In a raw and eye-opening revelation, former adult film star Hayley Davies opened up to Holly Randall on her Unfiltered podcast about the impact that her work had on her body. She filmed an astonishing 300 scenes in just six months.—and relied on painkillers to cope with the physical and emotional toll.
“I thought I was living the dream,” she recalls. “The money was good, and I was getting noticed. But behind the scenes, it was a nightmare.” At the peak of her career, she was shooting multiple scenes a day, often back-to-back, with little time to recover. “My body was constantly sore, but I didn’t feel like I could say no. The pressure to keep going was overwhelming.”
To manage the pain, she began taking prescription painkillers. “It started with one pill here and there, but soon, I couldn’t get through a shoot without them,” she admits. The physical strain was compounded by the emotional toll of performing in front of cameras. “I felt like a product, not a person. The more I did it, the more I disconnected from myself.”
Her story sheds light on the often-glamorized world of adult entertainment, where the demands of the industry can push performers to their limits. “People see the glitz and the money, but they don’t see the sacrifices,” she says. “I was exhausted, in pain, and emotionally drained. It wasn’t sustainable.”
After six months, she made the difficult decision to step away. “I realized I was sacrificing my health and my happiness for a paycheck,” she explains. “It wasn’t worth it.” Today, she’s focused on healing—both physically and emotionally—and hopes her story will serve as a cautionary tale for others considering a similar path.
“I don’t regret my choices, but I want people to know the reality,” she says. “This industry can chew you up and spit you out if you’re not careful. You have to prioritize yourself, no matter what.”
Her message is clear: Behind the glossy facade of adult entertainment lies a world of challenges that often go unseen. And for those navigating it, self-care and boundaries are essential.