Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · August 7, 2025 · Entertainment

Aubrey Plaza to Play Infamous Madam Heidi Fleiss: Actress Warns of Challenges Ahead

Heidi Fleiss, 59, spoke exclusively with the Daily Mail on Wednesday about news that Aubrey Plaza will play her in an upcoming biopic. She offered a warning for the 41-year-old actress; Fleiss is pictured in 2018 in Carson City, Nevada

Heidi Fleiss Spills Tea on Aubrey Plaza's Upcoming Biopic Role: "She's Got Her Work Cut Out for Her!"

In a shocking turn of events, the infamous Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss has given her two cents on Aubrey Plaza's upcoming biopic role as herself. Fleiss, 59, was caught off guard by the news that the 41-year-old Parks and Recreation actress would be playing her in The Heidi Fleiss Story.

"I'm pleasantly shocked," Fleiss told thescholarlynote.com in a candid interview. "I've never met Aubrey Plaza and never even heard about it, but wow! I think it's fantastic." But don't let that warm reception fool you - Fleiss isn't afraid to speak her mind.

The former madam said she was ¿pleasantly shocked¿ that the Parks And Recreation actress will be playing her in the biopic. ¿It sounds fantastic. I¿ve never met her and never even heard about it, but wow!¿

"Aubrey Plaza has got her work cut out for her," Fleiss warned. "You know, I hate to have to live with me, and now she has to play me." Ouch! It seems like Heidi is giving Aubrey a reality check about the challenges of playing a notorious madam with a dark past.

But amidst all the drama, Fleiss also shared some words of encouragement for Plaza. "She's going to be great," she said with a hint of sincerity. "I think she'll do justice to my story."

For those who may not know, Heidi Fleiss is no stranger to controversy. In her heyday as a madam in the 1990s, she ran a high-end prostitution ring catering to wealthy clients in Hollywood. But her empire came crashing down when she was arrested in 1993 on charges of pandering, tax evasion, and money laundering.

Fleiss ran a prostitution ring in Hollywood in the early 1990s that catered to wealthy clients, but she was arrested in 1993 and convicted in 1996 of federal tax evasion charges; pictured in court in 1993

Fleiss was eventually convicted of federal tax evasion charges in 1996 and sentenced to seven years in prison. She served only 20 months before being released to a halfway house, where she completed the rest of her sentence. But that's not all - Fleiss has been open about her struggles with addiction and has even dabbled in mainstream television, appearing on Celebrity Big Brother in 2010.

Today, Heidi lives in Pahrump, Nevada, surrounded by her beloved Macaws and parrots. She's still got a knack for causing a stir, though - she's currently working on a new venture called The List by Heidi Fleiss, a content creator platform that aims to rival OnlyFans.

"I'm all about giving creators more control over their own work," Fleiss explained. "OnlyFans takes 20 percent of what these creators make, and most of them aren't making any real money - they're struggling to get by. With The List, we'll be more favorable for the creators." It sounds like Heidi is on a mission to shake up the adult entertainment industry once again.

She shared a note of caution for Plaza. ¿She¿s got her work cut out for her,' Fleiss said. ¿You know, I hate to have to live with me, and now she has to play me'; pictured on Celebrity Big Brother UK in 2010

But amidst all the glamour and controversy, Fleiss remains true to her misanthropic views. "Humanity has had one purpose," she claimed, "and that's to destroy everything as quickly as possible. That's our only purpose." Ouch! It seems like Heidi is still got a bit of an edge.

As for Aubrey Plaza, it looks like she's got her work cut out for her indeed. But we can't wait to see how she brings the infamous madam to life on the big screen. Stay tuned, folks - this biopic is shaping up to be one wild ride!

Plaza, who will also produce the upcoming biopic, will be stepping into the role after acclaimed turns in season two of HBO's The White Lotus, as well as the crime drama Emily The Criminal and the coming-of-age dramedy My Old Ass; seen in October in NYC

The actress spent time out of the spotlight earlier this year after her husband, the filmmaker Jeff Baena, died by suicide; pictured together in 2017 in Park City, Utah

Fleiss now runs a small airport in Pahrump, Nevada, that only caters to small aircrafts, and she is filming a documentary with director Andrew Renzi, who produced HBO's reality series Paul American about Jake and Logan Paul; seen in 2018 in Carson City, Nevada