Actress Jessie Cave, who portrayed Lavender Brown in the Harry Potter film series, has spoken about the financial difficulties she has faced since her time in the franchise and her decision to join OnlyFans.
Cave, 39, recently shared that she began uploading non-sexual content, primarily focusing on her long hair, to the subscription site to help manage her finances. She explained that the high cost of childcare for her four children was a significant factor in this decision, stating that she found herself unable to afford basic expenses, such as taking her children to the Edinburgh Festival.
"It's really embarrassing, and people don't like talking about money do we," Cave said, reflecting on her financial situation. "I was in Harry Potter, but it was a smallish part and it was 20 years ago, I've done little roles ever since and I've mainly done comedy."
She expressed frustration with public perception, noting that many assume she is wealthy due to her involvement in the popular film series. "People assume I'm rich and have loads of money, but no I don't. It's embarrassing because on a certain level I'd really like to get a job," she stated.
Cave detailed how, after her fourth child began school, she struggled to find artistic work that accommodated her role as a mother. She discovered that posting videos of herself brushing and braiding her hair on OnlyFans proved unexpectedly popular, attracting 3,500 subscribers who each pay $6 per month. She was inspired by other celebrities who had found ways to monetize their content on similar platforms.
"I didn't want to post them [her kids], so I just started doing funny videos of me brushing my hair and plaiting my hair. And then people liked them, and I thought just 'oh' and I was really in a quite desperate spot," Cave recalled. She initially saw it as a temporary solution to fund her artistic endeavors, such as her one-woman shows and tours.
Cave, who shares her four children with comedian Alfie Brown, also touched upon negative experiences during her time filming Harry Potter. She recounted an incident where a costume designer allegedly shamed her about her weight, and claimed she was told to 'suck in' her stomach before a scene, which caused her to cry on camera. She felt she was treated differently after gaining weight between films and expressed wariness about the upcoming HBO reboot, stating she would not want her children to face similar scrutiny.
Despite these challenges, Cave has continued to perform, currently presenting two shows at the Edinburgh Fringe. She hopes that as her children get older and require less intensive childcare, she will have more time to focus on her career and explore future artistic opportunities.