Let’s be honest: ranking pornstars is like ranking pizza toppings… everyone’s got an opinion, some of them are weird as hell, and mine is obviously 100% right.
But here we are…
Whether you’re into golden-age goddesses or modern-day ass-blasters, this list of the 20 best female pornstars of all time is sure to divide opinion. I’m talking icons. Legends. The women who shaped your browser history and probably ruined your socks. Some ruled the 90s VHS scene, others took over PornHub by storm, and a few have done things on camera that still have me blinking (and wanking) in disbelief.
I’ve dug deep for this one — into search stats, award wins, legacy status, and, yes, raw fucking hotness.
Who are the greatest female porn stars of all time? Prepare to disagree!
Best Pornstars Ever: Who Are The Queens of Porn?
Alright, so I apologise in advance if your favorite porn star has been left off what is a long list of exceptionally talented female adult movie stars.
I’m judging the best female pornstars by several metrics:
- Dedication to the craft
- Overall adult industry legacy
- Longevity
- Search traffic popularity
- Number of awards won
- Crude subjective take on the XXX-appeal of their movies
- Hotness
Oh and BTW: You might also be interested in our list of the most famous male porn stars. We have multiple porn star compilations for you to enjoy!
1. Jenna Haze
The 2009 AVN Performer of the Year and 2003 AVN Best New Starlet, Jenna Haze retired from the adult business as a performer in 2012… but would continue to produce and direct.
She has won other awards for her film work including Best Oral Sex Scene and Best Group Sex Scene in 2007. Including compilations, Haze has starred in 602 adult films and has directed a further 15 – she is widely considered one of the hottest pornstars ever.
From deepthroats to anal to girl-on-girl, Jenna Haze didn’t shy away from anything. Her scenes are raw, dirty, and full of genuine enthusiasm — you know, that rare combo where it looks like she’s actually enjoying herself. She brought that “fuck me harder” energy to every scene, and it showed.
In 2009, she launched her own production company (Jenneration X Studios). At 5’ 3”, she cuts a petite figure on the screen and has covered pretty much all angles in the adult film genre. She exclusively filmed girl-on-girl action whilst she was in a relationship with a cameraman during the period 2002 and 2005.
…God damn, lucky cameraman.
This did her no small favor and earned her a great reputation for hot lesbian porn. Unsurprisingly her return to cock in 2006 with Jenna Haze Darkside was extremely well received.
2. Asia Carrera
The first Asian-American to win the coveted AVN Female Performer of the Year award, Asia Carrera was a trailblazer in every sense of the word. Active between 1993 and 2003, she starred in over 400 adult films and carved out a unique spot in porn history with her signature blend of beauty, brains, and serious on-screen freak energy.
A member of Mensa, Carrera has played classical piano at the Carnegie Hall and attained nerd status for her school grades at state schools and university. Not only is she one of the best pornstars of her generation, but she’s one of the smartest too. 😉
Her film work spans pretty much every tag you can imagine: anal, DP, orgies, lesbian, fetish — if it existed in the 90s, she did it. She even wrote some of her own material, including the highly rated Betrayal, a cerebral porno noir with actual narrative beats between the boning (lol, just find it).
Though Carrera is retired, she still runs a personal website for her fans and is a big proponent of porn, taking part in a documentary in 2012 entitled ‘After Porn Ends’; a look at retired life for the adult industry’s big names.
With her trademark Asian beauty, 36C-26-36 figure and obvious enjoyment of her trade, Carrera is a deserved entrant on this list, forever in the hearts (and hard drives) of fans worldwide.
3. Ilona Staller
Better known by her stage name Cicciolina, Ilona Staller is one of the most iconic… and downright bizarre… figures in adult film history. A Hungarian-Italian bombshell with big blonde hair and even bigger balls (figuratively speaking), Staller blurred the line between porn star, pop culture celebrity, and political provocateur.
She was the first woman to show her breasts on Italian TV in 1978 and appeared in several films during the 1970s. Although married to the pornographer Riccardo Schicchi since the early 70s, her first porn movie wasn’t until 1983 with the release of Telefono Rosso (The Red Telephone).
As her popularity increased with further successful releases (including the infamous movie with John Holmes, ‘The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empress’) she appeared nude in several Playboy shoots. She declared in 2015 that she would film one final “artistic pornographic movie” as a last gift for her army of fans.
