Former adult film star Emily Willis, 25, has been left permanently disabled after suffering cardiac arrest at a Malibu rehab facility, leading her family to file a lawsuit against Summit Malibu and its parent company, Malibu Lighthouse Treatment Centers, LLC.
Willis, who had appeared in over 700 adult films and won Performer of the Year at the 2021 AVN Awards, had checked into the center on January 27, 2024, seeking treatment for a severe ketamine addiction. According to the lawsuit, she had been consuming five to six grams daily of the drug for a year, resulting in severe side effects, including urinary incontinence and night terrors.
Despite testing negative for drugs upon admission, her health rapidly declined while at the facility. The lawsuit claims she became “disheveled, frail, and disoriented”, stopped eating, and suffered from aches, tremors, spasms, and severe pain.
By February 4, 2024, she was found unconscious in her room. Paramedics performed CPR for 30 to 40 minutes, restoring her heartbeat, but oxygen deprivation left her in a semi-conscious state. She is now in a care home in Utah, unable to move or speak.
Her family’s attorney, James A. Morris Jr., alleges gross negligence, stating, “Had the staff followed standard medical protocols, Emily would have had the opportunity to regain control of her life.” The lawsuit accuses the facility of abuse of a dependent adult, negligence, and fraudulent business practices.
Willis, who entered the adult industry in 2018 after being encouraged by a boyfriend she met on Tinder, quickly rose to fame. She was named Penthouse Pet of the Month within a year and went on to become one of the industry's most recognized stars.
In 2023, Willis announced her retirement from adult films to focus on a mainstream acting career. She starred in Eddie Alcazar’s sci-fi film Divinity, alongside Stephen Dorff and Bella Thorne, and had expressed excitement about her future.
"It's my first big film, and it's actually brilliant," she said in an interview with XBIZ. "I was so happy to be a part of it. It’s edgy, mysterious—somewhere between sci-fi and horror."
Just two months before rehab, she reaffirmed her career shift, stating, “I’m now only doing mainstream acting. I absolutely love it.”
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages, while Willis remains in long-term care with minimal responsiveness. Summit Malibu has yet to comment on the allegations.
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