Sean Baker’s interest in the lives of sex workers began with his 2012 drama “Starlet.” For that film, set around the adult film world of San Fernando Valley, Baker spent time listening to the stories of sex workers. Some co-starred in the movie. Many became friends.
“I remember being on set and Radium Cheung, my DP, was like, ’There’s a whole other movie. And there’s a whole other movie,’” Baker recalls. “I was like, ‘There’s a million stories to be told in this world.’”