Staller cuts an impressive figure with her platinum blonde hair, big ass, long legs and huge tits but it is, perhaps, her natural zeal and energy during her performances which have made her a firm favorite and one of the best pornstars of all time.
4. Marilyn Chambers
One of the seventies-era stalwarts of the porn industry, Chambers was active for 35 years from 1972 to 2007. Her later feature films had much more of a mainstream appeal and she is better known for being one of the adult film industry’s most successful crossover actresses, as well as one of its hottest pornstars in the golden era of porn.
She was one of the new ‘porno chic’ era of adult movie stars who emerged in more mass-market films during the 1970s. Her debut porn film, ‘Behind the Green Door’, filmed in 1972 was viewed at the time as ground breaking and included previously taboo subjects like orgies and interracial sex. It’s well worth a watch on one of the retro porn sites.
The scene where Chambers has sex with African American boxer, Johnny Keyes, is widely acknowledged as the first hardcore porn film showing a white woman having sex with a black man.
In a 2004 interview with Bruce Kirkland, Chambers was quoted as saying:
“…life is cruel when you get to be over 40 and nobody wants you, nobody wants to see you without your clothes on. Which is fine with me, because I don’t want to take them off anymore.”
Which was a great shame for her army of fans who followed her popular cult classic titles such as Beyond de Sade, Never a Tender Moment and Resurrection of Eve. A true icon of adult entertainment.
5. Jenna Jameson
Known universally as the “Queen of Porn,” Jenna Jameson is arguably the most famous adult star of all time — and not just because she made a habit of getting America horny. From her mainstream crossover success to her jaw-dropping filmography, Jameson wasn’t just a performer… she was a brand, a star the world over.
She started in the industry in 1994, and within a few short years, she was dominating both the screen and the marketing shelf. Her breakout title, Briana Loves Jenna, became the top-selling and most rented adult film of 2002, cementing her status as a certified megastar.
Over the course of her career, she appeared in over 180 adult films, directed four, and racked up more than 35 awards, including multiple AVNs and XRCOs.
But Jenna wasn’t content with just being the face of the industry. She launched her own empire with ClubJenna, one of the first major adult production companies to transition into digital content. At a time when most of porn was still stuck on DVD, Jameson was one of the first stars to blaze the way by building a digital dynasty.
She officially stepped away from adult film work in 2008, but her legacy is undeniable. If tI had to brainstorm porn’s Mount Rushmore, Jenna Jameson would be front and center.
6. Ebony Ayes
In an industry that has long struggled with diversity, Ebony Ayes broke barriers and turned heads, becoming one of the first Black female porn stars to headline her own movies during the VHS boom of the 1980s.
Before Ebony Ayes, most Black actresses in porn were relegated to supporting roles or one-off appearances. But Ayes? She was the star of the show — the main attraction — and she carried entire productions with her signature mix of voluptuous curves, sultry eyes, and a bedroom presence that felt anything but performative.
Active from 1985 to 1996, Ayes wasn’t just one of the hottest women in porn at the time, she was also one of the most important in breaking down age-old barriers. Her work helped usher in a new wave of representation in adult entertainment, opening the door for future generations of Black performers to take center stage.
She starred in fan-favorite titles like Black n Blew, Lust of Blackula, and Horny Heatwaves. For many of those fans, Ebony remains the gold standard of Black adult performers.
7. Riley Reid
If Jenna Jameson was the face of 2000s porn, Riley Reid is the undisputed queen of the streaming era.
With over 1610+ scenes to her name, a rabid fanbase, and more dirty talk per minute than a sex line operator on coke, Riley is the kind of performer who doesn’t just fuck on camera… she lights the set on fire. How could anybody not put Riley in a list of the top 20 performers of all time?
She started in 2011 and quickly shot up the ranks thanks to her girl-next-door looks paired with filthy, no-limits performances. Petite, tatted, and seemingly allergic to boundaries, Riley became a fan favorite across every major tube site and took home a trophy cabinet’s worth of awards, including AVN Female Performer of the Year and multiple XBiz Awards.
She was even dubbed one of the next “Jenna Jameson-level” stars by LA Weekly and was a regular fixture on the CNBC “Dirty Dozen”, which is basically their annual list of porn’s most popular names. Unlike many of her peers, she also built a huge brand on social media, amassing millions of fans across Instagram and Twitter before eventually making a killing on OnlyFans, which she continues to do in 2025.
