As the storyline progressed, Cassie began taking part in increasingly extreme photo-shoots, which has so far generated a lot of debate among critics and Euphoria fans.
Off the back of the controversy, many real-life OnlyFans performers have been sharing their takes on Cassie’s story arc, with a range of different opinions.
Alex Paige Moore has suggested that Euphoria oversimplifies how easy it is to become successful on OnlyFans.
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“It’s not as simple as ‘send a message and make $50’ – if it was, everyone would be doing it,” Alex claimed.
“Most creators start on $1–2k (around £750–£1480) a month. It takes serious strategy, social media presence and consistency to build it up.”
She pointed out: “Cassie’s already rich – she’s just doing it because she wants more money, and for Nate to spend more money, which I think is a negative representation of the sort of girl that does only OnlyFans.”
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Cassie’s OnlyFans storyline has been a difficult watch for some Euphoria viewers
Alex started her OnlyFans to help earn financial independence to leave a toxic relationship while still being able to spend time with her young daughter.
“I feel like for a lot of people, joining OnlyFans is more of a last resort,” she added. “They’re not spoiled brats. They’re not mean people that’re giving their partners ultimatums.”
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She also took issue with the portrayal of OnlyFans modelling as “easy” , noting: “The idea that it’s easy work, easy money – that you don’t have to do much – makes it sound like a lazy job, which it really isn’t.”
Fellow performer Amira Evans agreed: “OnlyFans is NOT a get rich quick scheme. People need to understand the stigma and risks. The internet is forever.”
Others were more enthusiastic about OnlyFans modelling being represented on a show like Euphoria.
“I actually think it’s a positive step,” Bonnie Locket claimed. “For a long time, there’s been a lot of stigma, and shows like this open up the conversation.”
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Alix Lynx went on to say: “The reality is that people are on OnlyFans and so I love that it’s being shown on such a big show.”
Meanwhile, Taila Maddison noted: “I think it’s actually a really good thing that OnlyFans is being represented in Euphoria. It might boost its popularity a bit and remind people of what it is.
“A lot of people already subscribe, but this could catch some viewers by surprise and spark new interest.”
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Looking ahead, Taila suggested: “I do think Euphoria might initially portray joining OnlyFans as something a bit humiliating, because that’s often the reality when people first find out – especially friends and family. There’s usually shock, like, ‘Oh my God, I can’t believe they’re doing that’.
“But I’m hoping the narrative shifts over the season and people start to admire her for it. It feels like they’re trying to reflect real reactions first, and then maybe challenge them later.”
Euphoria star Chloe Cherry was also a pornographic performer and OnlyFans model before landing her role in the hit US drama.
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Asked for her take on the OnlyFans storyline last week, Chloe told Refinery29: “People have the weirdest, ideas and like fantasies of sex work being so empowering and we’ve seen all these news stories where they’re like, oh, OnlyFans models makes $700 billion in a month, and everyone’s like, ‘whoa’. I literally just think that these things are a bit of smoke and mirrors, actually.”
Chloe claimed: “It’s really hard to say if it would give [Cassie] any power. Obviously, Cassie is extremely attractive, so it probably would lead to her making a lot of money. But it just feels crazy as fuck to see somebody living like Cassie turn to sex work. It’s like, ‘holy shit, that’s where we’re at in society?’.”
“What I do want to make clear is this wasn’t a decision I made to step away,” he said at the time.
“I was faced with a choice that didn’t align with my values. And if you know me, you know this… I stand by my people and I stand by what I believe in. That’s what being a role model means to me.”
He has since alleged that he was dropped by Gladiators because he wanted to go public with his relationship with his girlfriend Taylor Ryan, who is an OnlyFans model.
“I had to choose between dating Taylor and keeping my job,” he told The Sun over the weekend, noting that he was “shocked and very saddened about their choice to sack me”.
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The firefighter and former professional bodybuilder alleged that he was told by Gladiators producers that by going public with his romance, he could be “providing an access to adult content for children”, something he branded “absurd”.
“One of the most disappointing things is that all I’ve tried to do is be a good person and a good role model, and the BBC haven’t been either of those things,” he lamented.
“Essentially, I don’t want to work for people like that either.”
The cast of Gladiators
BBC / Guy Levy
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In a statement to the Daily Mail last week, Giant said: “I made it clear that I was planning to go public with my relationship, including the fact my partner works as an OnlyFans creator, and shortly after that I was told I wouldn’t be continuing on Gladiators.
“It wasn’t something I expected, especially given the commitment I’ve shown to the role. I’ve always taken being in the public eye seriously, and I believe being a role model is about honesty as well as professionalism. For me, that means not hiding parts of who I am or the people I care about.
“My partner is an incredible person, and I have huge respect for everything she does – I’m proud to stand by her.”
