'Sopranos' Star Drea de Matteo Says OnlyFans Move Was a 'Political Statement'

Drea de Matteo is opening up about why she turned to OnlyFans — and she said the decision was about much more than money.

The Sopranos star recently discussed the unexpected career move during an appearance on Jamie Kennedy's “Hate to Break It To Ya” podcast. While the platform helped her through a difficult financial period, de Matteo said creating the account also gave her a way to push back against an industry where she felt she had lost control.

de Matteo, who won an Emmy for playing Adriana La Cerva on the HBO crime drama, said she was “afraid” to “start a podcast” at first because “she’d be censored.”

“In some ways, the OnlyFans page was almost like a political statement on my part in a way…It was like, ‘F--- you. I don’t have to work,’” de Matteo explained.

The actress also pushed back on the idea that her years on The Sopranos left her financially set for life. She explained that her television success has sometimes caused people to make assumptions about her finances that don't match her reality.

“Everyone sees me coming, they’re like, ‘Here comes that rich b---- from The Sopranos,’” she said. “And it’s like, no, I’m not at all. In fact, you know, I live a pretty f------ normal life. I had to do that [OnlyFans] page to get a lien off my house after foreclosure.”

De Matteo said her decision to join OnlyFans came during a particularly difficult period. After receiving encouragement from her children, she decided to post a bikini photo on the platform.

The response was immediate. According to the actress, she earned enough money within 75 minutes to save her property.

As OK! previously reported, de Matteo faced professional setbacks after refusing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, which she said contributed to fewer opportunities in Hollywood. She eventually found herself looking outside traditional acting roles for ways to support herself and her family.

Now, de Matteo is taking her career in a different direction after spending years away from the spotlight.

She is working on an upcoming memoir that will explore her upbringing in New York City, her years on The Sopranos and her evolving political views. The book is also expected to touch on her support for Donald Trump and admiration for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

While she has kept many details about the memoir under wraps, de Matteo has spoken about how her views developed over time.

“I was never political in my life. I was against the entire f------ system forever, both sides. I knew it was theater,” she stated.

Her political shift eventually led her to support Trump in 2024, partly because of her interest in Kennedy's potential role in a future administration.

Acting isn't the only thing keeping de Matteo busy these days.

She recently launched “The Ultrafree Podcast,” where she sits down with artists and independent thinkers for candid conversations. The show, produced by Rainbow Creative, is designed to encourage discussions that challenge conventional ideas.

De Matteo is also continuing to run her Ultrafree streetwear brand while maintaining her OnlyFans account.

For her, both projects represent more than business ventures. She views them as ways to express herself and maintain control over her career.

“I just hope to capture my old fanbase and the minds of some of my friends that were like, ‘What the f--- happened to her?’” she expressed.