EXCLUSIVE: Drea de Matteo Trolled Over Defense of Her Adult Career
Drea de Matteo faced online backlash after defending her adult career.
Sept. 5 2026, Published 5:30 p.m. ET
Drea de Matteo is being trolled by critics over her attempt to portray joining an adult site as a "political statement" – after revealing the platform initially provided a financial lifeline when her home was under threat.
As Radaronline.com has reported, De Matteo, 54, who became famous playing Adriana La Cerva in The Sopranos, joined the adult subscription platform after struggling financially and facing a $75,000 lien on her property. She has now explained the move was also an act of defiance after she believed her opposition to COVID-19 vaccine mandates had damaged her acting prospects.
Drea De Matteo Framing Adult Site Move As Political Defiance
Drea de Matteo joined the site after receiving mortgage foreclosure notices on her house.
An entertainment industry source familiar with the reaction exclusively told Radar: "Drea is being trolled because critics think she's trying to sell what was clearly a financial decision as some grand political statement. Her response is that the two things aren't mutually exclusive – she desperately needed money, but she also saw the site as a way of operating outside an industry she felt had turned its back on her."
Speaking to Jamie Kennedy on his HATE TO BREAK IT TO YA podcast, de Matteo said: "In some ways, the adult page was almost like a political statement on my part in a way."
She added: 'It was like, 'F--- you. I don't need to work for your f------ corporation."'
Debunking Myth Of Wealth From 'Sopranos' Fame
De Matteo framed the online platform as an act of personal defiance.
De Matteo said assumptions her success on The Sopranos had left her independently wealthy were wrong, explaining she traditionally returned to acting when she needed additional income.
She said: "I had enough to survive. I would always go back to work when I knew I needed to put aside a chunk of money for the mortgage."
De Matteo added: "I was not – people think I'm made of f------ money. Everyone sees me coming, they're like, 'Here comes that rich b---- from The Sopranos.'"
She said: "And it's like, no, I'm not at all. In fact, you know, I live a pretty f------ normal life. I had to do that adult page to get a lien off my house after foreclosure."
Single Photo Erases $75,000 House Lien
Drea de Matteo faced financial pressure from a $75,000 property lien.
After taking a mortgage break during the Covid pandemic, de Matteo said she later received foreclosure notices.
Although that situation was resolved, a $75,000 lien remained.
The adult site produced an extraordinarily rapid solution.
De Matteo said: "I put a picture up, and, within 75 minutes, the lien was paid. So, that was why I kept the adult site."
Asked what she posted, she said: "A picture of me in a bikini... ."
She added: "I needed more money than that, but that was just for the lien."
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De Matteo also appeared on popular shows including 'Sons of Anarchy.'
The Sons of Anarchy actress said she has "sometimes" earned hundreds of thousands of dollars through the platform, but insisted money was not her sole motivation.
De Matteo said: "Honestly, we were going to use the adult platform to start a podcast because I was afraid that I'd be censored too much to talk about stuff, you know, just out there in the world."
She believes much of her subscriber base remains rooted in affection for Adriana.
De Matteo added: "The adult site thing, I always say, it's Adriana's fan page because people love her."
She also said: "I mean, I've done a lot of other TV shows, but that's the TV show people really love. So, you want to see more Adriana, go there, and that's where I am."
The Sopranos became a television phenomenon, winning 21 Emmys and five Golden Globes while revolutionizing prestige drama and influencing generations.
