15 Celebs You Didn't Know Participated In 'Skin Flicks'

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The dream of moving to Hollywood and becoming an actor is a dream for many. A few make it, others fake making it, and the rest end up making adult movies in the valley. Hey, I get it; we all have to do what we have to do.

Just missing the list is Joanie Laurer (aka Chyna) and Hulk Hogan - first, because they are wrestlers, and second, because their films (the former intentional, the latter not) were released after they were famous. Same goes for Jane Fonda - just because you have a lull in a successful career doesn’t make it right. Of course Kim Kardashian is worth a discussion here, but her fame is complicated and so is her amateur film. Fun fact: Did you know the kid who gets his tongue stuck in the movie A Christmas Story did an adult movie? The holidays will never be the same.

Come and take a look at what we found…we’ve got action heroes, respected Oscar winners and yeah, a few you just knew started acting with their pants off. Don’t judge, it could happen to anyone! Now let’s see who made our list of Hollywood stars that got their career kick-started working in the skin industry.

15. Matt LeBlanc

Joey from Friends wasn’t always so naive. Matt LeBlanc was making bank by the end of his run with Friends, but it wasn’t always that easy for him. LeBlanc starred in Red Shoe Diaries, a show from Playboy Entertainment that was shown late at night for lonely or bored insomniacs. Most episodes, including the ones with LeBlanc were very predictable and low on acting skill. Still, it was a stepping stone for many, including LeBlanc who would go on to do Friends, Joey and even have his own show on HBO. Hey, who is LeBlanc’s agent? He definitely deserves a raise…

14. Arnold Schwarzenegger

Okay, so the Terminator didn’t do an adult movie, but he did pose for adult magazines. Arnold Schwarzenegger “modelled” for a gay magazine titled After Dark. He was also photographed by Paco Arce Gomez, a gay Spanish playboy, leading to a huge gay following. Now, take a moment and think about the photos and the movies that followed. Ready? Now picture the conservative Governor of California! Yes, the body building movie star with a huge gay following! He now says it was about art, but there were also clips of Arnold lifting weights in a gay skin flick. This is just too much for an actor that clearly always wanted to go Commando…

13. Helen Mirren

Helen Mirren and her army of publicists will deny she was involved in such filth, but she did star in Caligula, a movie that had Mirren dancing around naked and performing simulated coitus. Just a second while I check the book of rules… Ding Ding Ding! That’s enough to make the list! Most of the fellatio scenes were left on the cutting floor, but still The Queen clearly made her spot known early in her career. Hey, it was the 1970s, so who cares? She should not only be cool with this she should make a sequel. Now that would get people talking…

12. Cameron Diaz

Now, Cameron Diaz is one of the most wanted actresses in the world who commands top dollar, but it wasn’t always that way. Hollywood is funny like that (funny in a sad, sad way); there are lots of pretty faces out there. Diaz was 19 when she made a softcore skin flick that was ripe with her breasts (she was wearing a see-through body suit throughout) while pulling a guy via chain. How this never became a “there’s something about Mary” joke I’ll never know, but I guess the past is the past, even if it was an incredible “Oscar-worthy” bodysuit.

11. Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe “skin flicks” is a debated topic that has been ongoing for many years. Here’s what we know for sure: Monroe posed for a lot of adult magazines and had no problem baring it all, that’s fact. There are also alleged films going all the way back to 1946 of Monroe in sexual positions. Apparently she went by Norma Jean Baker and played the role of a young woman trying to make it in the movie business. Not a stretch by any means… These black and white films now go for millions via auction. Some say it’s actually not Monroe, but others insist it is while others have forked over the cash for her movies.

10. Perrey Reeves

Playing the prudish role of Melissa Gold, the wife of lunatic agent, Ari Gold, on HBO’s Entourage, Perrey Reeves has a past of getting naked in films. The show was Red Shoe Diaries, distributed by Playboy Entertainment, where she got fully naked for an episode. Given she plays the “conservative” role well, it’s surprising to find she agreed to the birthday suit scene. Of course, that just means she’s a great actress, right? As a big fan of Red Shoe Diaries during its run, I’m totally cool with this assessment. I mean, look at the talent this show spawned- it was clearly the Duke University of soft-core skin flick shows.

9. Sasha Grey

Before Sasha Grey starred in Steven Soderbergh’s The Girlfriend Experience or appeared in HBO’s Entourage, she was a skin flick star. After leaving home at the young age of 18 she jumped right into adult movies and built a solid reputation in the industry. Now that Grey has broken into the mainstream you would expect she doesn’t bring up the past, but it’s actually quite the opposite. She continues to talk about her past, understanding this is what made her famous and uses her experiences to educate others considering, or just getting started in the world of skin flick movies.

