Jessie Cave is getting candid about the financial reality behind her decision to join OnlyFans.
The actress, best known for playing Lavender Brown in the “Harry Potter” films, recently admitted that inconsistent acting work and the cost of raising four children left her struggling to make ends meet.
“People just assume I’m rich and I have loads of money and no I don’t,” Cave, 38, said during an Aug. 20 appearance on the U.K. talk show “This Morning,” according to Entertainment Weekly.
Cave said she initially felt “embarrassed” about her financial situation and would have preferred to simply find more acting work. However, after nearly two decades in the industry, she found that occasional roles were no longer enough to support her family.
“It’s a very small proportion of people who can work regularly and I have done the odd job here and I have managed to keep afloat for 18 years,” she explained. Eventually, Cave said she reached a point where she did not know what else she could do.
Jessie Cave Says OnlyFans Has ‘Genuinely Saved Our Lives’
Cave joined OnlyFans in March 2025 after reaching what she described as a point of “complete desperation.”
In an Aug. 7 interview with The Times, the actress said another rejection following an acting callback contributed to her decision. Finding a traditional job presented its own challenges because of childcare costs.
OnlyFans initially seemed like a temporary solution. Cave expected to make about £5,000 and use the money to buy herself a few months to figure out her next move.
Instead, her account quickly took off.
According to The Times, Cave gained about 3,500 subscribers after her first post and earned £15,000 in one day. She said she went on to earn more through the platform in one year than she had throughout her acting career.
Cave’s content is non-explicit and focuses on her long hair. She posts fully clothed videos featuring herself brushing, braiding and styling it, describing her page as catering to a niche hair fetish.
“I thought I’d make five grand, be on it for a few months and it would buy me time to work out what we’re going to do,” she told the outlet. “But it’s now been over a year and a half and it’s genuinely saved our lives.”
Cave told “This Morning” that OnlyFans has also helped her become more confident. She said she is trying to move past some of the shame she initially felt about using the platform while continuing to work as an actress.
Jessie Cave Shares 4 Children With Fiancé Alfie Brown
Cave’s financial concerns come as she and comedian Alfie Brown raise their four children together.
According to People, Cave announced her engagement to Brown in April after 12 years together. The couple share Donnie, 11, Margot, 9, Abraham, 5, and Becker, 3.
“12 years and 4 kids later … It’s getting serious!” Cave joked while announcing their engagement on Instagram.
The longtime couple also co-host the podcast “Before We Break Up Again,” which Cave has described as a form of “couples therapy.” Their family moved from London to Liverpool in 2025.
Cave has made clear she has not given up on her creative work. Instead, she views OnlyFans as a way to support her family while continuing to pursue acting and other projects.
“This is how I’m making a living as an artist,” Cave said, adding, “I want to have less shame about it.”
