Khalifa entered the adult film industry in October 2014.[8] She had been working at a Whataburger when she was approached by a customer and asked if she ever wanted to be in pornography.[9][10]
On December 28 that year, Pornhub revealed that she was the #1 ranked porn star on their website,[11] replacing retired Lisa Ann. Her newfound notoriety quickly drew strong criticism from many in the Middle East, who branded her career choice as shameful and Khalifa herself a disgrace to her country.[12]
In one of her videos filmed by Bang Bros, Khalifa is seen wearing a hijab. Many took offense to the depiction, and she has received death threats as a result of the video. In an interview with the Washington Post, Khalifa said the controversial scene was satirical and should be taken as such, claiming that Hollywood movies depicted Muslims in much more negative lights than any pornographer could. Among those who publicly spoke out to defend her decision to become an adult performer was British-Lebanese author Nasri Atallah, who stated, "The moral indignation...is wrong for two reasons. First and foremost, as a woman, she is free to do as she pleases with her body. As a sentient human being with agency, who lives halfway across the world, she is in charge of her own life and owes absolutely nothing to the country where she happened to be born." Khalifa herself said of the controversy: "Women's rights in Lebanon are a long way from being taken seriously if a Lebanese-American porn star that no longer resides there can cause such an uproar. What I once boasted to people as being the most Westernized-nation in the Middle East, I now see as devastatingly archaic and oppressed."[12][13]
With more than 1.5 million views, the 22-year-old Khalifa became the most searched-for star on adult movie site Pornhub.[8] According to data from Pornhub, from January 3 to 6, 2015, searches for Mia Khalifa increased five-fold. Around a quarter of those searches came from Lebanon, with substantial searches also from nearby countries Syria and Jordan.[3]
