Indie filmmaker Sean Baker says he isn’t making any kind of movie about Bella Thorne and her record-breaking debut on OnlyFans.
In a statement Friday, Baker, whose credits include “The Florida Project” and “Tangerine,” disavowed any connection to a Thorne-OnlyFans project. His announcement comes after a backlash among sex workers who rely on income from OnlyFans about Thorne’s arrival on the subscription-based platform. OnlyFans recently reduced the maximum limit creators can charge for exclusive content from $200 to $50 (after Thorne charged $200 for a three-pack of non-explicit photos), and extended the time to pay creators from seven to 30 days — changes some in the community blame on Thorne. The social network has a reputation for hosting pornographic content, while Thorne has said she will not post nude content on OnlyFans.
Thorne, one-time star of Disney Channel’s “Shake It Up,” launched a $20-per-month OnlyFans account on Aug. 19. According to OnlyFans, she earned more than $1 million in her first 24 hours on the platform, setting a new record for the site. Thorne has since raked in upwards of $2 million from OnlyFans.
Last week, Thorne enthusiastically shared plans to make a documentary feature with Baker about her OnlyFans experience. In an Instagram post, the actor said she’s “excited to talk about the politics behind female body shaming & sex!!! With the amazing director sean baker who I’m proud to call my friend.”
Baker, in a statement posted on Twitter Aug. 28, said he is not, in fact, making a film about OnlyFans and Thorne. “I would like to make it clear that the news of me making a film (documentary or fiction narrative) about Onlyfans and using Bella Thorne as research is false.”
According to Baker, in a call earlier this month with Thorne, they discussed a potential project “in the far future” that would “focus on her life and the circumstances leading to her joining OnlyFans.”
However, Baker said, “On that call, I advised her team to consult with sex workers and address the way she went about this as to NOT hurt the sex work industry… I am an ally and have literally devoted my career to tell stories that remove stigma and normalize lifestyles that are under attack. I would never do anything that could possibly hurt the community. So please know that this news is not correct.”
Baker added that he is in development on two features “that I’ve put years of research and love into and neither of these films have anything to do with Ms. Thorne or Onlyfans.”
Thorne has not directly commented on Baker’s statement distancing himself from an OnlyFans project with her. However, Thorne on Friday retweeted comments by Baby Gemini (@hedonistlovers), a porn performer who sells an $8 monthly subscription on OnlyFans for access to explicit videos and photos.