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Giant then added: “I’m grateful to the BBC and everyone involved in the show for the opportunity and the experiences I’ve had. Now, my focus is on the future.”
A BBC spokesperson previously said: “After three formidable series, Giant is leaving Gladiators. We’d like to thank him for everything he has contributed to the show and wish him well for the future.”
HuffPost UK has contacted the BBC for additional comment.
A former Harry Potter actor was left feeling “canceled” after she said that her recent work on OnlyFans got her barred from a fan convention.
Jessie Cave – who appeared as Lavender Brown in the series, a character who is best known for being Ron Weasley’s girlfriend for a short time – wrote about her experience on her Substack.
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“I found out that I didn’t get booked for a Harry Potter convention recently, as I’m now doing OnlyFans,” she said in her post last week, which also celebrated six months on the OnlyFans platform.
“They explained it was because it’s a ‘family show and OnlyFans is affiliated with porn,’” Jessie continued.
She explained: “This was baffling to me as some actors who do conventions (most actors, actually) have done TV and films in which they’ve done sex scenes and nudity. I’m just playing with my hair!”
Despite the controversy, Jessie said she isn’t “upset about the prospect of no more Harry Potter conventions”.
“There’s going to be a new cast now and it’s a different time. Plus, I have done conventions for over 15 years and have enough photos and wizard memorabilia,” the 38-year-old added.
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Michael Gambon, Tom Felton, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe, Bonnie Wright, Jessie Cave and Jim Broadbent attending a photocall for Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince in July 2009.
Gareth Davies via Getty Images
Jessie has shared that she took on her OnlyFans account to help with bills, though she has continued her work as an actor after the Harry Potter series ended.
“I’ve taken control of my own career, and I’m not relying on anyone but me to make things happen,” she said in a post on Monday. “It’s going to be harder this way, but more fulfilling. I won’t be waiting for emails or validation and it’s exhilarating, I can breathe again.”
I grew up in a small Southern town where everyone knew everyone else’s business, and often gossiped about it. That’s typical of many small towns in America, but I never found myself at the centre of any of that gossip.
That all changed when at 56, I launched an OnlyFans account that immediately took off and made me a huge adult entertainment star.
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To say that my career change was out of the ordinary is an understatement. After 30 years of working a corporate job and raising a family, my life was mundane. I felt trapped in a loveless, sexless marriage and wondered if this was all there was to life.
I let my hair go grey during the Covid-19 pandemic. Bitterly unhappy, I put on weight. I drank a lot of wine. I cried – a lot. After years of battling bulimia, finally overcoming it and making healthy choices, I was heading in the wrong direction once again.
Desperate to make a change, I gathered up all of the courage that I had inside and asked for a divorce. I decided that I would rather be alone than unhappy in my relationship, and I felt at that time that I would probably be alone for the rest of my life.
Then I met Cam.
I was intrigued by this well-spoken, highly intelligent man 20 years my junior. He was the most handsome man that I had ever seen, so I was convinced that he couldn’t have felt the same electricity I did when our eyes met for the first time.
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But I was mistaken.
To my amazement, he asked me out, and our relationship quickly turned physical. I was blown away to find that my sensual side, which I had repressed for so many years, was just waiting for the right person to revive it.
Courtesy of Rae Richmond
The author poses with her boyfriend, Cam, who “made me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world,” she writes.
Our connection was magic. It was electric. It was wild.
The camera soon came out. We found that we enjoyed taking pictures and making videos of ourselves in intimate moments. It was so exciting and added a new layer of intensity to our bedroom romps.
Cam made me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world, and as a result, my confidence soared. I started taking care of myself again — emotionally, mentally and physically. Cam is a personal trainer, so he helped me find a routine that worked for me, and I was thrilled by how it made me feel and look.
We started talking about the possibility of sharing our sexy pics and videos on OnlyFans, and the thought was a huge turn-on for both of us.
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Because I have a business background, I started to research the mature entertainment creator niche and learned that men in their 20s, 30s and 40s were the primary demographic for content made by women my age. I once would have been surprised by that, but having a 36-year-old boyfriend who was totally hot for me made me realise that the age-gap fantasy is definitely a thing!
Courtesy of Rae Richmond
The author in 1983
I asked Cam If he really thought that anyone would be interested in watching a 56-year-old woman take her clothes off and have sex. He laughed and said: “Baby, the way you do it — definitely!”
I first posted on OnlyFans on May 7, 2023. Just a few months later, I am already one of the most successful creators on the platform, which blows my mind.
As soon as I launched my account, I began to gain popularity through my various social media platforms and started getting requests to do podcasts and interviews.
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It’s been extremely empowering for me to own my own sexuality as Cam and I have fun creating our scenes. He is quite creative and conceptualises most of our content, which we love making. We often act out storylines and use things like fluorescent paint and black lights to bring something extra to our photos and videos. Our real-life passion and chemistry translate very well onto film, and my subscribers absolutely love it.
