Mia Khalifa has shed light on the multi-billion dollar adult film industry with recent revelations that she made only $12,000 during her porn career, which still haunts her years after walking away from it.
“People think I’m racking in millions from porn. Completely untrue. I made a TOTAL of around $12,000 in the industry and never saw a penny again after that. Difficulty finding a normal job after quitting porn was... scary”, she tweeted, speaking out about her former job.
People think I’m racking in millions from porn. Completely untrue. I made a TOTAL of around $12,000 in the industry and never saw a penny again after that. Difficulty finding a normal job after quitting porn was... scary. Full interview here: https://t.co/xHK7SmhfrY pic.twitter.com/fwJlyzHznq
— Mia K. (@miakhalifa) August 12, 2019
She clarified that by making this confession, she wants to bring up “common misconceptions” about her and the industry, as well. At the same time, Khalifa, who was originally called Mia Callista, noted that she neither expected nor was promised “millions”.
She also complained that people think she is still performing, despite having given up starring in porn after performing in several videos.
“I was involved in porn so briefly, but my actions spread like wildfire, and I continue to be ranked (truly baffles me) 5 years after leaving the industry”, she revealed on Twitter.
Even though Khalifa has been ranked the second most searched-for actress on the adult video giant Pornhub and garnered 784 million views, she has not received any royalties from this or other platforms, she revealed to The Washington Post.
Although she starred in a dozen films, there are 3,800 videos tagged “Khalifa” on the platform. However, Pornhub declined to reveal how much they have earned on them from advertising, for example.
But not everyone seems to feel sorry for Khalifa. One commenter pointed out that she is still profiting from her fame, using her stage name to be talked about, as she is now trying to reinvent herself as a blogger and media influencer.
if she only made 12k it’s because she only shot porn for a VERY short amount of time. the title is misleading, she still uses her stage name meaning she still profits off of her time in the industry even if she’s not doing porn.🤷🏻♀️
— lydia 💕 (@generichoe) August 12, 2019
Also. You’re number 2 on @Pornhub that fucking pays broad. Stop using PORN to regain clout. You’re not allowed to bash us and then use us to get talked about again. With your bland ass scenes.
— Big Red Hoe (@tanaleaxxx) August 13, 2019
Tryna workout how she only made 12k after a friend told me hes seen her in about 50+ videos and guzzled over 100 sausages in that time.. pic.twitter.com/jsgU820stT
— IAmLegen-Wait4itDary (@FunnyGuy_Rai) August 12, 2019
Come on. The notoriety from your career has made you tens of thousands, since u quit the biz. And had u leveraged your fame in porn into making your own content, you'd have made even more! Do you HONESTLY think that you would be where u are today if u hadn't shot porn???
— DickDrainers X (@BRichXXX) August 12, 2019
You have 2.7 million followers and are one of the most well known names/ brands in the industry, you must mean 12K *just* as your shooting fees.. literally no one believes you made 12K off this industry and then not another penny. You’d have to be the worlds worst businessperson.
— Ari Dee (@TheAriDee) August 12, 2019
Some directly accused her of lying.
We know you lying but ok sis, go on pic.twitter.com/cLP7pn8bor
— abel's droppin 💿 (@phebbeee) August 12, 2019
Others sided with Khalifa, suggesting that the industry is unfair.
Most of the replies to this are gross! It's amazing in 2019 there is still such a stigma attached to porn and beyond that a double standard between male and female performers.
— HudsoN (@Hudson43760434) August 13, 2019
That’s worse than any terrible scumbag music industry deal in the last 20+ years. There should be some sort of stream or porn publishing deal. $1,000 a video???? Damn.
— BEN BALLER™ (@BENBALLER) August 13, 2019
Mia Khalifa, who was born in Lebanon but moved to the US when she was a teen, shot to fame five years ago after she featured in an adult film, wearing a hijab, leading to beheading threats from Daesh*. She soon quit her career but still had to deal with being a household name when it comes to porn.
“I was not scared of ISIS. It was jarring. But I wasn’t living in fear. It was more that I was living in shame”, Khalifa told the US outlet.
*A terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries.