Former Disney Channel star Daniel Benson has revealed the heartbreaking financial pressure that led him to launch an OnlyFans account in 2022. The 38-year-old retired actor had lost his marketing job during the COVID-19 pandemic after his agent dropped him following five years without bookings. Meanwhile, his ailing black Labrador, Lynn, faced mounting veterinarian bills.
Financial Struggles and Difficult Decisions
In Monday's episode of ID's Hollywood Demons titled 'Child Stars Gone Wild,' Benson recounted the tough choices he had to make. '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. '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? 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.'
The comedian continued, '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 porn was so easy at a certain point. It was like, "Okay, if this gives me the opportunity to provide that to him, who gives a s*** what people think?"'
Benson originally adopted Lynn in 2013 from Lab Rescue Center. He has not posted pictures of him since 2022 but has since adopted a dog named Mia in 2024 and a cat named Carl.
Success on OnlyFans
The Missouri-born content creator now calls himself 'one of the most successful male OnlyFans creators' on the platform owned by Leonid Radvinsky, earning $1 million in his first year alone. June 23 will mark his fourth anniversary on OnlyFans, where his account currently offers a 60% discount on subscriptions, costing $8 for 30 days. However, the app retains a 20% commission.
Many of Benson's explicit pictures are taken by his girlfriend, Sushi Monstuh (Chloe Doan), a cosplaying hairstylist. The couple also runs a separate OnlyFans page for their sex tapes.
Earlier Reasons and Career Background
Three years ago, Benson claimed the real reason he joined the sexually charged app was because a woman he was casually flirting with leaked his nudes on Reddit, leaving him 'traumatized.' He lamented, 'There's a part of me that felt so stupid. [I] worked so hard to just erase this, but every time you take down one, it's like five other sites pop up... 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.'
Benson first found fame portraying Justin Russo's (David Henrie) best friend Zeke Beakerman in 32 episodes of the Disney Channel sitcom Wizards of Waverly Place between 2007 and 2012. He noted that the role 'didn't quite pay rent, I had to get some help from my parents.'
The adult entertainer must regret launching his new career two years before Disney+ decided to reboot the show as Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, which reunited Henrie and Selena Gomez and left him feeling 'broken.' The upcoming four-episode third and final season will also feature Jennifer Stone, Gregg Sulkin, Maria Canals-Barrera, David DeLuise, Janice LeAnn Brown, Alkaio Thiele, Max Matenko, Taylor Cora, and Mimi Gianopulos.
Benson, who boasts 901,800 social media followers, is also an influencer with paid partnerships for brands like HIV+ prescription site Freddie, Australian waterproof throws Splash Blanket, and EGOHOME mattresses.