Still in her early 30s, she has no plans for retirement. Reid is the quintessential modern day porn mega star.
8. Madison Ivy
Don’t let her petite 4’11” frame fool you — Madison Ivy is a hardcore powerhouse, known for packing more heat into a single scene than most performers manage in an entire god damn career.
With her unmistakable curves, signature D-cup chest, and ferocious energy between the sheets, Ivy managed to became one of the most in-demand stars of the 2010s.
She got her start in 2008, shooting for big-name studios like Bang Bros, Hustler, Brazzers, Naughty America, and Elegant Angel — quickly earning a rep for high-energy scenes and an uncanny ability to take a pounding that defies physics. Whether it’s reverse cowgirl, deepthroat, or standing doggy at a 45-degree angle, Madison brings her A-game.
Her breakout moment came when she became Brazzers’ first-ever female contract star — a major milestone in an industry that rarely gives women that kind of exclusive deal. Over her career, she’s racked up more than 600 performer credits, won several awards, and built a cult following that’s still going strong.
Living with her real-life girlfriend (fellow porn star Heather Starlet), Madison Ivy remains a cult favorite and one of the most famous Brazzers icons.
9. Bobbi Starr
Bobbi Starr isn’t your typical porn star, and that’s exactly what made her stand out. With a commanding presence, fierce intellect, and zero tolerance for vanilla bullshit, she built her reputation on pushing limits and taking the kind of roles that separated the dabblers from the truly hardcore.
Starting her career in the mid-2000s, Starr became known for her fearless performances in BDSM, anal, deepthroat, and (some really) rough group sex scenes. She wasn’t just there to be cute and coy.
The thing that really stood out with Starr’s work was her screen presence. She pretty much dominated every scene she ever starred in.
In 2011, CNBC named her one of the “12 Most Popular Stars in Porn,” and by 2013, she’d taken her talents behind the camera — becoming one of the few female performers to successfully cross into directing. Her debut film, Bobbi’s World, shot entirely from a female POV, showed she could run a scene as well as she could light one up.
10. Claudine Beccarie
Before French porn got chic, it got Claudine Beccarie — the woman who practically invented the genre’s je ne sais quoiby sheer force of will (and tits). Active from 1972 to 1982, Beccarie was the first true French porn star… after launching her own career in a documentary about herself.
This piece of self-promotion entitled ‘Exhibition’ featured some staged hardcore scenes and gained her much notoriety in France as well as internationally. She starred in almost 100 movies with several 8mm films being distributed early in the 1970s in the Netherlands.
Her best-known work includes titles like Inhibitions, Les Joyeuses, and Prostitution Clandestine, all grainy, high-libido classics packed with group sex, domination themes, and the kind of smoky-eyed French intensity that made everything feel just a bit more artistic than your average American gangbang.
What set Beccarie apart was her obvious enjoyment of the acts she performed. Forget the faked moans, no dead-eyed stares. She went all-in, often laughing mid-thrust or delivering dirty talk in breathy, accented French that made even the filthiest scenes feel irresistibly seductive.
11. Traci Lords
There are porn stars, and then there’s Traci Lords… a name so infamous it practically burned a hole through the adult industry in the 1980s. At first glance, she seemed like the perfect blonde bombshell: pouty lips, killer body, and the kind of face that sold tapes by the truckload.
There was just one significant problem… she was underage at the height of her fame.
Between 1984 and 1986, Lords appeared in dozens of hardcore films, many of which became instant hits, before it was discovered that she had entered the industry at just 16, using a fake ID. The fallout was nuclear. Almost her entire body of work was declared illegal overnight, costing the porn business millions and sending production houses scrambling to destroy tapes before the feds came knocking.
The only film that was legally filmed (two days after her 18th birthday) and allowed to remain on sale was ‘Traci, I Love You’. It was her last movie to be made as a porn actress and, as soon as she was old enough to legally work in the business, she quit in 1986.
She’s since spoken openly about her experience in the industry — calling it exploitative, manipulative, and damaging — which has sparked plenty of debate. Love her or loathe her, you can’t ignore her.
12. Belladonna
If we’re talking about the most fearless, unfiltered, no-holds-barred performers in porn history, Belladonna is right at the top of my list.
Born Michelle Sinclair, she entered the industry in the early 2000s and quickly gained a reputation for being the woman who would do just about anything in front of the camera — and do it better than anyone else. We’re talking gaping, fisting, double anal, vomit play, public domination, and the list goes on. Belladonna smashed taboos and dined out on the aftermath.
