OnlyFans on Screen: Economic Desperation Drives TV Characters to the Platform

Apple TV+’s *Margo’s Got Money Troubles* follows single-mother Margo (Elle Fanning) who joins OnlyFans after losing a restaurant job. HBO’s *Euphoria* shows Cassie Howard (Sydney Sweeney) creating OnlyFans content to raise $50,000 for wedding flowers. In ABC’s *Abbott Elementary*, teacher Janine Teagues (Quinta Brunson) briefly considers a parody platform “MostlyFans” amid job insecurity. Each storyline ties the decision to use OnlyFans directly to personal financial strain.

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Author Rufi Thorpe, who wrote the novel behind *Margo*, cites “hustle culture” as a driver of OnlyFans growth. Pace University law professor Bridget Crawford notes that creators receiving a 1099 for earnings above $600 can build credit histories. OnlyFans reports over 4.6 million creators who keep 80 % of subscription revenue. Comedian Gracie Canaan earned $4,000 in her first month and more than $100,000 in 2023. Cassie’s fictional target is $50,000, while former adult-film star Chloe Cherry says the platform reflects worsening economic conditions.

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Thorpe says the rise of OnlyFans reflects “hustle culture” and the need to cover rent. Crawford argues that 1099 reporting lets creators “feel like any other worker.” HBO creator Sam Levinson called the Cassie storyline an “absurd layer” satirizing quick-cash allure. OnlyFans’ terms prohibit any content involving minors or age-related role-play, a policy the company cited when declining comment on the *Euphoria* scene.

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The adult-baby sequence with Cassie drew criticism from OnlyFans creators, who called it “troublesome” and warned it could legitimize prohibited content. Critics also note that the platform’s “myth of easy money” masks the reality that most creators earn modest incomes, contrary to the high-earner narrative on TV.

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OnlyFans does not release detailed earnings data, so the share of creators earning six-figure incomes remains unknown. While top earners reportedly make millions monthly, the revenue distribution across the 4.6 million users is unclear.

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• “You see the rise of hustle culture, and it could look like driving for DoorDash or driving for Uber, or it could look like OnlyFans,” — Rufi Thorpe, author

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• “I think that’s the predominant reason why anyone does sex work,” — Rufi Thorpe, author

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• “It has nothing to do with empowerment or power or anything,” — Chloe Cherry, former adult-film star and OnlyFans model

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• “this is the business world of today.” — Cassie Howard, *Euphoria*

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The portrayal of OnlyFans in mainstream series signals a cultural shift that normalizes digital sex work as a pragmatic response to economic pressure. Tax-reporting practices further blur lines between gig work and traditional employment, while stigma persists.

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Future TV seasons may continue to reference OnlyFans, prompting debate over platform regulation and content standards. Policymakers could scrutinize the gig-economy classification of creator earnings as economic pressures persist.

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