Celebrities and sex are two things which, for us voyeuristic souls, seemingly go hand-in-hand. We can deny our thirst for tabloid gossip all we like, but at the end of the day, we're always intrigued to see whether our favourite on-screen coupling has translated into a liaison off-screen. But sometimes we get more than we bargained for - in the form of a celebrity sex tape. While there's nothing bad about two famous people making a consensual porno, when you're in with the Hollywood elite you run a greater risk of those tapes being stolen or leaked. Here are the stories behind some of the most infamous videos we weren't ever meant to ever see...
1. Kim Kardashian and Ray JIn 2007, Vivid Entertainment released a 41-minute tape, entitled Kim Kardashian, Superstar, which was purchased from an unidentified third party for $1 million. Kim quickly sued to prevent the video from being released, but eventually settled for a rumoured $5 million. "This tape, which was made three years ago, and was meant to be something private between myself and my then-boyfriend is extremely hurtful not only to me, but to my family as well," Kim told People magazine at the time. "I am filing legal charges against the company who is distributing this tape since it is being sold completely without my permission or consent."
Speaking to Oprah in 2012, Kim addressed speculation that she had orchestrated the leak herself. "Why would anyone put that humiliation on their family like that?" she asserted.
2. Pamela Anderson and Tommy LeeThis 1996 video was stolen by the couple's resentful electrician. A member of the Italian mafia then paid $50,000 to cover manufacturing and distribution of the video over the internet. While he hoped to get a cut of the sales, a wave of copycat websites ruined his master plan. With the tape quickly making the rounds on the world wide web, Anderson and Lee filed a $10 million lawsuit against everyone they thought may have a copy.
After a judge refused to issue an injunction that would keep 25-year-old whizkid Seth Warshavsky from airing the video on his website, Club Love, the couple decided to settle. Warshavsky was then able to negotiate with the owner of Vivid Entertainment, Steven Hirsch, to manufacture multi-media copies of the tape. Though there are rumours that Anderson and Lee profited from the sale, they have both vehemently denied it.
3. Paris Hilton and Rick SalomonThe release of the 2003 tape by Seattle-based Marvad Corp. was followed by numerous lawsuits. Salomon filed a $10 million suit against the company for distributing the video without the appropriate legal rights, and he then filed another $10 million slander suit (which was eventually dropped) against the heiress, her parents and publicist after claiming that they suggested he had non-consensual sex with Hilton.
Salomon ultimately sold the tape himself to Red Light District Video, where it acquired the infamous name, One Night in Paris. While Hilton did not sue Salomon, she did file a $30 million invasion of privacy lawsuit against Kahatani Ltd., who also distributed the footage.
Speaking to Marie Claire in August in 2017, Hilton said "I wish I had never met him. That is actually the one regret in my life. I wish that I had never met that guy. I could not leave my house for months. I was so depressed, humiliated. I didn't want to be seen in public."
4. Jennifer Lopez and Ojani Noa
For years, Jennifer Lopez's ex-husband of eleven months attempt to distribute an intimate video of his life with the pop-singer. The tape allegedly included nudity and private footage from their honeymoon, and was entitled How I Married Jennifer Lopez: The J.Lo and Ojani Noa Story. Luckily, the video was in violation of the confidentiality agreement that Noa had signed after the couple's divorce, and as of 2011, the tape has literally been locked up by the court in a safe deposit box.
5. Colin Farrell and Nicole NarainThe Irish actor dated Playboy model, Nicole Narain, back in 2003 - when they recorded a 14 minute sex tape together. A few years later, the video was released and Farrell reportedly accused Narain of "trying to distribute the tape through an intermediary." The model denied these claims, and in 2005 she stated, "I try not to let too many things get to me, but this is definitely stressful. I really would like my name to be cleared. I have nothing to do with this."
The pair reached an "amicable settlement" in 2006, the terms of which remain confidential.
While it's incredibly regretful that these tapes ever saw the light of day, there's no doubt that several of the celebrities involved profited financially from their release.