Lana Rhoades, once one of the most recognised names in the adult film industry, has spoken candidly about why she wants every video she ever made removed from the internet, and the traumatic experiences that led her to walk away from an industry she says took advantage of her.
Real name Amara Maple, Rhoades worked in the adult industry across two stints in 2016 and 2017, totalling around eight months. Despite spending only a short time on screen, she became Pornhub's most popular female performer in 2019 and remained at the top of the platform's rankings for years after leaving. None of that success has translated into pride about her time in the industry.
Speaking on the 3 Girls 1 Kitchen podcast, which she co-hosts, Rhoades described three to five scenes as particularly traumatic, citing being sent to sets with people significantly older than her and being pressured into acts she was uncomfortable with. She described one scene as so distressing she initially denied to herself that it had happened at all, and said she attempted to process it in therapy.
On Harry Jowsey's Tap In podcast in 2021, she said that if she had the legal ability to delete all her videos, she would have done so already. "I honestly tell people, if I could go back, I would give up everything to have my dignity and respect back," she said.
Importantly, she clarified that her regret is not about nudity itself but about the lasting social stigma that follows people who leave the industry. She described neighbours telling her she could not live near them because they had children, and partners using her past as a way to make her feel unlovable.
Now 28, Rhoades works as a social media influencer and content creator and has said she earns more now than she ever did on set. She recalled being told during her time in the industry that an influencer was making $15,000 per Instagram post while she was being paid $1,200 per scene.
Her advice to anyone considering the industry is consistent and unambiguous. "My answer always is don't get into porn," she has said. "I don't think that having sexual relations with people that you hardly know is good for your mental health or your heart."
