10 Adult Film Stars Who Went Mainstream

10 Adult Film Stars Who Went Mainstream

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today well be discussing ten performers from the adult film world whose public profile grew beyond the parameters of that industry.

Sasha Grey

Theres been a shift in narrative thats occurred over the years with regards to the legacy and public profiles of adult film performers. Sasha Grey may not belong to the Golden Age era of adult industry trailblazers from the 1970s and 80s, but her success story is similarly interesting. Grey earned critical praise for her lead role in The Girlfriend Experience from director Steven Soderbergh, after first making her mark in adult films. Greys schedule has only gotten busier since then, since shes now expanded her profile into music and writing, while also continuing to take on mainstream acting roles, as they become available.

Ginger Lynn

If the halcyon era of adult films was the 70s, then Ginger Lynn served as a face for a new decade. She was one of the most popular and in-demand stars of her day, a video queen who also demonstrated solid acting skills. This allowed Lynn to transfer her natural charisma and charm into a variety of genres, from comedy, to horror, to drama. She was the star of the Vice Academy franchise of direct-to-video cop comedies, yet also could be seen taking smaller roles in films like Bachelor Party and Young Guns II. Ginger Lynn kept working at her craft, and professionals as varied as Rob Zombie and Metallica took notice, with the latter casting her in their music video for Turn the Page.

James Deen

An increased public profile doesnt necessarily mean that an adult film performer will be totally divorced from controversy. James Deen earned acclaim for his good looks and acting chops, skills that Deen utilized to his full potential in mainstream fare like The Canyons. This latter film was directed by Paul Schrader and co-starred none other than Lindsay Lohan. Deens performance was noticed by both critics and fans. 2015 proved to be a challenging year for the actor, however, since troubling allegations of sexual misconduct were levied at Deen from a multitude of sources. He lost a number of his endorsements and high-profile adult industry positions as a result of this scandal.

Sunny Leone

Its never been unheard of for models who have posed for magazines like Playboy, Penthouse, or Hustler to then experiment with roles in the adult film industry. Sunny Leone was one in a long line of prior Penthouse Pets to go this route, although she was arguably one of the most successful transition stories. Leone has starred in multiple mainstream movies for productions from India and Malaysia, while also working on reality television shows and as an MTV correspondent. Shes also a philanthropist who devotes her time to causes like animal rights and the American Cancer Society.

Jenna Jameson

It seems as if every generation of adult superstars has their one, brightest shining supernova. Jenna Jameson was almost certainly that star for the nineties, a highly recognized industry queen with an almost universal level of notoriety. Jamesons charisma has always been off-the-charts with magnetism, and this was reflected during her adult film career, which earned her legions of followers and fans. Shes appeared in music videos and mainstream films, but never seemed to care much about distancing herself from the past. Instead, one could argue that Jenna Jamesons popularity helped normalize adult film acceptance, perhaps changing a few minds along the way.

Traci Lords

Hers was the story that shocked and rocked an industry, almost to its core. The revelation that Traci Lords lied about her age to enter adult films meant that every piece of media she made during this time had to disappear. Her only legal film, Traci, I Love You, remains the lasting legacy of Lords adult past, but she used this controversy to transition into a mainstream career that continues to this day. Traci Lords has acted in everything from comedy, to exploitation, to drama, taking on both television and the silver screen with the same sort of business-minded ambition that brought her to the adult industry as a teenager.

Stormy Daniels

We dont fault anyone for keeping their heads tucked into the proverbial sand when it comes to knowing the identities of famous adult stars. That said, just about everybody found out who Stormy Daniels was during the U.S. presidential campaign of Donald Trump. Her court cases involving alleged hush money that was paid out to keep an affair between the two secret earned worldwide news headlines. Stormy Daniels' adult career also received a serious boost as a result, proving once again that old adage about how any publicity is good publicity.

Marilyn Chambers

Theres a lot to admire about the career of 70s adult film icon Marilyn Chambers. Her early work as a model included a memorable cover shoot for the Ivory detergent brand, but it was her adult film work that cemented her stardom. Behind the Green Door was considered to be one of the foremost works from the golden age, whereby more critical attention was being paid to the artistic merit of experimental adult films. Chambers would also sign her name into the horror history books with an outstanding performance in David Cronenbergs Rabid. Video features and more adult films would eventually follow, with Marilyn Chambers remaining a legend through it all.

Ron Jeremy

He arguably possesses one of the most recognizable voices, faces, and physiques when it comes to adult films male rogues gallery. A golden age star whose ability to handle dialogue and emotive performances helped turn Ronald Jeremy Hyatt into The Hedgehog, Ron Jeremy. This is another adult star with a wide-ranging scope of recognition from the mainstream, yet this degree of fame didnt arrive without cost. Jeremys legacy within the adult industry depends largely upon who you ask, with some claiming hes one of the all-time greats, while others tell a darker story. Specifically, the accusations of sexual misconduct that consistently dogged the actor, until a 2021 indictment was thrown out, due to Jeremys cognitive decline making him unfit to stand trial.

Ilona Staller a.k.a. Cicciolina

Ilona Staller may not be a household name in North America, but this Hungarian-Italian actor and adult film star managed to serve her country as a member of parliament from 1987 to 1992. Staller started out in sex comedy and exploitation roles before developing the Cicciolina personality that would make her both famous and infamous. The former due to her quirky personality and anything goes approach to sexuality. The latter due to her work with co-star John Holmes, the American adult star who continued to work in countries like Italy, despite knowing about his HIV-positive status. Still, the legacies of both Cicciolina and her adult contemporary, Moana Pozzi, helped blur the lines between art, sex, politics, and entertainment.

What are your thoughts about how the golden age of adult film crossed over into mainstream waters? Have you ever seen the old grindhouse theaters from U.S. cities like New York or Boston? Let us know in the comments!