These 9 celebrities joined OnlyFans — here’s why

Britt HayesTue, September 15, 2026 at 9:00 PM UTC

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Jessie Cave on May 20, 2025 in London; Denise Richards on March 26, 2026 in West Hollywood; Donna Mills on Jan. 21, 2026 in Los AngelesCredit: Kate Green/Getty; Brianna Bryson/Getty; Paul Archuleta/Getty

Over the past several years, OnlyFans has become an increasingly popular destination for those looking to generate additional income — including celebrities.

OnlyFans really took off during the COVID-19 pandemic, as more and more people turned to the digital world in search of entertainment, connection, and new financial opportunities. Celebs weren’t immune to the siren call of the platform, where regular folks could earn a sizable income by charging subscribers for the sort of adult-themed content typically prohibited on other social media networks.

Not everyone was happy about the wave of celebrities joining OnlyFans: Bella Thorne, an early adopter of the platform, was harshly criticized by some sex workers who believed that her presence was unjustified, and that her intense popularity — she reportedly made $2 million in less than a week — resulted in unfair changes to the payout process and a reduction in income.

Whether a celebrity is looking to pad their bank accounts or pivoting to the adult industry, OnlyFans can be a lucrative enterprise, and one that allows stars a level of financial autonomy not afforded by traditional Hollywood avenues. Below, we’re taking a look at nine celebrities who joined OnlyFans and what they’ve had to say about the experience.

01 of 09

Bella Thorne

Bella Thorne at a ‘Find Your Friends’ screening on June 1, 2026 in Los AngelesCredit: Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty

When Bella Thorne joined OnlyFans in 2020, she was the first major celebrity to do so. The former Disney Channel star claimed to have made $2 million in the first week on the platform, which she said that she joined to research a movie she planned to make with Sean Baker, the director of Anora (2024).

“It’s a feature we are researching as I’m living it currently,” Thorne told the L.A. Times. “What are the ins and outs? What does a platform like this do to its users? What’s the connective material between your life and your life inside the world of OnlyFans? ... How can it change your life for the worse and the better? How far are you willing to go, and how far do you WANT to go? You can be me, or this talented girl from Montana, and OnlyFans could change your life — if you want it to, of course.”

Thorne, whose page is no longer active, was met with backlash after she charged $200 to subscribers for nude photos and instead sent pictures of herself in lingerie, according to The Guardian. OnlyFans subsequently made changes to its website, reducing the amount that creators could charge for exclusive content and switching from weekly to monthly payouts, which some sex workers believed was a direct result of Thorne’s activities.

As for Baker, the filmmaker posted a statement denying that he was working with Thorne on a project, thus negating her stated motive for joining OnlyFans.

02 of 09

Denise Richards

Denise Richards at ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’ BBTV Launch Event on March 26, 2026 in West HollywoodCredit: Brianna Bryson/Getty

Denise Richards joined OnlyFans in June 2022, shortly after her then-18-year-old daughter, Sami Sheen, launched a page on the platform. “I think that the platform really allows creators to be able to communicate with fans in a more dynamic way and to be our true, authentic self,” she told PEOPLE. “It’s a very safe platform, it’s 18 and over. You can do what you feel you want to do. It has allowed me to be able to be more interactive with fans.”

Richards previously supported Sami’s OnlyFans endeavor and defended her from critics, including her father, Charlie Sheen. “Lots of negative comments on my social this past week,” the former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star wrote on Instagram. “I have to say, I wish I had the confidence my 18 yr old daughter has. And I also can’t be judgmental of her choices. I did Wild Things & Playboy, quite frankly her father shouldn’t be either.”

03 of 09

Drea de Matteo

Drea de Matteo at the 25th Annual Dances With Films premiere of ‘The Latin From Manhattan’ on June 11, 2022 in HollywoodCredit: Paul Archuleta/Getty

Drea de Matteo said she initially joined OnlyFans in 2023 for an unusual reason: She wanted to start a podcast. “I was afraid that I’d be censored too much to talk about stuff just out there in the world,” she explained during an appearance on Jamie Kennedy’s podcast. The actress, best known for playing Adriana La Cerva on The Sopranos, said that she was also in a bit of a financial crunch. “We knew that the foreclosure was around the the corner,” de Matteo explained. “My house flooded, so I couldn’t sell the house quickly. It flooded right as I was getting news of the last foreclosure.”

While vacationing with her family, de Matteo said that her kids actually convinced her to post adult content on the page. She started by sharing a photo of herself in a bikini and “within 75 minutes the lien was paid,” she said, referring to the $75,000 owed on her home.

“People think I’m made of f---ing money,” de Matteo said, referring to her Emmy-winning Sopranos role. “Everyone sees me coming, they’re like, ‘Here comes that rich b---- from The Sopranos.’ And it’s like, no, I’m not at all. In fact, you know, I live a pretty f---ing normal life. I had to do that [OnlyFans] page to get a lien off my house after foreclosure.”

04 of 09

Donna Mills

Donna Mills at a screening of ‘A Murder Between Friends’ on Jan. 21, 2026 in Los AngelesCredit: Paul Archuleta/Getty

It can be difficult for older women to land decent roles in Hollywood as they get older, but OnlyFans doesn’t limit a celeb’s ability to earn income based on their age — so we shouldn’t be surprised that Knots Landing star Donna Mills joined the platform in July 2026.