Over her career, she appeared in more than 350 films, directed dozens more, and racked up 42 AVN nominations and 10 wins, not to mention a loyal fanbase that worships her to this day.
In 2003, she launched Belladonna Entertainment, becoming one of the few women in porn to fully own her work, her brand (and her kinks). She’d go on to direct intense BDSM films, lesbian orgies, and brutally honest documentaries about the industry.
A true trend-setter, Belladonna was inducted into the XRCO Hall of Fame in 2013.
13. Tera Patrick
With her towering 5’10” frame, exotic looks (thanks to her Thai-English heritage), and famous 36DD chest, Patrick was one of the first true crossover queens of the modern adult era.
She entered the industry in 1999 after dabbling in fashion modeling and studying to be a nurse — but thank god she switched careers, because she quickly became one of the most recognizable and in-demand performers of the early 2000s. Tera had the kind of slow, sensual presence that felt less like porn and more like a high-end erotic dream. Elegant, but filthy.
She actually started her career with the Ford model agency, cashing in on her trademark exotic looks and stunning physical attributes before landing roles in some niche B&D movies when she was 22.
Over her career, she starred in more than 130 adult films, worked with every major studio worth naming, and was one of the few performers to be inducted into the AVN, XRCO, and NightMoves Halls of Fame, which is basically the adult industry’s triple crown.
In 2003, she launched Teravision, her own production company, and shifted from star to mogul, producing her own content and taking full control of her image. She was also the first porn star to appear on the cover of FHM, a big deal back in the day.
14. Sasha Grey
Born Marina Ann Hantzis, Grey entered the adult industry in 2006 at the age of just 18 and immediately made it clear she wasn’t here to play it safe. She blew minds with intense, unapologetic performances that often veered into extreme territory: gangbangs, rough sex, double anal, and whatever else they could throw at her.
By the age of 20, she became the youngest performer to ever win AVN’s Female Performer of the Year, and it was obvious to anyone watching that she wasn’t just talented, she was cerebral and deliberate. Grey approached porn like an art project, often citing philosophy and feminist theory in interviews between scenes.
She is an active pro-campaigner for the porn industry and regularly defends her choice to have entered the adult film industry so young.
But in true Sasha Grey fashion, she didn’t stick around forever. After just a few years, she walked away from adult film work to pursue music, writing, acting, and performance art… leaving a vacuum in the industry and a whole generation of fans screaming, “Wait, that’s it?!”
15. Tori Black
Effortlessly hot, endlessly watchable, and the very definition of a natural in front of the camera, Tori Black took the late 2000s porn scene by storm, and then proceeded to clean up every award show like it was her job (which, to be fair, I guess it was).
She made her debut in 2007 at just 18 years old and didn’t waste a second. By 2010, she became the first person in history to win back-to-back AVN Female Performer of the Year awards, and to this day, she’s one of the most decorated stars the industry has ever produced.
With over 400 films under her belt, Tori delivered a perfect blend of girl-next-door charm and hardcore performance chops. She had the kind of sexual confidence that made it all look so effortless, whether she was grinding through a sensual solo or taking three dicks like it was just another morning yoga sesh.
There’s just something magnetic about Tori Black. Her expressions. Her dirty talk. That killer body paired with a face that could sell skincare… or ruin it, depending on the money shot.
Although she’s stepped back from full-time performing in recent years, I’m pretty sure she still shoots selectively, and runs her own content empire on the sidelines.
16. Lacey Duvalle
Lacey Duvalle had one of those lightning-in-a-bottle careers: short, iconic, and hot enough to leave a serious mark. Petite, bubbly, and armed with a killer smile and an even more killer ass, she became one of the most recognizable Black porn stars of the 2000s, and for good reason…
She entered the industry in 2000 at just 18, debuting in Dirty Debutantes — a rite of passage for plenty of future stars — and instantly stood out.
She wasn’t the loudest or flashiest performer, but her natural sexual energy and smooth confidence earned her a seriously loyal fanbase, one that still digs out her scenes on tube sites to this day. She worked with all the major studios, regularly shot both straight and lesbian content, and became best known for her work in hits like Black Cheerleaders and Lacey Duvalle is the Black Widow.
Despite stepping away from performing relatively early, her legacy has only grown with time. In an industry that often fails to give Black performers their due, Lacey Duvalle managed to become a true leading lady, and, for my money, one of the all-time greats.
