Nina Hartley, born Marie Louise Hartman on March 11, 1959, is an American pornographic film actress, director, and sex educator. She is known for her extensive career in the adult film industry, having appeared in over a thousand films by 2017. Hartley is also a prominent advocate for sex-positive feminism and sexual education, often discussing these topics in documentaries and interviews.
Hartley's background is diverse, with her grandfather being a physics professor and labor activist, and her parents converting to Buddhism when she was young. She attended San Francisco State University, where she earned a nursing degree, which later influenced her work in sexual education and advocacy.