Jessie Cave, the British actress known for playing Lavender Brown in the Harry Potter films, has revealed that her earnings from OnlyFans have surpassed what she made during her entire acting career. The 39-year-old, who appeared in four movies of the franchise, said the income from the subscription platform has "genuinely saved our lives."
Financial Struggles and a Desperate Turn
Cave, who starred in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, and both parts of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, said she turned to OnlyFans after facing financial difficulties. During an interview with The Times, she admitted reaching "a point of complete desperation" after being rejected from an audition.
She explained that traditional work was not an option: "I couldn't go and, say, work in a supermarket because I can't afford the childcare, and also I don't want people shouting Harry Potter spells at me as I work at Tesco." She added, "I could retrain, but I can't afford to do a degree. I had a breakdown, and I thought, 'That's it with acting, I give up'. But also, we have no money."
Niche Content and Life-Saving Earnings
Unlike many OnlyFans creators, Cave's account focuses on non-sexual content. She serves a niche audience that pays for videos of her brushing her hip-length hair. From the start, she said her account would not be "a sexual one" but would instead feature "sensual" videos of her hair.
Initially, she thought the platform would be temporary: "for a few months" to "make five grand" and buy herself "time to work out what we're going to do." Instead, the income has been substantial. Her subscribers pay $6 (£4) per month, and she also earns from "paid-for messages." Within one day, she recouped the £15,000 cost of her accommodation at the Edinburgh Fringe from the previous year. She told The Times that she has "earned more, easily, than my entire acting career within one year."
Stigma and Personal Life
Cave acknowledged the "stigma" attached to OnlyFans due to its association with adult content, saying she initially "didn't really understand the risk of people thinking I'm doing porn." The actress, who shares four children with comedian fiancé Alfie Brown, has been open about her experience.
