Net Worth Ranker
What Is Nina Hartley’s Net Worth?
Nina Hartley, an American adult film actress, director, feminist, and author, has amassed a net worth of $4 million. This sum reflects her extensive career in the adult entertainment industry, along with her ventures into mainstream films, authorship, and activism.
Early Life and Education
Born Marie Louise Hartman on March 11, 1959, in Berkeley, California, Nina Hartley grew up in a politically active household. Her parents, Louis and Blanche Hartman, were members of the Communist Party USA before converting to Buddhism. Her father faced blacklisting in 1957 due to his communist beliefs. Nina attended Berkeley High School, graduating in 1977. She later pursued nursing at San Francisco State University, graduating magna cum laude in 1985. She worked as a registered nurse until her license expired in 1986.
Adult Industry Career: Films and Directing
Nina Hartley’s career in the adult film industry is marked by prolific appearances and directorial efforts. According to available sources, she has acted in 938 adult films and directed over a dozen. Her debut film, “Educating Nina,” launched her into the industry. She adopted the stage name “Nina Hartley” during her time as a dancer in San Francisco, choosing a name that was easy for Japanese tourists to pronounce and close to her real surname. During the 1980s and early 1990s, Hartley starred in several spin-offs of the “Debbie Does Dallas” series, including “Debbie Duz Dishes” (1986) and “Debbie Does Wall Street” (1991). In 1992, she directed her first film, “Nina Hartley’s Book of Love.” She also toured the U.S. and Canada as a stripper and made personal appearances at adult shops.
Mainstream Film Appearances
Beyond the adult film industry, Nina Hartley has made appearances in mainstream films. She played William H. Macy’s character’s cheating wife in the 1997 film “Boogie Nights.” She also appeared in the 1996 Canadian film “Bubbles Galore.” In the same year, Nina was featured in Tupac Shakur’s music video for “How Do U Want It?”.
Sex-Positive Work and Activism
Nina Hartley has also worked as a sex-positive activist. In 1994, she created a line of instructional videos devoted to sex, marketed under the Nina Hartley brand. She has spoken on talk shows and at conferences about the adult industry, often alongside figures like Jenna Jameson. Her book, “Nina Hartley’s Guide to Total Sex,” was published in 2006. In 2012, she co-wrote the book series “How to be Kinkier.” That same year, she appeared in the documentary “After Porn Ends,” discussing life after being an adult film star. In 2016, Nina was featured in the documentary “Sticky: A (Self) Love Story,” sharing her sex-positive views on self-love and sexual education. Hartley is a board member of the Woodhull Freedom Foundation and has advocated for the adult film industry’s right to exist. She has lectured at universities like Dartmouth, Harvard, and Berkeley. Eric Schlosser interviewed her for his book “Reefer Madness: Sex, Drugs, and Cheap Labor in the American Black Market,” where she criticized anti-porn actions and legislation.
Awards and Accolades
Nina Hartley has received numerous awards throughout her career. She has won nine Adult Video News Awards, including Best Actress for “Debbie Duz Dishes,” Best Couples Sex Scene Film for “Amanda By Night II” (1987), Best Supporting Actress for “The Last X-Rated Movie,” and Best Specialty Tape for “Nina Hartley’s Guide to Spanking.” She has also won seven XRCO Awards. In 1988, she received the Free Speech Coalition Lifetime Achievement Award. She won the FOXE Female Fan Favorite three times consecutively (1990, 1991, and 1992). In 2014, she won the Fanny Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2019, she won the XBIZ Award for Best Non-Sex Acting Performance for her appearance on “Future Darkly: Artifamily.”
Personal Life
Nina Hartley identifies as bisexual. From 1981 to 2000, she was in a relationship with both a man and a woman. She married her male partner in 1986, and they divorced in 2003. The following year, she married porn director Ira Levine. Their relationship is openly polyamorous. Her personal life choices have not directly impacted information regarding Nina Hartley’s net worth.
