Lana Rhoades Reveals the Surprisingly Low Pay Behind Her Fame as the World’s Top Adult Star
Lana Rhoades, once regarded as the number one adult film star on the planet, is pulling back the curtain on the realities of her time in the industry — and the numbers might surprise you. In a revealing interview on the Curious Mike podcast, the 27-year-old, born Amara Carple, shared that she was paid just $1,200 per scene during her eight-month career in adult entertainment. While that figure might seem high at first glance, Rhoades points out that, compared to the emotional toll and public exposure involved, it was a startlingly low return for what many assume is a lucrative path to stardom.
Reflecting on how she was just 19 when she entered the industry, Rhoades expressed concern for young women who, like her, often come from difficult backgrounds and are financially naive. She described how performers are surrounded by much older men who, in her words, “know exactly how to get you to do what they want to make them money.” Despite her massive fame, she soon realized just how little power and protection performers have. Her wake-up call came when she met a social media influencer earning $15,000 per Instagram post — more than ten times what she made per scene, without the lasting stigma or sacrifice
Now a successful influencer and entrepreneur, Rhoades has used her platform to speak out against the adult industry and its treatment of young women. She has called attention to the lack of mental health support, financial education, and legal protections for performers — and she hasn’t shied away from addressing the backlash. “People are like, ‘Oh, you knew what you were getting into,’” she said. “But they don’t understand what goes on behind the scenes.” Today, she channels her energy into building a fashion brand and advocating for greater awareness, even suggesting that the industry should be subject to far stricter regulation — if not outlawed altogether
