EXCLUSIVE: Tragic Adult Star Emily Willis' Secret Fight to Reinvent Herself as Singer and Actress After She Starred in Steven Soderbergh Movie Before Ending Up Coma-Stricken

Emily Willis had a ticket out of porn and into Hollywood – until her glamorous life came to a sudden halt.

Just two months before her coma-inducing health crisis, the ex-adult film star was in the spotlight with a leading role in Divinity, a Steven Soderbergh-backed film, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

26-year-old Willis – born Litzy Lara Banuelos – was the face of the 2023 Sci-Fi thriller, which hit theaters nationwide on November 3, 2023.

In the film, directed by Eddie Alcazar, Willis plays Lynx – a layered character whose fate is tied to a riddle-spinning headpiece.

It was a dramatic pivot for Willis, who made her name in the adult film world – taking home the title of Penthouse Pet in 2019 and scoring big at the AVN Awards, including 2021's Female Performer of the Year.

Weeks after the film was released in theaters, fate pulled the plug on Willis' blossoming career when she checked into the Summit Malibu rehab in hopes of overcoming her ketamine addiction.

Before seeking help, she was allegedly using five to six grams per day for a year, which led to her experiencing bladder inflammation, urinary incontinence and night terrors.

The star was also taking prescribed anti-depression and anti-anxiety medications.

Despite clean drug tests, the adult film star's health reportedly declined within days – leaving her "disheveled, frail, and disoriented" with a "nervous" mood and "poor" behavior and insight.

Within days of being at the center, tragedy struck when she found herself in a coma for two months after suffering cardiac arrest, leading to paralysis and lifelong disability.

Upon a nurse discovering her, 911 was called and CPR was attempted for about 30 to 40 minutes before restoring a heartbeat.

Following her cardiac arrest, the star's family hired attorney James Morris to represent them in a negligence lawsuit against the rehab center, alleging Willis was free of ketamine upon arrival and throughout her stay at the facility.

Morris claims Willis is permanently disabled due to an anoxic brain injury, caused by the brain being deprived of oxygen for an extended period.

He previously revealed she is now under the care of her mother in Utah, adding: "She has been most recently transferred to her mother's home, and she is there and she is being cared for by her mother."

In February 2025, Morris confirmed Willis can now "move her body somewhat" and "make outward noises."

He said: "She does make outward noises from time to time, she does move her body around some, but her eyes do move, she does track, whether or not she's understanding exactly what's going on is hard for us to determine.

"We are retaining a physiatrist to work as an expert witness on our case who will go to Utah examine her and hopefully be able to give us more info about his expert opinion to what extent she understands what's happening around her."

At the time, Willis was believed to be suffering from locked-in syndrome – a rare neurological disorder which involves paralysis of nearly all voluntary muscles.

According to her family, the 26-year-old star weighed just 80 pounds before she was checked into the facility.

The lawsuit noted how the staff allegedly witnessed Willis' health deteriorating over several days but did not call 911 or send her to a hospital for medical care.

Recently, Summit Malibu, along with its parent company Malibu Lighthouse Treatment Centers, filed a demurrer hearing along with a motion to strike.

The hearing is expected to be held on June 18 at the Santa Monica Courthouse, California.