• Kylie Page’s Overdose: The 28-year-old adult film star was found dead in her Hollywood apartment from an apparent fentanyl overdose on June 25.
• Rising Death Toll: Page is the seventh female performer in three years to die from drug-related causes, highlighting a troubling pattern in the adult industry.
• Mental Health Crisis: Experts cite high rates of addiction, trauma, and depression among performers, with many using drugs to cope with stigma and emotional strain.

Hollywood’s glittering facade has long masked darker undercurrents—but the adult film world is facing a particularly grim reckoning. On June 25, 28-year-old Kylie Page was found dead in her Hollywood apartment. Her sudden passing, believed to be the result of a fentanyl overdose, makes her the seventh adult performer to die from drug-related causes in just three years.

The Oklahoma-born actress, known for her roles in films like Frisky Freshman and Naughty Bookworms, had recently garnered attention in Netflix’s 2017 documentary series Hot Girls Wanted: Turned On, which explored the lives of young women navigating the adult entertainment world. She had built a million-dollar career and a strong fanbase. But behind the scenes, Page was another name in a troubling trend.

Police arrived to perform a welfare check after friends grew concerned over her silence and found a tragic scene. Inside the apartment, they discovered drug paraphernalia and traces of fentanyl, revealing a familiar and heartbreaking story.

More Than a Pattern—A Crisis

Kylie’s death is not an isolated event. It joins a growing list of young women whose lives ended far too soon. And experts warn this is part of a much bigger issue, deeply rooted in the pressures and stigmas that haunt those in the adult film industry.

Amy-Marie Merrell, co-executive director of The Cupcake Girls—a nonprofit supporting adult performers with mental health care and crisis resources—remembers Page as a warm, generous spirit. “She was kind, loving, and so full of light,” she said. But light can easily get dimmed in an industry that often puts its stars through unimaginable strain.

Studies are increasingly pointing to a mental health emergency within the adult entertainment world. And the risks—addiction, depression, and trauma—are especially high for women. Research led by Dr. Corita Grudzen in 2008 found that female adult performers reported significantly higher rates of drug and alcohol use compared to the general population. Many entered the industry without addiction, but the environment, social circles, and emotional toll of their work dragged them down.

Some turn to substances to escape the judgment they face, both within the industry and outside of it. Others battle stress, anxiety, body image issues, and PTSD. With limited access to compassionate healthcare, the consequences can be devastating.

A Growing List of Heartbreaking Losses

The names of those who’ve died in recent years read like a painful memorial of bright, talented lives lost.

Angelina Please, a trans performer from Chicago, died in her Las Vegas apartment in March 2022. She was only 24. Fentanyl-laced cocaine was the cause of death. Her mother, Francesca, insisted she wasn’t suicidal and had worked hard to stay off meth. But the lure of party drugs remained. Angelina had just been nominated for Trans Performer of the Year. A close friend, Aspen Brooks, discovered her body and later wrote, “We lost an amazing person. One of my best friends.”

Sophie Anderson, one of the UK’s most recognizable adult stars, died in late 2023. The 36-year-old, who once brought laughter to thousands on social media, succumbed to a GHB overdose—just days after her husband, also in porn, died from the same drug. Friends said Anderson had spoken of abuse and felt law enforcement didn’t take her pleas for help seriously. Her former co-star, Rebecca More, remembered her as a bubbly soul with a tender heart—someone who made people laugh, even when she was hurting inside.

Sophia Leone, a Miami native working out of New Mexico, died in March 2024 at age 26. Police first suspected foul play, but later ruled it an accidental overdose. They did not disclose the exact drug, though she had long struggled with alcohol dependency. Friends described her as genuine and kind, someone who brought joy to every room she entered.

… and More

Jesse Jane, a longtime icon in the industry, had managed to bridge the gap between adult films and Hollywood. She appeared on HBO’s Entourage and starred in Middle Men alongside Kelsey Grammer. In early 2024, authorities found her and her boyfriend dead in Oklahoma from a deadly combination of fentanyl and cocaine. She was 43. Her publicist described her as someone who “lit up every room” and whose laughter was unforgettable.

Kagney Linn Karter took her own life in 2024. Though she had no drugs in her system, the 36-year-old had spoken candidly about her long fight with addiction and mental illness. A friend recalled how she kept showing up—for others, for her community—even as she battled her own inner demons. Her death was a sobering reminder that not every tragedy in the industry is about substances. Sometimes, it’s about silence, isolation, and untreated pain.

The Industry’s Unspoken Toll

For years, conversations around pornography have focused on its impact on viewers—addiction, expectations, desensitization. But far fewer studies have looked at the performers. And those who do the job every day often face the heaviest toll.

Behind the glamorized thumbnails and millions of views are women—and men—struggling with real, invisible wounds. Many use drugs as a form of emotional survival. Some fall into substance use because of peer pressure, while others turn to drugs to cope with the crushing loneliness that often comes with fame in such a misunderstood industry.

Mental health support is often lacking, and stigma makes seeking help even harder. “We need to stop pretending these losses are just part of the job,” said Merrell. “People in porn aren’t a monolith. They’re individuals, and their pain deserves to be acknowledged.”

The pattern isn’t slowing. And until the industry—and society—start to address the deeper issues of stigma, trauma, and isolation, more names will likely be added to the list.