A porn star is arousing controversy for a video that purports to show her being bitten by a shark.
Actress Molly Cavalli, 35, claims in a YouTube description that she stuck her foot out of a shark cage while filming an underwater video off the coast of Florida and was bitten by a lemon shark. The summary of the video, viewed more than 14 million times since it was posted May 2. says she needed 20 stitches.
“I was talking directly to Molly and she just said, ‘Hey, we are looking to do a shoot faking a shark bite and it’s strictly in order for it to go viral,’” Rohrer said. “We immediately declined. We are pro-shark, pro-wildlife, and want to show the importance of sharks, not villainize them.”
Another boating company took the gig.
This is what the purported bite looked like on camera. The video doesn’t actually show the moment when the shark supposedly sank its teeth into Cavalli.
Advertisement
“I can tell you for a fact, it was not a shark bite,” George Burgess, keeper of the International Shark Attack File, told the Palm Beach Post. “How it was inflicted is conjectural, but the main thing is, the injury is not a shark bite. It was a PR stunt, and it worked.”
Florida Atlantic University shark researcher Stephen Kajiura told the paper a wound that deep should have multiple parallel slashes from teeth, not a single slash.
“It makes more sense that she was cut on the side of the cage, then blamed the sharks for the publicity,” Kajiura said.
Camsoda, the adult film company that made the video, didn’t respond to HuffPost inquiries.
Meanwhile, the Adult Performers Actors Guild, a union for porn stars, released a statement saying it looks like Camsoda may be guilty of “numerous filming violations,” including failing to have a special stunt permit, medical staff, safety equipment and a licensed diving instructor on the set.
“While we do not intend to censor their creative ideas, general laws for health safety of our performers must be followed,” the actors guild statement said.
Advertisement
Support HuffPost
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.