It's not news for a long time (and even more so it's not a secret, no matter how much they would like it) that many successful actors and actresses began their careers far beyond the known film and theater stages. Before these stars took to the Hollywood skies and conquered the world of cinema, some had to accept projects and roles that were not always close to their young creative hearts. Some of them worked as cleaners, builders or waitresses in Hollywood, and some worked in the “adult” industries.
A youthful mistake or a hobby turned career?
Below are 14 stories of famous actors and actresses becoming associated with pornography.
- Sylvester Stallone
Before becoming an international star thanks to Rocky (1976), the budding (and due to lack of funds almost living on the streets of New York) 24-year-old actor starred in erotic softcore film The Party at Kitty and Stud's (1970), also known as The Italian Stallion, his first film role.
- Cameron Diaz
Before The Mask (1994) opened her way to Hollywood and made her a super celebrity, 19-year-old Cameron starred in an erotic photo shoot with light BDSM elements. After her success in The Mask, the actress began to blackmail the publication of a photo, but these attempts were quickly suppressed by Diaz & # 8212; blackmail photographer went to jail. The actress tried to prevent the spread of these materials, but the video from that shoot called “She's not an angel” (She's no Angel) nevertheless appeared on the Internet.
- Jackie Chan (Jackie Chan)
One of the most popular Asian actors, action heroes and comedians, Jackie Chan also starred in the comedy film All in the Family (1975), which was the only erotic scene in the career of the Hong Kong actor and kung fu champion. Chan later noted that he had to agree to participate in the film due to lack of money.
- David Duchovny
A man of many talents, David is not only the owner of a successful acting career, but also a graduate of one of the prestigious American universities, Princeton and Yale. The actor achieved wide popularity thanks to his roles in the cult TV series The X-Files and Californication. But few people know that in the 90s he starred in the American erotic series Red Shoe Diaries (1992-1999).
- Perrey Reeves
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Best known for her roles as Ari Gold in the American TV series Entourage (Entourage, 2010), Marissa in the comedy Old School (Old School, 2003) and Jessie in the movie Mr. and Mrs. Smith ( Mr. and Mrs. Smith, 2005), Perry also appeared on The Red Shoe Diaries with David Duchovny (who was then her boyfriend).
Now Perry is a mother, lives in Costa Rica, practices yoga and Ayurveda and organizes her own yoga retreat.
- Matt LeBlanc
Continuing the theme of the Red Shoe Diaries series, one cannot fail to mention another actor – Matt LeBlanc, whom many know for his role as Joey Tribbiani in one of the most popular sitcoms in the history of Friends (Friends, 1994-2004).
- Screech Powers
Dustin Diamond is best known for playing the lovable nerd Samuel “Screech” Powers in the Saved by the Bell franchise. However, in 2006, the actor produced and released his own sex video called “Screeched – Saved by the Smell” (Screeched – Saved by the Smell, 2006).
- Shu Qi
This Taiwanese actress gained fame and recognition in her homeland long before she arrived in Hollywood. In the Western world, some of Shu's most iconic roles are The Transporter (2002), where she co-starred with Jason Stetham, the horror film The Eye 2 (The Eye, 2004) and the comedy-drama anthology New York I love you” (New York, I Love You, 2008). The actress was also a jury member at the 2008 Berlin International Film Festival.
A few years before becoming a successful actress, Shu was a model for the Hong Kong edition of Penthouse and the Chinese edition of Playboy. She also appeared in two Hong Kong erotic comedies Viva Erotica (1996) and Sex and Zen II (1996).
- Jon Hamm
John became widely known for his lead role in the drama series Mad Men, where the actor played Don Draper, an elegant and self-confident representative of the American advertising industry in the 60s. In one of his interviews, John admitted that before his roles in the series, he worked in the porn industry, namely the decorator of movie theaters for Cinemax studio softcore films.
