Aug 12, 2026
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Add us on GoogleWhile Hogwarts pupil Lavender Brown is fascinated by the prospect of seeing into the future, Jessie Cave, the English actress who played her in the final three “Harry Potter” films, could never have foreseen the career twist that began for her in March 2025.
More than a decade post-”Potter” and with four young children of her own, Cave told The Times that acting rejections and childcare costs left her broke and at “a point of complete desperation.” So in a last-ditch effort to make some money, she turned to OnlyFans.
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Despite the site’s reputation for sexually explicit content, Cave created clothed videos of herself playing with her long blonde hair, brushing it or “tying it around her waist,” the Times explained, “for people who like that sort of thing.”
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“My rule is, the hair is the main character,” Cave added. “That’s how I justify it. It’s literally about hair: the texture of hair. The fetish. It’s very, very niche.”
In what turned out to be a fantastic hair day, Cave’s $6 monthly subscription deal and paid DMs netted her about $20,000 in 24 hours and eventually, over the course of a year, more than she ever made acting, she says.
But there’s no wizarding magic here — just Cave’s long locks, some incentive and a bit of inspiration from other celebs-turned-OnyFans creators.
Cave isn’t the only one looking for a side hustle to make ends meet
Cave didn’t return Moneywise’s request for comment but, on a 2025 episode of her podcast, “Before We Break Up Again”, she recalled the “doors getting slammed in my face and just so much rejection over the years” in her acting career.
She then cited fellow Brits Lily Allen and Kate Nash as inspirations to join OnlyFans — where they sold feet and posterior pics respectively. Singer Nash specifically noted she did so to make up for money lost on touring.
And while Cave’s made more than she could have imagined, she believes her side hustle will run its course because she doesn’t plan to involve nudity. As such, she told the Times that she’d like to eventually conclude it by cutting off and selling her hair.
Cave also predicts we’ll see “more people needing to use other platforms to make money when they’re not being an artist” — though the need for an income injection extends beyond artists.
A 2026 survey by Side Hustle Nation found that 39% of working Americans — or roughly 80 million people — have side hustles, with 61% of those saying they do so to save extra cash or pay off bills and debt.
They reported that online businesses such as newsletters and affiliate marketing were among the top earning side hustles, with e-commerce stores and local services also proving profitable.
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An April Lending Tree report, meanwhile, noted that side hustling is actually waning compared to previous years, but that a majority of those who do it say “life would be unaffordable” without it. They added that, on average, U.S. side hustlers make $1,242 a month — a steady rise over the past four years but not quite at the level of a former “Harry Potter” star.
And though celebrities enjoy a visibility advantage when it comes to side hustles, there are ways regular folks can turn a passion or hobby into a profitable part-time enterprise.
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Thinking of a side hustle? First, make sure it adds up
Before launching into your own side hustle, start by considering the basics, including how much time, energy, capital and, frankly, expertise you can invest in it.
Experts often recommend building around a skill or niche you’re already interested in and for which there’s an audience. Cave, for example, said on her podcast that she decided to sell hair videos because of the increased engagement they received on Instagram.
Be sure to also research your desired industry, what its customers want and how to reach them, while also considering the scale of what you’re about to launch.
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A Forbes guide recommends starting simple by offering “one service, one class, one digital guide or one small batch” rather than full product lines. It’s also important, Forbes added, to set a designated testing window after which you evaluate the long-term prospects of the business.
If you do stick with it, many point to the importance of treating it like any real business while also ensuring you don’t overwork yourself — especially if you have a full-time job. To that end, it’s also advised that if your side hustle and your full-time job are similar in nature, you might save some conflict-of-interest hassles by clearing it with your employer first.
And if the money starts coming in, you should know what to do with it — from the tax implications to dealing with an unpredictable income stream. Catherine Valega, a certified financial planner with Green Bee Advisory, told Moneywise that she’s worked with OnlyFans creators before, and she offered some simple advice for side-hustlers.
“The smart thing is to plan with this money,” she said, while suggesting you “work with a wealth and tax advisor who can help you manage the inconsistent income streams.”
Of course, no side hustle success is guaranteed. Celebrity or not, though, you might be surprised by what a great idea paired with an actionable business plan can yield.
“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,” Cave told the Times of OnlyFans. “But it’s now been over a year and a half, and it’s genuinely saved our lives.”
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Mike Crisolago is a Sr. Staff Reporter at Moneywise with nearly 20 years of experience working as a journalist, editor, content strategist and podcast host. He specializes in personal finance writing related to the 50-plus demographic and retirement, as well as politics and lifestyle content.
