Julie Strain, Penthouse Pet and B-Movie Actress, Subject of Death Hoax After False Reports Go Viral

Actress Julie Strain is alive and well, despite widespread rumors on social media. Strain was the latest victim of a celebrity death hoax this week when stories circulated saying that she had passed away on Sunday. Finally, a movie company she has worked with before had to set the record straight.

Strain is known for acting in beloved B-movies, and for posing in Penthouse Magazine and related adult videos. She is often called the “Queen of B-Movies.” On Monday, Malibu Bay Films posted on Facebook saying that Strain had passed away on Sunday, at the age of 57.

“She will forever remain in our hearts and on our screens as the mesmerizingly talented, contagiously kind and incredibly powerful actress and heroine,” the company statement said.

The company then corrected itself on Monday evening, revealing that Strain was still alive and well. In an Instagram post, the company apologized for frightening fans with the false news.

“UDPATE: The information we received from a trusted source of the community on the status of [Malibu Bay Films] icon Julie strain was found to be FALSE!” it read. “We deeply apologize for needlessly upsetting anyone as well as ourselves! We have asked THR for a retraction as well. Thank you and God Bless Julie & family.”

The story gained a lot of traction through The Hollywood Reporter, who covered Strain’s supposed death on Monday. In an email to the outlet, an assistant to the owner of Malibu Bay Films said that she had “just spoken with Julie’s partner Dave who has confirmed that she is NOT dead.”

Malibu Bay Films is owned by Arlene Sidaris, the widow of the company’s founder Andy Sidaris. The company is credited with producing at least 11 B-list action movies throughout the 1980s and 1990s, according to IMDb. Strain is credited on four of them.

In an interview with Salon in 2000, Strain revealed that she suffers from retrograde amnesia. She explained that she was thrown from a horse and suffered a serious head injury, permanently wiping memories of much of her youth from her mind. In 2018, her husband announced that she was now suffering from the late stages of dementia, likely as a result of that old injury. He claimed that she was receiving hospice care at home.

Some of Strain’s other film credits include Beverly Hills Cop III, Naked Gun 33 1/3 and Baywatch, which came amid her work as a Penthouse Pet. She worked steadily in adult films until 2009.

In recent years, Strain has been a common sight on the comic-convention circuit, where she meets with fans of her work over the years and poses for photos or signs autographs.