Regardless of what you think of porn as a form of entertainment I think we can all agree that the stars of the adult filmic universe are not known for their thespian abilities. Career ambition or simply chance, once an individual’s name is associated with the medium they surely have to place their mainstream film dreams aside. Aspirations to broaden their acting skills base must really be hampered when all they are known for is their ability to fornicate on cue. No matter the latent talent, I seriously can’t imagine too many TV casting agents willing to hire someone with Shaving Ryan’s Privates on their resume.

There does seem to be a shift in perception as more adult movie stars are slowly popping up in movies at your local neighbourhood cinema, clothes and all. Perhaps the greatest achievement so far was the casting of Sasha Grey by the one and only Mr. Steven Soderbergh to headline in this year’s The Girlfriend Experience.

Ms. Grey is not alone as she is the culmination of years of hard work by numerous stars trying to be accepted by mainstream audiences. We have looked back at those porn stars who decided to break free from the confines of the genre that made them famous and aspire for more. For your reference we have included what films you may know them from, but if you’re curious about their back catalogue you’re on your own.