Drea de Matteo says OnlyFans career helped her escape ‘shifty s**t’ that goes on in Hollywood

Drea De Matteo has opened up about her decision to start an OnlyFans fans page, admitting 'it's about freedom'.

Matteo is known mainly for her performance as Adriana La Cerva in the iconic HBO crime drama The Sopranos.

But since leaving the show Matteo has hit out at Hollywood, calling it a 'cesspool' - a stance she has stood by since.

In a clip from TMZ Presents Famous & Naked released on Monday Matteo reiterated her stance on the film and TV industry.

She also claimed that starting an OnlyFans page has allowed her to be more of her own boss.

Explaining her decision in the clip, she said: "Hollywood the actual industry itself, there's a lot of shifty s*** that goes on in Hollywood and we all know that.

"It's about freedom and I don't have to answer to f*cking anybody right now."

De Matteo opened up about starting an OnlyFans. (Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival)

Matteo has been clear about why she decided to join the platform since the beginning, explaining that acting work had dried up and she had been at risk of losing her home.

She explained: "Why did I join OnlyFans? When we launched we had - I would say - a couple hundred bucks left in the bank. I'm not kidding. My house was going into for foreclosure."

The actor and model candidly admitted that she had made the decision 'out of desperation', saying: "Did I do it out of desperation? F*ck yes I did. Did I think it would empower me just to be on OnlyFans?

"No, that wasn't the f*cking point you know it empowered me to take care of my f*cking family. So the negativity that came with it, bring it the f*ck on."

Matteo is best known for her role in The Sopranos. (Paul Archuleta/Getty Images)

She went on to reiterate her views about Hollywood, saying: "I mean, that place [Hollywood] is a freaking cesspool. I'm not gonna lie. TV sucks.

"There's nothing great. Sopranos opened the door for [me] 100 per cent."

But would Matteo ever entertain the prospect of returning to a role in film and TV?

Despite her criticism it appears that's still not entirely off the table for her, though with some big caveats.

She explained: "It would have to really be something that was meaningful to me.

"I don't need to just jump on just to get a paycheck even though I had literally $10 left in my bank account when all this was happening, which is why I started the OnlyFans page.

"I'd rather bet on myself than bet on the man at this point."