Maitland Ward Compares “Boy Meets World” Salary to Her OnlyFans Income
Maitland Ward is opening up about the significant pay gap between her years on primetime television and what she now earns as an adult film star and OnlyFans creator. The former Boy Meets World actress revealed that her paycheck from the beloved ABC sitcom amounted to roughly $20,000 to $25,000 per episode — a figure she says pales in comparison to her current monthly income.
What Ward Made on "Boy Meets World"
Ward, 49, who played Rachel McGuire on Boy Meets World from 1998 to 2000, made the salary comparison during a new episode of Hollywood Demons, airing on Investigation Discovery on Monday, April 27. The show, now in its second season, explores child and teen stars who made the pivot to adult entertainment after stepping away from Hollywood.
Ward recalled the financial precariousness of working on a network show. "On Boy Meets World, I think I made $20,000 or $25,000 an episode," she said. "You don’t have all the guarantees out there" — noting the constant fear that a show could fire her at any moment.
Six Figures a Month From OnlyFans
By contrast, Ward described the income she now earns as far more stable and significantly higher. "In porn or OnlyFans, I can get six figures a month," she said. "There is also my adult film sales and I am creating this brand. I can make it go for as long as I want it to go."
The Hollywood Demons episode also features Dan Benson, known for Wizards of Waverly Place, and Scott Schwartz, who appeared in The Toy and A Christmas Story, two other actors who have also transitioned to adult entertainment. Several adult film performers noted that Ward was an exception in the industry, in part because her name recognition as a former TV star gave her a significant head start in building an audience and a brand.
More Respect in a New Career
Ward has addressed the career pivot before and has been consistent in saying the move was the right one. "I really think people treat me with more respect now, honestly, especially even in Hollywood right now," she told Fox News Digital in March 2025. "I’m pitching my memoir into a TV format and talking with people. They’re so respectful, and they’re so positive about my story."
She added: "I’m able to create my own brand, my own content, the way I want to create it."
Ward also appeared in The Bold and the Beautiful from 1994 to 1996 before her Boy Meets World years.
On the Darker Side of Hollywood
Ward also spoke candidly about how the entertainment industry treated young actors during her time in Hollywood. On Hollywood Demons, she described feeling like a commodity rather than a person. "You were just a product being sold, and you knew that yourself," she said. "I mean, I didn't think anything was wrong at the time with anything that was going on really. I mean it felt ill at ease in my own body and all my feelings and stuff, but I thought that was just me being stupid. I have to be professional. I have to be part of that Hollywood machine. And that's really what it was."
Ward said the contrast with her adult film career has been striking. She describes shooting those projects as "the most comfortable I have ever felt on a set," particularly for intimate scenes, because "nobody is shy to have the conversation or backs away from it."
She also reflected on how the studio system shaped — and constrained — young talent. "I can't speak to how Hollywood is today because it's such a different animal than it was back when I was getting into it," Ward said. "Back then, I think they looked at these young actors as like property coming in. And I really believe the studios, they wanted to mold and form these young actors into what they wanted them to be, what they needed them to be for the company and for the audience, to what they felt would identify with."
Hollywood Demons: Child Stars Gone Wild premieres Monday, April 27, on Investigation Discovery. Episodes are available to stream on HBOMax.
Curious for more stories that keep you informed and entertained? From the latest headlines to everyday insights, YourLifeBuzz has more to explore. Dive into what’s next.