Porn's Biggest Crossover Stars

Ron Jeremy: Named the top porn star of all time by industry publication AVN, Jeremy has long been the public face of pornography. The 59-year-old actor, nicknamed “the Hedgehog,” has appeared in more than 2,000 movies during a career that began in 1978. Jeremy still performs in sex films, though he transitioned to mainstream work during the 1990s. His film credits include Orgazmo (1998), The Boondock Saints (2000) and The Rules of Attraction (2002). “These are things that put me on the map more than anything else,” says Jeremy between bites of a lunchtime salad at Rainbow Bar and Grill, a well-worn Sunset Strip haunt he frequents. Jeremy also served as a consultant on the sex-centric films Boogie Nights and 9-1/2 Weeks. On the TV front, he has voiced his own character on Family Guy and appeared on Nash Bridges. And appearing in 48 music videos, including a recent LMFAO clip, has helped him develop a cult following. These days, a large chunk of Jeremy’s income is derived from endorsement deals. He has lent his name to a rum called Ron de Jeremy (ron is Spanish for “rum”), which launched in 2011. Through the years, he has endorsed hot sauce, rolling papers, male enhancement pills, skateboards and cigars and has drawn revenue from RonJeremy.com. The Hollywood resident declined to say what these deals have paid but said promotional work easily can top $50,000 a contract. Says Jeremy, “I could stop doing everything and just sit in my house, watch TV, and I’ll still be making money.”