17. Linda Lovelace
You can’t talk about the history of porn without mentioning Linda Lovelace, can you?
I mean, this is the woman who helped launch the adult industry into the mainstream with one movie, one act, and one now-infamous deep throat.
Her 1972 film Deep Throat was a porn movie that was heard about the world over. It played in theaters, got name-checked by celebrities, and even sparked the term “porno chic.” At the center of it all was Lovelace, wide-eyed, softly spoken, and apparently able to swallow a cock like a magician’s scarf trick. The film turned her into a household name, and made her the face of the sexual revolution, despite her protests.
Lovelace was married to the film producer, Chuck Traynor from 1971 to 1974 who was also married to one of our other greatest female porn stars ever, Marilyn Chambers. (The man was onto something.)
She has been the subject of two biographical films, ‘Lovelace’ and ‘Inferno: A Linda Lovelace Story’.
Lovelace would rewrite her own story, claiming she had been abused, coerced, and exploited during her porn career… turning her into a polarizing figure, part icon, part cautionary tale.
Though her screen hours in porn movies only adds up to a little over five hours, Lovelace makes the list for her legacy and infamy.
18. Alexis Texas
If asses had a Hall of Fame, Alexis Texas would be enshrined in gold, with her butt cheeks eternally clapping on a loop. Which I’m pretty sure they already are, somewhere on my hard drive. With over 600 films to her name and a rear end that’s earned more awards than some studios, Alexis became one of the most celebrated (and widely ogled) performers of the 2010s.
She burst onto the scene in 2006, fresh out of Texas (yes, that’s where the name came from), and quickly carved out her niche as the undisputed queen of the… big booty genre.
Whether she was taking on multiple partners or simply walking into a room with that signature strut, Alexis brought an infectious mix of dirty girl charm and Southern sweetness that could melt any passing eyeball.
All in all, her ass is going to need its own trophy cabinet. It might just be the greatest ever. (Although there is plenty of competition.)
Her films cover a wide remit of gangbang, anal, lesbian and group sex making her catalogue of titles suitable for all tastes. Even after stepping back from traditional porn work, she remained a fixture in the industry, with old scenes still clocking millions of views across tube sites.
19. Lisa Ann
With a career that spans decades, over 500 films, and enough MILF energy to power a small country, she’s one of the most iconic, respected, and downright fuckable stars in adult film history.
Lisa Ann famously parodied Sarah Palin in the film ‘Who’s Nailin’ Palin?’ (a must watch if you haven’t seen it!).
She began her porn career in 1994, left the business briefly in the late 90s, then roared back in the 2000s just as the MILF genre was exploding. And guess who became its poster girl?
Yep, Lisa has been inducted into the AVN, Urban X and XRCO Halls of Fame and has won over 18 industry awards, notably plenty of Fan’s Choice awards. She retired from making films in December 2014 but has continued appearing in webcam shows.
Her website is a members only subscription site that continues to earn her money and is a brilliant catalogue of some of her finest work. She worked for 20 years, from 1994-2014, and earned a reputation amongst her legion of fans as a ballsy performer who put in maximum effort to get the best results.
She has directed 54 titles in addition to her own appearances and has since launched her own venture, ‘Porn Star Boot Camp’ to mentor upcoming starlets to the industry.
20. Bree Olson
With her blonde bombshell looks, killer smile, and infectious “naughty but nice” vibe, Bree Olson shot to porn stardom in the late 2000s. And for a few wild years, she was everywhere — magazine covers, top-tier scenes, Charlie Sheen’s mansion — and then just as suddenly, she was gone.
Olson entered the industry in 2006 and, within months, became one of the most searched and in-demand stars on the internet. She starred in nearly 500 adult films over a blistering five-year career, racking up the fans and views with that signature mix of sweet Midwestern innocence and absolute filth behind closed doors.
Sadly, it wasn’t all sunshine and roses She’s been outspoken about the stigma surrounding adult performers and how she was treated once she left.
Famously quoted as saying “…porn didn’t hurt me. The way society treats me for having done it does.“
Olson regularly tops the top lists of women in porn during her peak. Today, she’s more focused on activism and personal healing than hardcore scenes, but her legacy is still going strong.
Have I left your favorite female porn star off the list?
Let us know in the comments which women should have made the list… and which ones you don’t think should be on here!
