Porn is big business, and as in any other business, there are some who have become iconic.
Here's a look at some actors and actresses who have made it big in the business. All of these people got their start in hardcore, some have crossed over to become mainstream stars.
She starred in over 200 hardcore films. Seka was one of the best-known, and prolific, porn actresses in the late 70s through mid-80s.
Out of work, Marilyn accepted a role in a porn film called 'Behind The Green Door,' which made her a household name. The 1972 film features Chambers having sex with an African American actor. Both the porn industry and the public were shocked by the, then-taboo, image of a white woman having sex with a black man.
Shortly after her 18th birthday in 2006, California native Marina Ann Hantzis started a career in porn as Sasha Grey. Her popularity rose quickly, thanks to her good looks and on-screen enthusiasm.
Steven Soderbergh cast her as the lead in his 2009 film, 'The Girlfriend Experience.' She also appears in the seventh season of the popular HBO series, Entourage.
Also known as 'la Cicciolina,' Staller is a Hungarian-born Italian politician, porn-star and singer. Seriously. She began her career in porn with her first hardcore film, in 1983.
In 1987, she was elected to the Italian Parliament. Once elected, she famously offered to have sex with Saddam Hussein for the release of his foreign hostages
After a childhood of sexual abuse at the hands of her father and stepfather, Patricia Kuzma (aka Traci Lords) began adult modeling at age 15, by using a fake ID.
By the time she was 18, she had appeared in over 100 adult films. Later, she moved to mainstream, appearing in numerous films - 'Cry-Baby,' starring Johnny Depp, Kevin Smith's 'Zack and Miri Make a Porno.' She has made countless appearances in dozens of TV shows.
She was the star of one of the most famous hardcore films of all time, 'Deep Throat,' which achieved unprecedented popularity among mainstream audiences in 1972.
After that, she starred in two softcore R-rated films, including 'Deep Throat 2.' She later went on to denounce her porn career, write her autobiography, and become a voice for the feminist anti-pornography movement.
Possibly the world's most famous and popular porn star, Jenna Jameson (real name, Jenna Marie Massoli) has become an industry on her own.
Taking advantage of a huge fanbase, she started an adult company called ClubJenna, that grew from one website to be a major force in the industry, with revenues estimated at over $30 million. She is the first and only pornographic film star to be immortalized in wax by Madame Tussaud's Museum.