'Sopranos' Star Drea de Matteo Says OnlyFans '100 Percent' Saved Her Life

Drea de Matteo says she only had $10 in her bank account when she began posting on OnlyFans last August.

Within five minutes, the actress, best known for playing Adriana La Cerva on The Sopranos, was able to pay off her mortgage.

De Matteo, 52, told the Daily Mail in an interview published Tuesday, February 27, that she’s glad she joined the adult site even though she was initially resistant to the idea.

“OnlyFans saved my life, 100 percent,” she said. “I can’t believe I’m saying that, but it really did save us.”

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The actress’ decision to join OnlyFans came at a time of particular financial hardship. After previously disclosing that her refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccine shut her out of work opportunities, de Matteo then had to navigate the expenses around caring for her ailing mother, raising two children and dealing with a house flood.

“I was like, ‘Holy s–t.’ In five minutes, I was able to pay back Compass Real Estate who kept the sale of my house,” she said of those first few moments on OnlyFans. “I did it, but I didn’t want to do it. I got a lot of heat for doing it and it went f–king viral and people went nuts.”

She says the account even gave her enough income to start her streetwear brand, ULTRAFREE, which was inspired by her 12-year-old son, Waylon. (De Matteo shares Waylon and daughter Alabama, 16, with ex-fiancé Shooter Jennings.)

Though de Matteo has warmed to the idea of posting racy photos on the site, it was not the original plan. At first, she was thinking of just starting a “controversial” OnlyFans podcast with husband Robby Staebler.

“That was what it was going to be originally,” she explained. “Like with him rubbing my feet because you have to add a little something for OnlyFans in there.”

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It turned out, however, that she found the photos empowering. She streams the photo shoots live, so even if the final versions are “touched up here and there,” fans can still see the authenticity behind them.

Admitting the photos don’t look as good if she’s too skinny, she says it allows her more freedom in her pre-shoot diet and that she enjoys the end result.

“It feels good to see those photos,” she said, adding, “We’re just carb-loading. I’m just being an Italian lady in the world, eating spaghetti and pasta and steak.”

Nevertheless, de Matteo knows her views on OnlyFans won’t necessarily match everyone else’s. She’s fine with the decisions she’s made.

“Anybody that wants to condemn me and put me down, go for it. I just hope you never find yourself in the position I was in to take care of two little kids,” she said.