‘Suddenly Amish’ Star on Her Drastic Lifestyle Change From OnlyFans Model

Kendra Bates, a former OnlyFans model, is one of six participants on TLC’s new show Suddenly Amish, in which Amish leader Bishop Vernon welcomes the outsiders into the insular community.

Speaking to Fox News Digital about her involvement on the show, Bates described it as a God-given opportunity that she couldn’t turn down. “When I was presented with this opportunity, I was like, ‘This is literally an opportunity from God,'” she told the outlet.

“This is a no-brainer for me,” she continued. “I have gotten so far away from my roots living in L.A. because it’s so drastically different. I’ve been in L.A. for about nine or 10 years now. I’m just not feeling it anymore — superficial, dirty L.A.”

Bates said she signed up for the show after seeing a casting ad on social media. “I wanted to get back to small roots again,” she explained, noting how earlier generations of her family had been part of a Mennonite community, which shared similar beliefs and practices to the Amish.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Kendra Bates (@_kendrabates_)

The Wisconsin native added, “This came at a point where I was questioning my career and the guys I was dating. Everything was falling apart, and now I feel morally aligned with where I am in my life.”

Bates explained she was a “proud atheist” for years, including in college, where she said she fell into “dark cycles of binge-drinking, trying drugs, [and] sleeping with guys easily.”

“I wasn’t respecting myself,” she stated. “There were so many dark paths in my life. I felt like I was losing myself. I didn’t have morals or standards for myself.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Kendra Bates (@_kendrabates_)

Friends later encouraged her to join the subscription site OnlyFans, which creators typically use to share raunchy photos and videos. Bates admitted the “money was very enticing,” explaining, “You hear about all these girls making thousands of dollars a week. Was I that lucky? No … but I was comfortable with my body and my sexuality.”

Related

Get to Know the 'Suddenly Amish' Cast Members

“In my mind, I was like, ‘I’m owning my sexuality,’” she continued. “‘I’m owning my female empowerment.’ But I realize now I was doing the exact opposite of what I thought I should be doing.”

Bates left OnlyFans after rediscovering her faith, even getting baptized in January 2025. And through all this, her intrigue with the Amish community continued.

“I think I was fascinated by the Amish because they live so differently than I do,” she said. “I knew going in I would learn a lot from them, especially from the women, because they don’t do what I do. I needed to get out of my element to grow. I wanted to change.”