Former adult film performer Lindsay Brooke has revealed what she calls the 'fantasy-killing' reality of porn sets, saying the sexual enthusiasm viewers see on screen did not necessarily reflect what she was feeling while filming.
Brooke, who spent 17 years in adult entertainment before leaving in 2024, said she sometimes dissociated and used narcotics to get through scenes with strangers. When asked about the best part of filming, her answer was simply, 'being done'.
The disclosures came during an open Threads Q&A in early October 2026, which Brooke later expanded upon in a Substack post titled 'Did I Kill Your Fantasy?'
Brooke Reveals What Really Happened on Porn Sets
When a follower asked about the best and worst parts of shooting a scene, Brooke gave a stark answer. The best part was 'being done', she said, while the worst involved performing with a complete stranger.
She also challenged the assumption that performers arrive on set overwhelmed by sexual desire. Asked what she felt before filming, Brooke said, 'No, I am dissociating. I am taking narcotics. I am leaving myself behind and stepping into a role.'
Brooke said drugs became a coping mechanism during her career. 'The drugs made it easier,' she explained, adding that she used them to avoid feeling on set and later used them differently at home.
Her comments describe her own experience rather than every adult performer's working conditions. Brooke acknowledged that workplaces varied, saying there were companies she enjoyed working with and others where she walked off set.
Former Porn Star Says Scenes Paid Around $1,500
Brooke said she typically earned about $1,500 (£1,120) per scene, an amount she now considers inadequate. Her filming schedule was relentless, according to her account, with frequent shoots during her first decade before she began working only when necessary.
The mother-of-three has said she attempted to leave after having each of her children but struggled with financial pressure and the stigma attached to her work history. Her own Substack describes her as '17 years in the adult industry. Sober. Out.'
In a September appearance on The Sober Mom Life podcast, Brooke also discussed narcotics as an escape mechanism and her repeated attempts to leave adult entertainment.
Why Brooke Calls Porn a Carefully Constructed Fantasy
Brooke eventually left in 2024 after surviving an overdose during a period when she was considering another contract. She has said the experience became the turning point that led her to sobriety and a permanent exit from the industry.
Her latest Q&A also addressed less dramatic realities of filming, from menstruation during shoots to artificial intelligence. On deepfakes, Brooke opposed using a person's likeness without consent, describing it as an old consent problem recreated with new technology.
Her broader message, however, concerned what audiences believe they are watching. In her writing, Brooke argues that pornography is built around performance and scenarios created for consumption rather than an accurate representation of women's desires or ordinary sexual relationships.
Her 'fantasy-killing' message concerns the gap between performance and desire. The camera may show enthusiasm, attraction and spontaneity; Brooke says that behind it can be contracts, strangers, repeated takes, discomfort and a performer doing what she was paid to do.
