableand even ran for vice president!
pinguino k from North Hollywood, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, Editorial
Nick Manning
Nick Manning isn't a stranger to the world of adult films—in fact, he was inducted to the AVN Hall of Fame in 2014! The Chicago native is not only a pornographic actor but a director as well. His first appearance on screen was in adult entertainment, but he also appeared in the reality showHogan Knows Bestearly on in his career.
His mainstream film appearances include Thrillsand the TV show The Fugitive. On top of that, he played a male porn star in the 2009 film Crank: High Voltage, which allowed him to appear in Showtime's Beach Heatand land his first lead role in a mainstream film for Cherry Bomb.
© Glenn Francis, PacificProDigital/Toglenn, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Teri Weigel
Teri Weigel weaseled her way into every realm of adult entertainment, including acting in pornography, modeling nude, mainstream fashion, and posing as aPlayboyPlaymate. Weigel embraced modeling from an early age when she appeared in the Saks Fifth Avenue catalog, which helped her transition to the cover ofPlayboyin 1985.
As for Weigel's filmography, her first included numerousPlayboyvideos. She was the first Playmate to transition to porn, which (ironically) terminated her relationship withPlayboyand isolated her from the rest of her family. Mainstream, she had minor roles inPredator 2,Cheerleader Camp, Savage Beach,Night Visitor,Married... with Children, Marked for Death,andInferno.
Bree Olson
Bree Olson is one of the few former adult entertainers on this list who criticizes the time she spent in the industry. Olson began acting in adult films in 2006 for Digital Playground, Red Light District Video, and Elegant angel as well as performing on contract for lingerie company Adam & Eve. She officially retired from shooting pornography in 2011 and since went on to harshly criticize the profession.
Because Olson performed in over 280 pornographic movies, she knows all about the stigma that goes with the work. She tried breaking into mainstream entertainment with appearances onKeeping Up with the Kardashiansas a nanny who gets fired on her first day as well as in various films includingPurgatory ComicsandThe Human Centipede 3.
© Glenn Francis, PacificProDigital/Toglenn, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Stormy Daniels
Stormy Daniels didn't rise to mainstream fame through Hollywood cinema but in the infamousverypublic scandal involving former U.S. President Donald Trump and his attorney Michael Cohen. Trump and his team claim that Daniels is a fraud, yet it's not hard to believe that a president would pay$130,000 in hush money to cover up an affair.
Before the scandal, Daniels was primarily known for her work as a pornographic actress and director. She began her career as a stripper at just 17 in Baton Rouge. Daniels was recruited into adult entertainment while working as a stripper, leading her to work for Wicked Pictures and appear inAmerican Girls Part 2for Sin City.
© Glenn Francis, PacificProDigital/Toglenn, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Jenna Jameson
Jenna Jameson is one of the most well-known adult entertainers in the industry. Not only has she been dubbed the world's most famous porn actress but she managed to snag the title "The Queen of Porn." Using a fake I.D., she started stripping in Vegas in 1991 while still in high school!
Since the peak of her adult film career, Jameson wrote her 2004 autobiographyHow to Make Love Like a Porn Star, attempted business ventures like the adult site ClubJenna as well as an explicit video game. Jameson appeared in Eminem's music video "Without Me" as well as for Howard Stern's semi-autobiographical moviePrivate Parts.
Jesse Jane
Now-retired adult entertainer Jesse Jane lept into the industry by contacting Digital Playground directly for an audition after reading about fellow porn actress Tera Patrick. Jane wasquickly signed by the company and subsequently secured nominations for countless awards for her appearances inNo Limits,Beat the Devil, Pirates,and hosting Playboy TV's Naughty Amateur Home Videos.
Jane's mainstream film appearances are slim but she managed to be featured in a few hits fromStarsky & HutchandDesensitizedtoThe Bad Girls Club. More successfully, she officially became a businesswoman after launching her own line of sex toys while working with Digital Playground. Jane is now retired.
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Ginger Lynn
Ginger Lynn was one of America's leading porn actresses during the "Golden Age of Porn" in the '80s. Because of her success in the industry, AVN placed her at #7 on the list of the greatest porn stars of all time. And once she retired from pornography, she changed her name to Ginger Lynn Allen to appear more palatable for mainstream Hollywood.
While Lynn never managed to land a lead role in a blockbuster film, she did secure many minor roles forYoung Guns II,True Hollywood Story, American Pie: Band Camp,31,andThe Devil's Rejects.After this brief stint in Hollywood, she returned to adult entertainment withTornandwas a host of Playboy's NightCalls Radio.
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Ashlyn Gere
For some, Ashlyn Gere is known for her roles inThe X-FilesandSpace: Above and Beyond. For others, she's one of the most popular porn stars of the '90s after the "Golden Age of Porn" was on its way out. In the industry, Gere won every award fromFOXEand XRCOto AVN but later retired from video performances to be an exotic dancer.
Aside from The X-Files and Space: Above and Beyond, Gere appeared as Kim McKamy in Evil Laughand Creepzoidsthen as a body double for the '92 movieBasic Instinctand the '93 filmIndecent Proposal. Her mainstream films might not have garnered as much attention as her B movies, but Gere doesn't seem too bothered by the difference.
