Meet Ona Zee, born Ona Zimmerman on March 3, 1951, in Los Angeles, California. She’s a former adult film star, director, producer, and model with Jewish roots.

Grew up with a sister and half-sister, started modeling and acting at 12. Went to University High School in West L.A., then briefly hit up California State University Northridge and Parsons School of Design in New York.

In the ‘70s, she was a pro model for Wilhelmina Agency, poppin’ up in Cosmopolitan and ads for J.C. Penney, Levi’s, and Ultra Brite Toothpaste. Ona said she jumped into adult films at 35 – way past when most folks in that industry hang it up – in 1986, ‘cause she wanted to keep that modeling fun goin’. Starred in over 300 flicks, like Portrait of an Affair (1988, AVN Best Actress 1989), Starlet (1992, AVN Best Actress), and Secret Garden 1 and 2 (1993, AVN Best Supporting Actress), often playin’ MILF or cougar roles.

In 1990, she started Ona Zee Pictures, directin’ and producin’ 67 films, includin’ Strippers Inc. and Ona’s Doll House series, per IMDb. She was all about performers’ rights, tryin’ to kickstart a porn actors’ union in the ‘90s, but it tanked ‘cause nobody backed it. Retired in 2003, she switched gears to sellin’ houses for Coldwell Banker in L.A. as Ona Dawes and launched her own jewelry line.

Later on, she came out as pansexual, got into performin’ with trans folks in at least one film, and even linked up with midget porn star Napoleon just to see what it was like.