Recently came reports that acclaimed “Tangerine” and “The Florida Project” filmmaker Sean Baker was working with actress and model Bella Thorne on a documentary about Thorne joining the popular OnlyFans content subscription service.
Launched in 2016, the website allows anyone to subscribe for a monthly fee (often $10) to a single content creators account where they’ll usually see regularly updated clips and photos – essentially it’s a monetised Instagram without content restrictions or video length limitations (and no comments).
Though used by a variety of content creators from physical fitness experts to chefs and musicians, it’s mostly famous for its use by porn stars both professional and budding amateurs as essentially anyone can make some money by posting a few masturbation and/or sex videos, and do so with complete creative control over what they show or not. However they also have to market, publicise, shoot, edit and handle the books related to earning income this way often by themselves.
Thorne made a splashy and widely reported debut on the platform the other week and raked in $1 million on her first day alone and double that in under a week. Thorne said she joined the outlet only as research for a role in the Baker film, though Baker himself had never commented on such a project.
The news of her windfall caused an uproar among sex workers who argue she is taking away work from full-time performers who actually depend on the platform to pay their bills. Thorne’s arrival was hit by a backlash as she allegedly sent out a message promising more explicit photos of herself than subscribers received, triggering a wave of refund requests.
In the wake of this, OnlyFans seemingly changed rules for all content creators on the platform which both caps how much money one can charge and slows the payout process to creators. Facing being caught in the backlash directed at Thorne and OnlyFans for changing the rules, Baker has now released a statement refuting Thorne’s claims. He says on Twitter:
“I would like to make it clear that the news of me making a film (documentary or fiction narrative) about OnlyFans and using Bella Thorne as research is false. I’m NOT attached to this project. I’m actually in development on two features that I’ve put years of research and love in to and neither of these films have anything to do with Ms. Thorne or OnlyFans.
Earlier this month I had a conversation with Ms. Thorne and discussed a possible collaboration in the far future that would focus on her life and circumstances leading to her joining Onlyfans. On that call, I advised her team to consult with sex workers and address the way she went about this as to NOT hurt the sex work industry. This has been the extent of my involvement.
[I’ve] literally devoted my career to tell stories that remove stigma and normalize lifestyles that are under attack. I would never do anything that could possibly hurt the community. So please know that this news is not correct.”
Though mostly known off screen these days, Thorne actually has a fairly extensive filmography with regular or recurring roles on shows like “Shake It Up,” “Paradise City,” “Scream: The TV Series,” “Big Love,” “My Own Worst Enemy,” and “Dirty Sexy Money” along with films like “Assassination Nation,” “Boo! A Madea Halloween,” “Big Sky,” “Blended” and voicing Cora in the “Ratchet and Clank” PS4 reboot.
Source: The Playlist