Bridget Powers
Bridget Powers AKA Powerz, born with dwarfism (which makes people and animals appear exceptionally smaller than normal), worked as an erotic film actress since getting discovered at a goth nightclub and making her first film in '99. Over the course of her career, she's appeared in over 70 full-length adult films — 110 when including compilation videos.
Powerz left the industry after suffering sexual misconduct with male actors who would practice stealthing, which is when someone removesa condom during sex without consent. Instead, she set up her own video website and acted in the mainstream films 8mm, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind,and I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell.
(Images LukeisBack, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons & LukeisBack, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons)
August Ames
Mercedes Grabowski AKAK August Ames is best remembered for her work as a Canadian pornographic actress, appearing in nearly 290 films across her career. On top of beingnominated for many official AVN Awards, Ames appeared in a non-pornographic mainstream film Model for Murder: The Centerfold Killerin 2016.
Unfortunately, Ames' life ended quite tragically. Keeping her history of bipolar depressive disorder and dissociative identity disorder, she was a long-time victim of depressive episodes that left her bed-ridden for weeks on end. In 2017, Ames committed suicide after publishing a tweet broadcasting her decision to withdraw from a porn shoot because her male co-star shot gay porn.
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Brittany Andrews
Slightly resembling supermodel Bella Hadid, Brittany Andrews is a jack of all trades in the Hollywood entertainment industry. She began her career in beauty supplies before becoming a renowned exotic danger. FromHusterphotoshoots to film producing and D.J. jobs, Andrews earned her spot in the AVN Hall of Fame.
Andrews officially began work in pornography when she met fellow actress Jenna Jameson in 1995 while shooting forHustler. After a few decades in adult entertainment,Andrews retired from the industry for mainstream pursuits, such as attending the New York Film Academy and starring inthe short film Crumble. She quickly returned to adult film forSex and the City: A XXX Parodyand Playboy TV shows.
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Jessie Andrews
Much like Brittan Andrews, retired porn actress Jessie Andrews is also a renaissance woman in Hollywood. From acting and designing to producing, modeling, DJ-ing, photography, and business ventures, Andrews deserves every award she received. While working from 2010 to 2015, she secured several Best New Starlet awards and various other nominations, including for her performance inPortrait of a Call Girl.
Andrews is one of the few adult actresses to successfully make a name for herself in mainstream acting afterGQand Hypebaebestowed her the "It Girl" title. She quickly abandoned mainstream acting for a lucrative modeling career that led her to music productionand work in the fashion industry.
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Candye Kane
Candice Caleb — professionally known as performer Candye Kane—is best remembered for her work as an adult film actress before transitioning into a musical career, like blues singing. She began her adult career during the Golden Age of Porn in the early 1980s but quickly left the industry to establish her award-winning music career.
Candye Kane identified herself as openly bisexual, often appearing and performing at gay pride festivals. Sadly, Candye Kane passed away from pancreatic cancer due to a neuroendocrine tumor back on May 6, 2016, at only 54 years old. She established herself as a respectable performer and musician while alive, winning various honors for her music, including Best International Blues Chanteues, Artist of the Year, and Best Swing-Cabaret Artist.
Sunny Leone
Now considered a notable model and actress for American and Indian productions, Sunny Leone was once a prominent performer in adult entertainment. Named PenthousePet of the Year in 2003 (weird name, but whatever) and performed for Vivid Entertainment up to 2010. During those years, she rose through the ranks of porn stars, landing a top 12 spot.
After appearing in her first Bollywood film -- erotic thriller Jism 2-- Leone officially transitionedaway from pornography into mainstream acting in 2013.She announced toMTV,"I am lucky that the audience is accepting me. I have come my way from [porn industry]. I don't have any plans as of now to go back there."
Jill Kelly
Aside from acting in, producing, and directing pornography films, Jill Kelly has appeared in over 50 mainstream B movies, includingBig Sister 2000,He Got Game,andThe Legend of the Roller Blase Seven. But it's no secret that Kelly's best known for her work in pornography as she was inducted into the AVN Hall of Fame.
As one of the industry's top stars, Kelly managed to jumpstart her own production company appropriately titled Jill Kelly Productions (JKP). Despite filing for bankruptcy in 2005,Penthousepaid millions to acquire its assets and essentially save her from embarrassingly tarnishing her reputation. Fun fact: Kelly identifies openly as bisexual!
Monique Alexander
Monique Alexander currently works as a pornographic actress on top of nude modeling and various activist pursuits. From sex education to free speech, Alexander routinely appears onFox Newsto push her activism forward despite obviously working in an ongoing pornography career. However, she has appeared in mainstream films such asSpider's Webandthe HBO seriesEntourage.
Alexander began her work in adult entertainment as an 18-year old stripper in Sacramento, California. Not exactly the best path for a teenager, yet she chose the career out of desperation to support herself while working as a receptionist. In 2011, she starred in her first erotic film with a lesbian scene. This scene launched her career as an exclusively "girl-girl" actress before transitioning to acting with both genders in 2005. In 2002, she was a Trophy Girl for the AVN Awards held in Las Vegas.
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Author Ron Winkler Last Updated: October 09, 2024