Mia Khalifa Opens Up About Quitting Adult Films After Controversial Scene

Mia Khalifa shares her reasons for leaving the adult film industry after a viral scene sparked controversy and personal reflection.

Mia Khalifa's Rise to Fame in the Adult Film World

Mia Khalifa, the Lebanese-American former adult film star, first captured headlines as a 21-year-old when she participated in a highly controversial video. In the scene that went viral, Mia donned a hijab, a sacred piece of clothing for Muslim women, and the video quickly catapulted her to the number one spot on Pornhub. However, with fame came intense scrutiny, including death threats from various groups.

Reflecting on a Career and Sudden Fame

Now 31, Mia looks back on her tumultuous entry into the adult entertainment industry. Raised Catholic, she recalls feeling out of control of her own brand and the unintended infamy that followed. "My brand at the beginning wasn’t something that was much in my control," Mia revealed in an interview with the New York Times. "I became infamous by accident." Pressured into performing in the scene that exploited her Arabic heritage, Mia's experience was overwhelming as it unfolded.

“Every news outlet picked it up, and everybody had an opinion. I was completely out of control of my image, my reputation. I feel like a lot of people have slutty phases when they’re 20, 21. Unfortunately, mine was in 4K.”

A New Path: From Law Office to Social Media

Working at a law office during this time, Mia found herself increasingly uncomfortable due to the murmurs and whispers her past stirred among colleagues. Realizing the situation was unlikely to improve, she made the bold decision to pivot and embrace a new career path as a social media influencer. "That’s when I realized, this isn’t going to change; this isn’t going to get better," Mia shared. "So I reopened social media, and I decided to try to be an influencer and a public person if that was the fate that I had sealed for myself."