8. Sibel Kekilli

Fans of Game of Thrones know Sibel Kekili as the actress who likes to take her clothes off. Now famous for this role on Game of Thrones, an adult movie from Germany has surfaced. Who knows, maybe this is what got her the job to play the role she does on her current show? Skin flicks don’t often lead to mainstream work, but this appears to be one case where adult movies were the gateway to bigger and better things. Next up for Kekilli is a more conservative role, something with a sweater tied around her neck. (Just kidding, I’m sure she will continue to get naked.)

7. Barbara Streisand

In order to make ends meet, Barbara Streisand turned to the adult film industry to make some extra cash and finance her way to Hollywood. It was the late 1950s, and man, those were crazy times, I guess. Anyway, apparently she was tempted to be a sex worker, but instead made films. Always a sly businesswoman, it makes sense that if you are going to do the deed might as well get your work out there versus a one-time encounter. Film is film in Hollywood - something I’m sure some adult movie producer told her right before he turned on his camera.

6. Aurora Snow

Aurora Snow has appeared in Superbad and The Rules of Attraction. This crossover into mainstream films wasn’t traditional; in fact Snow is still known as a skin flick star first, making movies up till recently. Snow started young (18 years of age) and started with small roles, eventually growing into character driven, “traditional” adult movies. She also hosted Private Calls on Playboy TV and released a biography by Carnal Comics titled Aurora Snow: True Stories of Adult Film Stars. She now speaks on the subject of adult movies at major universities including Harvard Law School where she spoke on the topic of Sex, Drugs, and Rolling Dice: The Regulation of Vice.

5. Jesse Capelli

Who is that hot girl in the Van Wilder movies? If you’ve ever asked yourself that question, you were watching Jesse Capelli, adult movie star. Capelli’s career started out as a model at the young age of 12. She would move to Hollywood to get into acting and signed on as a Perfect 10 model where she was photographed nude. She then “graduated” to other magazines, even becoming the Penthouse Pet of the Month in April 20004. Capelli then went on to star in hardcore skin flicks for Vivid and Club Jenna, as well as many adult websites including BangBros, Hustler and Naughty America.

4. Kevin Costner

The movie is Malibu Hot Summer, released in 1986 despite being shot back in 1974, features Kevin Costner. During the 1980s, there was lots of “T & A” movies put out, with many set around the beach or the ocean, or apparently a farm with ranch hands. This is one of those. The movie is not great and it’s definitely not a hardcore skin flick, but the intent of the movie is pretty clear and that is to show nudity. The funny thing about this movie is that Costner gets a lot of credit for “at least trying to act,” so yeah, there is no way this movie would have been released had it not been for the ranch hand becoming famous.

3. Jackie Chan

Before Jackie Chan was a box office Kung Fu master he starred in an adult movie. What’s great is that he owns it, explaining that it’s what he had to do at the time to pay the bills. The film, titled All In The Family, was dubbed a comedy with adult content. Despite no martial arts executed in this movie, I like to think there was a couple off-camera moves that got people talking. Maybe not a lot of people, but somewhere someone is getting romantic and planning their sensual karate chop move. At least I like to hope so!

2. Sylvester Stallone

Yes, that’s right, one of the biggest stars of Hollywood started off with an adult oriented flick. Originally titled The Party at Kitty and Stud’s it was later renamed to Italian Stallion due to his famed Rocky nickname. Apparently Sylvester Stallone only made $200 making this movie, not quite up to his millions he is paid now. Doesn’t need to be said, but let’s face it, Stallone is an awesome skin flick name! Unfortunately, Stallone doesn’t pull his hat around like in Over The Top, that would be too priceless. Looking for a fun party game? Record the sound from Italian Stallion and also the Rocky and Rambo movies and try to identify which movie the grunts came from. Needless to say, hours and hours of entertainment…

1. David Duchovny

A few years ago, David Duchovny checked into rehab for sex addiction. This was during his series Californication, which is about a writer who is an alcoholic sex addict. Pretty much each episode found Duchovny’s character, Hank Moody, in a sticky situation with a hot girl (or girls). So it’s really not surprising that Duchovny cut his acting chops with the softcore adult series The Red Shoe Diaries. Fans of Californication may shrug, but there is a major following of X-Files fans that have no idea Agent Mulder was knocking boots prior. (These are the same hardcore fans that would be appalled if they watched the Californication series.)

Sources: IMDB.com, AfternoonGossip.com