10 Celebrities You Didn’t Know Starred in Adult Films

For some, fame has unfolded in ways they never imagined. Many actors have worked in construction or waited tables while waiting for their first big break, while others have turned to the adult film industry for a way to make ends meet.

Here are some surprising celebs you may not know had dabbled in pornography prior to making it on the big screen.

  1. Cameron Diaz

Before she shot to stardom in The Mask, 19 year old Cameron Diaz starred in some soft-core porn. Since her rise to fame, the actress has maintained a squeaky-clean image and reputation. However, after internet-released low-grade erotica featuring the star gained fame, it posed a threat to her image. In an attempt to halt its circulation, the actress faced resistance from the owners of the video, who allegedly demanded $3.5 million from her. Following a legal battle, Diaz successfully bought the rights to it ensuring that no-one would ever see it.

  1. David Duchovny

David Duchovny is one of the most successful actors on TV and is well known for his long-running shows like The X-Files and Californication. Although many do not know that he has also repeatedly appeared in the mid-90s soft-core porn series titled The Red Shoe Diaries. When it comes to softcore antics, Red Shoe Diaries is as classic as it gets. The stories almost always involve a woman’s sexual awakening, and usually include super ’90s love scenes. His role included narrating and directing episodes, as well as taking part in some graphic sex scenes.

  1. Sibel Kekilli

In Season 1 of Game of Thrones, Sibel Kekilli was Tyrion Lannister’s love interest and now appears regularly on the show. Before venturing into mainstream acting, she gained prominence in the adult film industry under the pseudonym ’Dilara’. Sibel had an extremely busy year in 2002, shooting 12 movies in 12 months. It is worth checking the Hotel Fickmichgut ratings on IMDb.

  1. Arnold Schwarzenegger

There are many facets to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s career, from porn star to actor to governor of California. The actor-turned-politician was formerly a gay porn model, and also posed nude for gay magazine After Dark. A little-known fact is that Arnold Schwarzenegger also collaborated with Playboy in 1983 to create an educational travel video about the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It was at least intended to be that way. Are you curious about what went wrong? Have a look here.

  1. Matt LeBlanc

Before Matt LeBlanc made his debut as Joey in Friends, the actor started his career in the adult film industry. Just like David Duchovny, he was cast in the erotic classic The Red Shoe Diaries. ’Friends’ star Joey Tribbiani revealed at the audition that he had just a couple of dollars in his pocket when he auditioned for the role. So, it’s no wonder that LeBlanc took advantage of a relatively easy way to make money - by starring in the Red Shoe Diaries. Soon afterward, LeBlanc began earning $1 million per episode of Friends. But we won’t forget him as a sexy bike messenger either. You can still find some erotic scenes with "Joey" online (the episode was called "Just Like That"). As for Matt’s early acting days, he only had this to say: "Did I really do those scenes? God, it seems like a dream. A really hot one, though. But when we were finished, I had a new appreciate for the words ’erotic’ and ’sensual."

  1. Jackie Chan

Jackie Chan, the legendary Kung-Fu master of the 90s and 2000s, has been known to take part in a variety of physical activities on screen that you might just not know about. In 2006, it came out that he had starred in an ’adult comedy’ called All in the Family. When asked about it, unlike Diaz, Chan shrugged it off as being no big deal, "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," he said. "The porn movie at that time was more conservative than the current films." It’s important to note that Jackie Chan’s foray into adult films was pretty soft–especially when compared to some of the stuff seen on HBO and Showtime today.

  1. Sasha Grey

Sasha Grey is a talented mainstream actress who has starred in several popular flicks like The Girlfriend Experience and I Melt With You, as well as the 2014 thriller Open Windows with Elijah Wood and a guest role in the final season of Entourage as Vinnie’s porn star girlfriend. Previously, she worked as an adult entertainer for five years before retiring in 2011. Sasha Grey is a prolific pornstar that has been featured in some of the most hardcore material on the internet.

  1. James Deen

You might have first heard the name James Deen in adult movies as the porn star has been very prominent on the scene since 2006. Before starring in The Canyons (2013) with Lindsay Lohan, James Deen is well known for featuring in famous films like Teen Mom Farrah Abraham’s sex tape. In 2009, he was named the "Male Performer of the Year" by AVN at the age of 22, making him the youngest actor to have won this award. He has also been described as "the Ryan Gosling of porn" by a fan, maybe prompting him into a experimenting in a more mainstream acting career?

  1. Sylvester Stallone

When Sylvester Stallone was sleeping on the streets of NYC, he agreed to appear in a soft-core porn film titled The Party at Kitty and Stud’s. When Stallone was a struggling actor out of work, he starred in what is pretty much your average softcore movie about a couple who throw a S&M party. "I was at the end of my rope, so I had to make that movie or rob someone," he told Playboy in 1978. Stallone worked for two days and was paid $200. Shortly after the 1976 release of Rocky, The Party at Kitty and Stud’s was edited and re-released as Italian Stallion to capitalize on its now-famous star.

  1. Helen Mirren

It may be true that Helen Mirren is now one of the world’s most celebrated actresses, but in 1979 she starred in Caligula - a controversial Roman epic that wasn’t allowed on the big screen because of its gratuitous content. One could argue that Caligula is an "erotic drama," so there’s some debate about whether it counts as pornography. However, the following points are important: A) It was produced by Penthouse magazine, and B) It was made explicitly pornographic and includes unsimulated sex —which caused controversy between the director (who did not want hardcore scenes) and the production company (who added them). Whatever the case, Mirren has no regrets about going nude for the film. "Everyone was naked in that," she told People. "It was like showing up for a nudist camp every day. You felt embarrassed if you had your clothes on in that movie."