Top Celebrities Who Started Their Career in Adult Industry
Apr. 7 2024, Published 3:09 p.m. ET
Whilst there have been numerous celebrities who made their debuts in unconventional ways over the years, it may come as a surprise to know that some very well-known faces began their journey to fame within the realms of adult entertainment.
In this article we explore some notable figures whose unpredictable career trajectories saw them venture into the adult industry before they achieved more mainstream success.
Sylvester Stallone - Before finding fame and fortune as a renowned action star in movies like "Rocky" and "Rambo," as a down on his luck actor, Stallone featured in the softcore pornographic film "The Party at Kitty and Stud's” earning a paltry $200 for his efforts. To capitalise on his fame, the film was rebranded as "The Italian Stallion" when Stallone hit the big time, but he was not a fan and refused to buy the rights to the film when they were offered.
Arnold Schwarzenegger – Another 80s action star with a more X-rated claim to fame, before his rise to stardom as a bodybuilder, actor and later the Governor of California, Schwarzenegger posed for several nude photo shoots which have been published in various adult magazines.
Jackie Chan – Let’s hear it for the action heroes! This international movie star also had a role in an adult comedy film early in his career. The 1975 Hong Kong film "All in the Family" contained no martial arts sequences, which are Chan's hallmark, but did include explicit content. Chan has since expressed regret about this part of his filmography.
Kim Kardashian – following a stint as Paris Hilton’s stylist, Kardashian burst into the spotlight in 2007 after her private sex video with singer-songwriter Ray J was leaked. The incident helped to publicise Kardashian’s reality TV show Keeping up with the Kardashians, propelling Kardashian into reality fame and significant entrepreneurial success. The jury remains out on whether Kim and Ray J had a hand in releasing the video themselves, but it certainly turned out to be a lucrative venture for the Kardashian clan.
Francis Ford Coppola - Considered one of the greatest directors of all time, the award-winning visionary worked on soft-core films such as “Tonight For Sure” in the 1960s before his celebrated works like "The Godfather" and “Apocalypse Now” ever saw the light of day. Coppola has acknowledged these early projects as stepping stones in his filmmaking career.
Channing Tatum – Tatum worked as an exotic dancer in Tampa, Florida, before being discovered by an agent and transitioning to acting and dance roles in films such as “Step Up” and “Magic Mike.” Whilst he has said he didn’t enjoy his “dark” days as an exotic dancer, his early career inspired the plot of "Magic Mike" and the successful follow-up stage show.
Cameron Diaz – As an aspiring model, Diaz was involved in an S&M lingerie photo and video shoot at 19, before her big break in "The Mask" with Jim Carey in 1994. An extortion attempt by the shoot photographer in 2003, demanding millions of dollars to withhold the content, led to legal action and the photographer's imprisonment when footage was later leaked.
Rupert Everett - Rupert Everett, the multifaceted English actor, novelist, and erstwhile New Wave vocalist, hailed from affluence but financed his education through escorting in Bournemouth. His breakthrough role as a homosexual character in 1984’s Another Country propelled him to stardom and prompted his public acknowledgment of his sexuality. Unapologetically candid, he disclosed his prior engagement as a rentboy in 1997 while promoting the acclaimed My Best Friend’s Wedding, revitalizing his career. Additionally, he helmed Love For Sale, a British TV interview series spotlighting diverse sex workers, showcasing his unreserved approach to social discourse and advocacy.
Matt Le Blanc – In a case of life imitating art, the “Friends” star made an early, one-off appearance in "The Red Shoe Diaries," a softcore erotic entertainment series distributed by Playboy which ran from 1992 to 1997, before his mainstream success as struggling actor Joey Tribbiani.
Sasha Baron Cohen - Known for his daring and outlandish characters like Borat and Ali G, comedian and actor Cohen once briefly worked for a UK television channel that aired soft-core adult content. This early career choice was just one part of his eclectic and often controversial journey to fame.
Jon Hamm – After a memorable pre-fame appearance on The Big Dating Show in his twenties, Hamm worked behind the scenes as a set dresser for Cinemax on their soft-core films, a far cry from the polished, urbane roles he would later take on in “Mad Men” and “Bridesmaids.”
Helen Mirren – The esteemed British actress of stage and screen made her first film appearance in "Caligula" a sexually explicit 1979 Roman epic that still faces widespread criticism and censorship today. Despite the controversy "Caligula" has generated, Mirren still has only positive views on her experiences making the film.