Khalifa shot to fame almost overnight after starring in a pornographic scene where she was wearing a hijab. The clip sparked widespread backlash and intense controversy.
Originally from Lebanon, Khalifa became the target of extreme reactions. She received serious threats, including photoshopped images by ISIS showing her being beheaded, which added a terrifying layer to her sudden fame.
Although she only filmed a few more adult scenes, Khalifa decided to leave the industry just three months after making her debut. The spotlight, however, never faded.
Even after quitting in 2014, she remained one of the most searched adult stars in both 2016 and 2018, showing just how much of a digital footprint she left behind.
Jump ahead to 2024, and Khalifa has found huge success on OnlyFans, reportedly earning around $6.2 million (or £4.6 million) every month from her content on the platform.
Speaking to the publication, the social media star described the exact moment she realised she could never return to a quiet, everyday life.
And according to her, it wasn’t a pleasant wake-up call by any means.
“I started to feel like a distraction — and uncomfortable. That’s when I realised, this isn’t going to change. This isn’t going to get better.”
She also noticed changes in how her coworkers treated her. Some women became cold or distant, while some of the men made her feel like she was on display, like she didn’t belong in the room.
“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.”
Reflecting on the adult film that pushed her into the spotlight, Khalifa said she felt pressured into doing it. She said the video played into stereotypes and took advantage of the fact that she was Arabic and spoke the language. Despite her hesitations, she went through with it.
“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.”
Khalifa also spoke with Louis Theroux on his Spotify podcast about how being in the adult industry took a toll on her mental health, even after she stepped away from it.
“But that had a lot more to do with my mental health than it does about the bigger picture of things. I think that nine years of therapy is a lot and it’s not because of what I went through in the industry.”