QC FYI: What Porn Stars Really Make

Our friends at The Gay Times have tackled the eternal question, “How much money do porn stars actually make?”
QUOTE: “In a nutshell, if you get into porn looking to get rich, you’re cruisin’ for a brusin’. Most porn actors get paid per scene, not per movie. Their scene rates typically range from $500 to $1500. Most studios do not withhold taxes… Exclusive performers can earn $2000-$3000 per scene, but then again, they may not work as often as someone who isn’t bound by contract. Popular stars with some commercial cachet ask for and receive in the range of $5000 (that’s what Kurt Lockwood was paid to go bi for ClubHancock), but again, he’s not gonna get that kind of scratch consistently.”
They go onto say that Video On Demand (VOD) and web-based porn houses might pay more than professional studios since they lack the overhead of bigger companies—the cost of office space, salaried employees with health benefits and 401ks, DVD storage space, postage and handling costs, etc.—thus, they can afford to pay a higher scene rate on a consistent basis.
Their answer provides a ballpark idea for cocktail conversation, but stops short of actual actor’s pay. We guess that even when you’re spit-polishing a raging hard-on while eating another man’s asshole, it’s still rude to discuss salaries.