Former Disney Channel star Daniel Benson is opening up about the difficult circumstances that led him to make a life-changing and controversial career move. Benson, best known for his role on “Wizards of Waverly Place,” shared that he was facing intense financial pressure before launching his OnlyFans account in 2022.
The 38-year-old said he had lost his marketing job during the COVID-19 pandemic, while also dealing with the fallout of being dropped by his agent after years of not booking acting work. At the same time, his dog, Lynn, was battling serious health issues, leaving Benson with mounting veterinary bills.
Speaking on Investigation Discovery’s “Hollywood Demons,” Benson detailed the heartbreaking choices he had to make to care for his pet. “He was barely able to walk, so the only relief was these expensive shots that he would get directly in his back hips,” he said, per PEOPLE.
“Every time I had to kind of make a choice, like what do I spend my money on? Do I keep putting these on credit cards and keep going into debt?” he recalled. “I would buy these Lean Cuisine meals because they were like $3 and I was spending so little money on food to just try to be able to afford these shots for Lynn, so that I didn’t have to watch him struggle to get out of bed.”
Why He Turned To Adult Content
Benson admitted that the financial strain ultimately pushed him to make a decision he never expected. “At the end of the day, I have to be able to provide so he does not have to suffer, and I was going to do whatever it takes to not have to make him suffer, and that’s why making the decision to do p-rn was so easy at a certain point,” he said. “It was like, ‘Okay, if this gives me the opportunity to provide that to him, who gives a sh-t what people think?’”
Since joining the platform, Benson says he has found significant financial success, even describing himself as ‘one of the most successful male OnlyFans creators.’ The content creator reportedly earned $1 million in his first year on the platform, which is owned by Leonid Radvinsky.
Daniel Benson Says Past Trauma Also Played A Role
Benson also shared that his decision was also influenced by a deeply personal experience involving leaked private photos. “There’s a part of me that felt so stupid,” he said. “[I] worked so hard to just erase this, but every time you take down one, it’s like five other sites pop up.”
He added, “I knew in the back of my mind that that was officially closing the door on any opportunity I had to work with Disney ever again.”
Feeling ‘Broken’ After ‘Wizards’ Revival, But Standing By His Choice
Benson said part of his decision also came from accepting that his Disney days were behind him. “I was like, ‘It’s been 14 years. They’re not bringing back ‘Wizards,’ you know?’ I let go of the hope that they’d ever bring it back.” However, when some of his former castmates reunited for “Wizards Beyond Waverly Place” in 2024, the actor admitted it hit him hard to be left out, revealing he felt “broken” by the omission.
In response to backlash from fans of “Wizards of Waverly Place” who criticized his career pivot, Benson said he briefly attempted to remove some of his adult content. But in the end, he chose to stand firm, restoring his posts and embracing his success without shame.
‘Wizards Beyond Waverly Place’ Final Season Adds Fan Favorites As ‘Hollywood Demons’ Spotlights Child Star Stories
In addition to Selena Gomez and David Henrie, the upcoming four-episode third and final season of “Wizards Beyond Waverly Place” will also include appearances from Jennifer Stone, Gregg Sulkin, Maria Canals-Barrera, Alkaio Thiele, Max Matenko, Taylor Cora, David DeLuise, Janice LeAnn Brown, and Mimi Gianopulos.
Meanwhile, “Child Stars Gone Wild” premiered on Monday, April 27, at 9:00 p.m. ET on ID. New episodes of “Hollywood Demons” air weekly and are available to stream on HBO Max.