- Helen Mirren
Oscar-winning and ordained to the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth I herself, the famous English actress Helen Mirren played the role of Caesonia in the 1979 film Caligula, which was banned from showing due to the (porn) graphic nature of its scenes. During her acting career, Mirren appeared naked on stage or in the frame more often than other “companions in the theater workshop”, for which the actress is still called a “sex symbol” to this day, and this despite the fact that Mirren is already over 70.
In an interview with The Telegraph, the actress openly declares that she adores “shameless and proud” women, women who are honest with themselves, do not succumb to social pressure, labeling and conformity, who accept and are proud of their bodies. That's why “more than anything in the world” Mirren loves the band Pussy Riot and their “middle finger to the 'slut' label” — they wear what they want, they do what they want.”
- Arnold Schwarzenegger
A truly cult figure in the American action scene, along with Sylvester Stallone, Arnold gained wide popularity thanks to the action films Conan the Barbarian (Conan the Barbarian, 1982), Terminator (Terminator, 1984) and Commandos (Commando, 1985). He is also considered one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time. But the actor also managed to be a “bad boy” in his youth, having worked as a model for gay porn magazines.
- Sibel Kekilli
Best known for playing Tyrion Lannister's lover Sheh on Game of Thrones and as detective Sarah Brandt on the German TV series Der Tatort, the German actress also appeared in pornographic films under the pseudonym Dilara. After the success of Head-On (2004), the German tabloid newspaper Bild-Zeitung published information that Siebel was a former pornographic actress. This led to sad consequences — her parents cut off contact with her completely.
- Jenna Jameson
For those who aren't too familiar with X, Mature, or Strictly 18+ movies, Jenna's best-known role may be the character Mandy in the 1997 cult comedy Private Parts, based on the biography of the famous American TV presenter Howard Stern. The actress also voiced her character in an episode of Family Guy and the characters of Candy Sachs in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Daisy in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4.
However, Jenna also holds the title of “queen of the porn industry”, starring in more than 180 “adult” films. In 2004, Jenna wrote her autobiography, Making Love Like a Porn Star, which spent six weeks on The New York Times bestseller list, and is also a successful, million-dollar entrepreneur today.
- Sasha Sasha Grey
This versatile American started her acting career in the adult industry at the age of 18, when she first arrived in Los Angeles, and worked in it for five years. Sasha has won 15 awards for her performances, including Female Performer of the Year from the AVN Awards, one of the major awards in the porn industry.
Sasha's most famous role in world cinema was the character of Chelsea in the Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh's drama The Girlfriend Experience (2009). She also starred in the film I Melt With You (2010), the last season of the American TV series Entourage (2010), the conceptual techno-thriller Open Windows (2014) with Elijah Wood and the thriller The Scribbler (2014).
The fruitful creative career of Sasha Gray did not stop at the cinema. At different periods of her life, Sasha was engaged in modeling, founded the musical industrial group aTelecine, starred in the music videos of The Smashing Pumpkins, The Roots and Eminem, and is a DJ. She created her own series of erotic fiction books called Juliette's Society. She has her own channel on the Twitch platform with over 250 thousand subscribers, where she streams The Witcher 3 and Assassins' Creed video games.
Yes, Sasha starred in porn, but as a performer and creative person she says openly that she has “no regrets about what happened.” According to her, the actress experienced real orgasms on the court three times out of four.
From the age of 16, the actress actively experimented with her sexual preferences, including BDSM, but at the same time she never let herself be offended, and even more so, she never considered herself a victim.
Independent and outspoken in her words and actions, Sasha denounces society's double standards regarding female sexuality and strives to change the status quo. “I want to convey to young girls that sex is okay, — says the actress in an interview with Rolling Stone, — and yes, it's okay to be a “whore”. There is nothing to be ashamed of. People think that young girls simply cannot understand sex, that their actions are bound to lead to sad consequences, but we can analyze this whole situation as well as anyone else.”