While I keep my real identity secret for safety reasons, I am not ashamed of what I do, and I’m very proud of the work Cam and I do together. The response to my content has been overwhelmingly positive, so I was not prepared for the reactions from many of the people in my hometown when they found out about my sexy new career.
Courtesy of Rae Richmond
The author in 1997
I’m not sure who first learned about my OnlyFans account. My guess is that someone in my hometown subscribed without knowing it was me and then got the surprise of their life once they realised who I was, or maybe someone’s husband became a subscriber. I may never know for sure.
I started receiving hate-filled messages from someone who knew my real identity and called me a “hypocrite” (because I am a Christian and attend church regularly). They posted on social media, tagging both my stage name and real name, and said that people who knew me should “see what I’m really like”.
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I was so hurt and puzzled – I would never do anything to hurt anyone, and whoever did this had malicious intent. The hateful words they spewed at me, including comments that I’m serving Satan and going to hell, cut me to the core.
The situation quickly snowballed from there as more and more people found out about my career. People I barely know are angry that I didn’t tell them about my new life, as if they somehow had a right to this information.
Weeks later, I am still receiving messages, and people are still talking about me in thinly veiled, passive-aggressive posts on social media. They’re claiming “my world will come crashing down” and condemning “people who live double lives.”
A few people from my hometown sent supportive messages but asked me not to tell anyone about their support for my new career — because they were worried they would also become targets of this mob.
I’ve tried to explain to the few people who have been willing to listen that I’m still the same person I was before. I’ve asked a few of them to explain to me where their rules for my life are laid out.
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Could I have sex with my 20-years-younger boyfriend or not? Would that be OK with them as long as we didn’t film it? Is it OK to film it as long as we don’t let anyone watch it? Is it a sin because I put it on the internet for people to watch, or was it already a sin? What about what they’re all doing in their bedrooms? Do other people have a right to have an opinion on that? Did any of them have sex outside of marriage or live with their partner? Is any of this anyone else’s business? Are they suggesting that we should all have to put it all out there and let everyone vote on it?
Courtesy of Rae Richmond
The author and Cam pose with their dogs, Dax and Daisy.
It all sounds ludicrous, doesn’t it? And you probably won’t be shocked to learn that I never got a single answer to any of my questions. I’m tired of defending myself.
In the end, all I know is that we are all responsible for our own choices, and I’m happier than I’ve been in years.
I knew going into this that I would need to grow a thick skin because I wasn’t sure what the reaction would be. I did develop that thick skin, but what I didn’t know was that I was going to need it to protect me from those who were supposed to be my friends. I’ve certainly discovered who I can truly rely on and, in many cases, there is a fine line between hater and (supposed) friend.
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I’ve learned to stand up for myself, trust my own instincts, and make my own decisions and proudly stand by them. I’ve learned to lean on those who offer me unconditional love and support and to sidestep everyone else. I’ve learned that when a woman takes control of her life, some people will be scared, and they’ll go to great lengths to try and bring her down. I’ve learned that none of that matters because I know who I am, I’m not ashamed, and I refuse to be shamed by narrow-minded busybodies.
I’m going to keep creating my content and expressing myself in whatever way that Cam and I choose. As long as it works for us, we enjoy creating it and my subscribers love it, everyone else will just have to live with it. They might also want to ask themselves why they care so much about how another person chooses to live their life when it has no impact on them whatsoever.
Courtesy of Rae Richmond
“I’ve learned that when a woman takes control of her life, some people will be scared, and they’ll go to great lengths to try and bring her down,” the author writes.
Someone once told me that it costs $0.00 to mind your own business, but that’s apparently too expensive for some people. I believe they may be on to something there. Even if we don’t agree with one another, there is no reason why we cannot be kind and respectful of others’ choices.
My OnlyFans account continues to grow in popularity, and I will continue to live my life unapologetically — hopefully using my social media platforms to encourage other women to do the same. The best advice that I have for anyone who may find themselves in a similar situation would be to stay true to yourself and what you believe in and continue to follow your heart and your dreams. Always remember, if they throw bricks at you, don’t throw them back — pick them up and use them to build your empire!
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Rae Richmond grew up a bit sheltered in a small town in Virginia. She was a wallflower who finally began to blossom and come out of her shell in her 50s. Richmond says she’s “finally exploring different facets of myself” through her onscreen work as a top content creator. In her spare time, she enjoys working out, cooking and baking for friends and family, and taking her two dogs on long walks. In addition to OnlyFans stardom, she is currently voice acting on erotic audio books and writing a book of her own. She has an OnlyFans course for creators in development and expects to launch it in late November. To learn more about her, visit https://linktr.ee/raerichmond777.
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