Jessie Cave, the actress widely recognized for portraying Lavender Brown in the Harry Potter film franchise, has revealed that her income from OnlyFans has significantly eclipsed the earnings from her 18-year career in the arts. In an interview with The Times
Reflecting on her decision to join the site, Cave admitted to feeling a sense of shame, describing the move as a reflection of her failure to maintain financial stability as an actress and writer. She noted that after appearing in productions such as Call the Midwife, Black Mirror, and the film Great Expectations, she felt she had little to show for nearly two decades of professional work. She ultimately turned to the platform following a personal breakdown and a moment of extreme desperation after being rejected for an acting role, stating that the platform has genuinely saved her life and that of her family.
Cave, who shares four children with her fiancé Alfie Brown, remarked that she has earned more in a single year on the platform than she did throughout her entire career in the entertainment industry. Despite her success, she expressed uncertainty about the long-term viability of her account, noting that she does not post explicit content and feels she has limited time to continue without expanding her offerings. She acknowledged that while she does not enjoy every aspect of the work, the financial necessity keeps her engaged.
The actress, who appeared in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince as well as both parts of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, previously faced professional backlash due to her OnlyFans presence. In September, she revealed that she was denied a booking for a Harry Potter fan convention, with organizers citing the event’s family-friendly nature and the platform’s association with adult content.
Cave criticized this reasoning as inconsistent, pointing out that many actors who participate in such conventions have appeared in films or television shows featuring nudity or intimate scenes. She defended her own content, stating that her posts are innocuous, joking, “I’m just playing with my hair!” The report on her career shift and the challenges she has faced was contributed to by Charles Trepany and Pamela Avila.
7 that she earned £15,000, or roughly $20,000, in a day after she launched an account on OnlyFans in 2025.
She said doing so was “proof of my failure to make (or rather, keep hold of) money as an actress and writer,” adding that she had “nothing to show for 18 years of work in the arts industry.”
But while she expected that signing up for the platform would be a temporary solution that would allow her to make a few thousand dollars, it has “genuinely saved our lives,” she said.