Why Maitland Ward Left Hollywood to Be an Adult Film Actress

When news broke that Boy Meets World actress Maitland Ward, who had been retired from Hollywood for sometime, was pivoting to work in the adult industry, it generated quite the buzz online. This kind of transition is extremely uncommon. If anything, the paths are reversed. Ask Sylvester Stallone. Or check out the new movie MaXXXine.

Ward has now been in the adult film industry since 2019, and has amassed dozens of accolades as a result. She's proud of her transition and work, deservedly so. She also recently released the paperback version of her book, My Escape from Hollywood (previously titled Rated X), where she chronicles her career move in a memoir that is "unapologetic, unfiltered, and unashamed."

I got to chat with Maitland Ward in lieu of My Escape from Hollywood's release. Ward's path to the adult film industry is more unconventional than most. For one, she had a platform when she entered. During her time away from Hollywood and prior to her official entry into the industry, Ward dove into cosplay and garnered a whole new following that way.

From there, she dabbled into erotic writing. She loved the creative exercise of fleshing out her fantasies and exploring more taboo stories that Hollywood is generally too afraid to tackle. She talked about how she wanted to infuse these stories with "hot sex" and other erotic elements, and from there, she found herself willing and committed to giving performing a try.

In merely a few years, Ward has taken the porn world by storm. She's been supported by folks she never thought she would. Beyond her work in porn, her memoir is a story about a woman's liberation coupled with her journey of self-discovery.

I was curious as to what Ward believed are some common misconceptions about the porn industry, for there are many. Her answer was insightful:

I think it's the most organized, controlled industry around. We have to get STI testing every two weeks. We have to give our consent before any scene, like we have to go into detail about our 'yesses' and our 'noes,' and what we want from the scene. There is nothing done that just happens. Everything is agreed on beforehand. - Maitland Ward, per our interview

This was a truly enriching conversation with somebody who sounds completely confident in her new career.

Take a listen to my interview with Maitland Ward below, and find her memoir, My Escape from Hollywood, wherever you get your books!