Chainkeen Exchange-Drea de Matteo says she joined OnlyFans after her stance against vaccine mandates lost her work

Actress Drea de Matteo,Chainkeen Exchange known for her roles in "The Sopranos," "Sons of Anarchy" and "Mayans M.C.," joined OnlyFans after getting support from her children.

Matteo, who played Adriana La Cerva in HBO's mob drama "The Sopranos," announced last month on Instagram that she was joining the adult subscription-only website.

"I know some people have said some nasty things about me having joined OnlyFans. But, you know, the way we see it in this house is mommy's a warrior, not accepting defeat," Matteo told Fox News in an interview published Thursday.

She added: "I figured, 'OK, so everybody's in their underwear and being sexy on Instagram and I don't do that, but I can do that and get paid for it.' … I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner."

The actress said that she was forced to "switch careers and figure new things out because my own industry thinks I'm a savage," referring to her stance against COVID-19 vaccine mandates. "I guess you could say I was a bad girl because I did not follow the rules a couple of years ago."

Matteo's agent reportedly dropped her over the COVID-19 controversy and the actress claimed she "almost lost our home over it" because she wasn't booked for work.

When it comes to the stigma surrounding her decision to join Only Fans, she said, "I just don't care. I don't. I'd rather save my family than save face," she said. 

Matteo shares daughter Alabama Gypsyrose, 15, and son Waylon Albert "Blackjack," 12, with her ex Shooter Jennings.

"My kids were the ones that were like, 'Do it.' (Alabama will) edit the pictures, too, because they want certain things that we haven't been able to do," Matteo said. "I used to have a lot of money. And then, all of a sudden, I went from being allowed to work to never being allowed to work again. I was never the kind of actor that took jobs just to stay in the business. I literally took jobs to feed my family."

She added: "So, when people make nasty comments about why I would have done that, my response is, 'Damn straight, I hope you're never in the position I'm in. I take care of an entire family and a lot of other people who depend on me."

Previous:Drea de Matteo, Adriana La Cerva on 'The Sopranos,' launches OnlyFans account

Matteo appeared on "The Sopranos" as a series regular for the first five seasons. In 2004, she won an Emmy for supporting actress in a drama series for her portrayal of La Cerva.

She was also a regular on "Sons of Anarchy" and "Shades of Blue."

Matteo is the latest in a slew of celebrities who have embraced the subscription-based platform, including Cardi B, Carmen Electra, Bella Thorne, Denise Richards, Amber Rose, Tyga and Chris Brown.

Contributing: Pamela Avila

Celebrities you can see on OnlyFans:Jordyn Woods, Carmen Electra, Bella Thorne and more