Nina Hartley Net Worth (Money & Salary)

Nina Hartley’s Net Worth: What Is It?

With a net worth of $4 million, Nina Hartley is a notable American adult film star, director, feminist, and author. Having appeared in 938 adult films and directed over a dozen more, her first film, “Educating Nina,” was instrumental in launching her career. In addition, she has featured in mainstream films such as “Boogie Nights” and “Bubbles Galore.”

Background and Early Life

Born Marie Louise Hartman on March 11, 1959, in Berkeley, California, Nina is the youngest of four children born to Louis and Blanche Hartman. Her parents, who were active in the Communist Party USA, turned to Buddhism during her early childhood. After her father faced blacklisting for his political beliefs in 1957, Nina graduated from Berkeley High School in 1977. In 1985, she completed her nursing degree with honors from San Francisco State University and worked as a registered nurse until her license lapsed in 1986.

Career in the Adult Industry

During her sophomore year at college, Nina began her career as a stripper at the Sutter Cinema, later moving to the Mitchell Brothers O’Farrell Theatre, all sparked by her viewing of the adult film “The Autobiography of a Flea,” the first adult film by a female director, Sharon McNight.

By her junior year, she transitioned to acting in adult films, initially starting with photo spreads in magazines like “High Society” and “Hustler.” Nina’s first performance was in the adult film “Educating Nina,” where she was mentored by actress Juliet Anderson. She adopted the stage name Nina Hartley for its simplicity for Japanese tourists during her dancing days in San Francisco and chose “Hartley” as it closely resembled her real surname while also wanting a name that sounded authentic.

In the ’80s and early ’90s, she featured in various spin-offs of the “Debbie Does Dallas” series, including “Debbie Duz Dishes” (1986) and “Debbie Does Wall Street” (1991). Nina directed her debut film, “Nina Hartley’s Book of Love,” in 1992, and spent several years touring the U.S. and Canada as a stripper while also making personal appearances at adult shops nationwide.

Mainstream Appearances

Hartley portrayed the cheating wife of William H. Macy’s character in the blockbuster “Boogie Nights” (1997) and appeared in the Canadian film “Bubbles Galore” in 1996. That same year, she featured in Tupac Shakur’s music video for “How Do U Want It?”

Advocacy and Sex-Positive Work

In 1994, she launched a successful series of sex education videos under the Nina Hartley brand and frequently appears on talk shows and at conferences discussing the adult industry, often alongside other prominent figures like Jenna Jameson. In 2006, she published “Nina Hartley’s Guide to Total Sex.” She co-authored the book series “How to be Kinkier” in 2012 and appeared in the documentary “After Porn Ends,” discussing her experiences following her career in adult films.

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Nina made her appearance in 2016 in the acclaimed documentary “Sticky: A (Self) Love Story.” She participated in the Las Vegas premiere held at the Erotic Heritage Museum and shared the stage on a Q&A panel alongside fellow adult film actress Ginger Lynn as well as the film’s writer/producer/director, Nicholas Tana. Throughout the documentary, Hartley expresses her views on sex positivity and self-love concerning sexual education.

As a board member of the Woodhull Freedom Foundation, she has long supported the right to exist for the adult film industry. Over the years, Nina has lectured at various universities, including Dartmouth, Harvard, and her alma mater, Berkeley. Eric Schlosser interviewed her for his book “Reefer Madness: Sex, Drugs, and Cheap Labor in the American Black Market,” where she offered a critical perspective on the hypocrisy surrounding anti-porn legislation and initiatives.

Awards and Accolades

Hartley has accumulated a plethora of awards throughout her extensive career in the adult entertainment industry. Notably, she has received nine Adult Video News Awards, among them Best Actress for Debbie Duz Dishes, the Best Couples Sex Scene Film for Amanda By Night II in 1987, Best Supporting Actress for The Last X-Rated Movie, and Best Specialty tape for “Nina Hartley’s Guide to Spanking,” among others. Additionally, she has earned seven XRCO Awards. In 1988, she was honored with the Free Speech Coalition Lifetime Achievement Award, and she received the FOXE Female Fan Favorite title three times consecutively from 1990 to 1992. The Fanny Lifetime Achievement Award followed in 2014, and in 2019, she clinched the XBIZ Award for Best Non-Sex Acting Performance for her role in “Future Darkly: Artifamily.”

Personal Life

Regarding her personal life, 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, but they divorced in 2003. After her divorce was finalized, she wed porn director Ira Levine, and they continue to maintain an openly polyamorous relationship.