Cherie DeVille Gets Down to Business With ‘How Pornstars Really Make Their Money’

Cherie DeVille pulls back the curtain on the economics of a modern adult career in a new advice article, “How Pornstars Really Make Their Money”, now published on her blog at CherieDeVille.com. Drawing on nearly two decades of experience across studio productions and independent creator platforms, DeVille explains how the business has expanded far beyond a single paycheck from a shoot. “Today, performing is still central to what I do (the internet needs its favorite stepmom), but so is managing my brand, content, and relationship with my audience,” she writes. “On-camera work may be the most visible part of the job, but it is no longer the whole business.” She also breaks down studio work, subscriptions, clip sales, live appearances, merchandise, brand partnerships and other income streams while making the larger point that longevity depends on knowing how to build a business around a career. “The goal is not to be everywhere. It is to choose parts of the business that work together,” DeVille writes, adding later, “Views are flattering. Revenue pays the production bill. Profit keeps the business alive.” The article also looks at the less glamorous work behind independent content creation, from branding and customer service to scheduling, consent discussions and production planning. As DeVille puts it, “Modern porn stars are still performers, and I love that part of my work. We are also producers, marketers, editors, stylists, scriptwriters, production managers, and business owners, sometimes all before lunch.” Read “How Pornstars Really Make Their Money” now at CherieDeVille.com. ABOUT CHERIE DEVILLE: Cherie DeVille is one of the adult industry’s most accomplished and respected models, film stars and content creators currently in the business, with 14 years and 1700+ sizzling onscreen credits for top studios such as Evil Angel, Girlfriends Films, Penthouse, Jules Jordan Video, MissaX, Mile High and Brazzers, where she is currently an exclusive contract star – to her name. Born in Durham, NC and raised in Washington DC and Cape Cod, Massachusetts of French-Canadian descent, DeVille’s journey to success has been marked by her incredibly diverse skill set and achievements; growing up, she was actively involved in horseback riding, ballet, band, cheerleading and swimming, and worked as a lifeguard on the Cape, as well as a children’s day camp counselor, before earning degrees from the University of Hartford and University of Saint Augustine in Physical Therapy. DeVille then launched a career as a physical therapist and clinical instructor, which took her on assignments in locales such as St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, Florida, Virginia Beach, Nashville and the New Jersey shore. She also enjoyed a successful spell as a professional swing dancer and glamour model before making her way into the adult film industry in 2011. The star is also recognized as a thought leader in the adult creator space, contributing political columns and candid interviews to media outlets such as The Daily Beast, The Hill, Yahoo, Rolling Stone, New York Post, Associated Press, Barstool Sports and controversial Netflix documentary Money Shot: The Pornhub Story, as well as an Adult Performer Advocacy Committee board member and Cam Model Protection ambassador, with the goal of elevating her industry’s practices and community. She has also won several prestigious awards, including 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023 AND 2025’s AVN MILF Performer of the Year and XBIZ Performer of the Year. The 5’4 leading lady, who currently lives in Los Angeles with her partner and cat and plays Dungeons & Dragons in her spare time, continues to fuel her success and inspire those around her through an unwavering dedication to her craft, colleagues and many legions of fans who have supported her passions and extraordinary body of work over the years.