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“I’ve always appreciated the incredible support and encouragement I’ve received from my fans over the years. Social media has been a wonderful way to stay connected,” the 85-year-old actress said in a statement shared with Variety. “But I’m excited to join OnlyFans because it offers the opportunity for a more personal and direct connection.”

About a month after launching her page, Mills appeared on the Creators Inc podcast, which is produced by the OnlyFans management company of the same name. Host and CEO Andy Bachman revealed that Mills, who doesn’t share NSFW content with subscribers, was “doing incredibly well” and had already made “six figures.”

05 of 09

Tricia Helfer

Tricia Helfer at The Game Awards at the Peacock Theater on Dec. 11, 2025 in Los AngelesCredit: Frank Micelotta/The Game Awards via Getty

Tricia Helfer, best known for her role on Battlestar Galactica, joined OnlyFans in May 2026. “At my age, I am in my ‘do what I want’ phase of life,” the 52-year-old actress told PEOPLE. “I’m tired of being told what to do and how to do it. I’m looking at it as something to have fun with and something that I can be in control of.”

Helfer said that she wanted to lean into “the sexier side of my brand,” offering subscribers “artistic shots with great photographers” as well as photos and videos of “quiet and silly times” at home, like when she feeds her goats. “I enjoy shocking a little bit,” Helfer added. “Would I shock my parents with the images? Probably. But they saw [me in] Playboy [in 2007], and they appreciated why I had done it. My passion is my job as an actor, and I’m using this platform as an extension of my creative, fun and flirty side.”

06 of 09

Shannon Elizabeth

Shannon Elizabeth at the 2024 Environmental Media Association Awards Gala on Jan. 27, 2024 in Los AngelesCredit: Kayla Oaddams/Getty

When she joined OnlyFans in April 2026, Shannon Elizabeth said she wanted to reclaim control of her image. “I’ve spent my entire career working in Hollywood, where other people controlled the narrative and the outcome of my career,” the actress told PEOPLE. “This new chapter is about changing that, showing off a more sexy side no one has seen, and being closer to my fans.”

Elizabeth, who is best known for her roles in American Pie (1999) and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001), joined the platform after filing for divorce from her second husband, Simon Bochert, and reportedly made $1 million in her first week. As for what she planned to do with her new income, Elizabeth told Page Six, “I have to find a place to live. I haven’t figured out where I’m going to live, and if I’m going to buy, if I’m going to rent... I need all my stuff out of storage.”

07 of 09

Jaime Pressly

Jaime Pressly poses for the 2021 Critics Choice Awards on March 7, 2021 in West HollywoodCredit: Rich Fury/Getty

Jaime Pressly’s stated reasons for joining OnlyFans in May 2026 are similar to those of her peers. “I’ve always believed in evolving with the times,” Pressly said in a statement to Variety. “This is another way for me to connect directly with my audience, on my own terms, with creativity and intention. I’ve loved meeting fans at various Comic Cons, and the excitement of having those real face to face moments made me want to seek options like OnlyFans.”

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The model and My Name Is Earl star joined OnlyFans just weeks after Shannon Elizabeth, who shared an Instagram post of the two actresses during a recent meetup in Texas. “Always nice crossing paths again and sharing a moment like this,” Elizabeth wrote. “Such a beautiful human, inside and out. Hope we get to do it again soon.”

08 of 09

Jessie Cave

Jessie Cave attends The International Booker Prize 2025 Winner Announcement on May 20, 2025 in LondonCredit: Kate Green/Getty

Harry Potter star Jessie Cave took a different approach when she joined OnlyFans in 2025 with a page specializing in fetish content centered on her hair. Cave elaborated on her motives in a Substack post, writing, “One year. I’ll try for one year. My aim? To get the house safe, cover the arsenic/lead wallpaper, build a new roof etc. My aim? To get out of debt. My aim? To empower myself? To prove to those in the past who have misjudged me that I’m not so sweet? To put time into something I never invested in before: self-love.”

Cave’s risk seems to have paid off. “I’ve earned more, easily, than my entire acting career within one year,” she told U.K. outlet The Times. “I thought I’d make five grand, be on it for a few months and it would buy me time to work out what we’re going to do. But it’s now been over a year and a half and it’s genuinely saved our lives.” The actress said that she earned over $20,000 in a single day.

09 of 09

Maitland Ward

Maitland Ward at the 2025 Adult Video News Awards on Jan. 25, 2025 in Las VegasCredit: Gabe Ginsberg/Getty

In 2019, former Boy Meets World star Maitland Ward pivoted to a career in the adult entertainment industry, which became far more lucrative and satisfying than her work as an actress. “On Boy Meets World, I think I made $20,000 or $25,000 an episode,” Ward said in an episode of ID’s Hollywood Demons. “In porn or OnlyFans, I can get six figures a month.” The actress officially joined OnlyFans after entering the adult industry, and quickly accumulated a legion of subscribers — her page currently has 2.44 million likes.

“I’m able to create my own brand, my own content, the way I want to create it,” Ward previously told Fox News. “Just to be naked by myself and be confident in my body and myself, I would never have been able to do that [before]. Porn has really given that to me — that empowerment, to be able to stand in my own skin, to be able to create projects that I want to create and be proud of, to go against the mold and do something that other people haven’t done.”

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