Adult entertainment streaming site xHamster picked up Alexis Arquette’s sex tape, leaked by a former lover, shortly after her death. One of the most popular adult film sites in the world (and one of the most popular sites period, rated at No. 68 by Alexa,) the site boasts 1.2 billion visits per month between desktop and mobile.
According to PinkNews , xHamster paid a modest $25,000 sum for the tape, from a former lover attempting to capitalize just hours after Arquette’s death from AIDS-related complications. The tape was made approximately two years ago, and allegedly featured Arquette in “compromising positions.”
And after xHamster confirmed that they’d acquired all copies, they promptly destroyed them .
xHamster spokesperson Alex Hawkins confirmed the company’s actions.
“Ms. Arquette was an icon and activist in the trans community and we could not see someone smear her memory the way the selling party was trying to do.
“We acquired the tape and subsequently destroyed all copies of it.
“We hope people will remember Ms. Arquette for the activist that she was and that her memory will continue to live on.”
xHamster did have to sign a legal agreement as part of the purchase enjoining them from revealing the seller’s details (beyond that he is a he) but there is some speculation that the seller was ex-boyfriend Robert Dupont, 47, who, according to the Daily Mail , revealed the day after Arquette’s death that it was due to AIDS complications (which had not been previously disclosed) and claimed that Arquette had begun living as a man again . He also made other claims about Arquette’s personal life, directly prior to her death, referring to her by male pronouns and eliciting an outraged response.
Nobody has been able or willing to substantiate Dupont’s claims.
Arquette was a well-known transgender celebrity and a staunch supporter of transgender rights. She starred in over 40 movies, in many cases being cast as a cross-dresser before transitioning publicly in 2006; she is perhaps most recognizable as the transvestite Georgette in Last Exit to Brooklyn , and as the Boy George impersonator in the Adam Sandler-Drew Barrymore films The Wedding Singer and Blended .
Boy George himself spoke on Arquette’s death.
“R.I.P my sister Alexis Arquette. Another bright light gone out far too soon. Love to the family and all that loved Alexis.”
News of Arquette’s death was broken by her brother, Richmond, on Facebook. She allegedly died surrounded by her family to the sound of David Bowie’s Starman .
“I am feeling immense gratitude to have been afforded the luxury of sharing life with him/her, for learning from Alexis, for being given the gift of being able to love him/her.
‘Thank you, Alexis, I love you and will love you always.”
Alexis was also sister to actors Patricia, David, and Rosanna Arquette.
Former sister-in-law Courteney Cox of Friends fame added that “My heart goes out to anyone who was lucky enough to know Alexis. We will love and miss you forever.”
Meanwhile, according to the Huffington Post , pop artist Sham Ibrahim, a close friend of Arquette’s, put out a video on YouTube in tribute to her. He also had a few angry words to say about the sex tape.
“There are always going to be vultures in Hollywood that want to profit off the misfortune of others. The sad thing is, Alexis is gone and she’s not here to defend herself. It’s sickening that anyone would have such disrespect in trying to sell a sex tape after a person has died, but at the same time I’m not surprised.
“What makes me truly angry is someone is trying to profit off her death as if it’s a business opportunity.”
We couldn’t have put it better ourselves.
[Featured Image by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images]