Lifetime movie based on Duke student turned porn star airs Saturday

The real-life story of Miriam Weeks – a Duke University freshman who, as Belle Knox, starred in porn films to help pay her tuition bill – will be featured in a Lifetime TV movie, “From Straight As to XXX.” It airs at 8 p.m. Saturday on the cable network.

Weeks was spotted in a porn movie by a fellow Duke student, who outed her and incited a backlash. She was vilified on the internet and even received threats.

The News & Observer spoke to Weeks in 2014, just as she was starting her sophomore year at Duke. Weeks said in the interview that she understands the porn films are something that will follow her for the rest of her life, and that her decision to make the films has damaged relationships.

“I have a lot of my family members who won’t talk to me. I’ve lost probably half of my best friends because of my choice to do porn, because of this stigma associated with my job,” Weeks said. “I’ve lost a lot of people who were really close to me, and I think it’s something anyone who is thinking about getting into this industry should keep in mind.”

In the Lifetime movie, Weeks is played by Haley Pullos from “General Hospital.” The film also stars Judd Nelson, known for 1980s films such as “The Breakfast Club.”

Here’s the description of the movie from the Lifetime site:

Inspired by a true story, “From Straight A’s to XXX” tells the story of Miriam Weeks (Haley Pullos, “General Hospital”), a college freshman at Duke University who turns to porn in order to pay for her tuition expenses. But when a male student discovers who she is and exposes her secret, Miriam is faced with an onslaught of death threats and cyber-bullying. The film also stars Judd Nelson (“The Breakfast Club”), Sasha Clements (“Majority Rules!”) and Jessica Lu (“Awkward”).

This story was originally published February 10, 2017 at 9:50 AM with the headline "Lifetime movie based on Duke student turned porn star airs Saturday."