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She’s come a long way! Maitland Ward starred as Rachel in Boy Meets World back in the day, but the red-headed beauty drastically changed careers and is about to star in her first adult feature film, Drive. “They asked me to be a part of this, and I thought, ‘I never knew there was anything in adults or porn or whatever that was this well done.’ I read the script, and I was like, ‘This is really, really well-written,’” the 42-year-old told In Touch exclusively about her new endeavor. “This has so many themes in this and just my character is so different than anything I have portrayed before.”

In the film, Maitland’s character starts out as “innocent,” but eventually she comes out of her shell. “I really got to set myself free with this and really express myself in a way that I haven’t done before,” she explained. “I don’t think my fans have seen me like this before — really, they haven’t. It’s just very deep sensuality, and I think that is a really fun way to play an explorer, and I got to do things that I wouldn’t have thought in the past. Just these sexual situations that are sort of taboo.”

Additionally, the California native loved that the director, Kayden Kross, had an awesome vision for the storyline. “I was just floored when Kayden came to me. I was like, ‘Wow, this is the kind of stuff that I want to do.’” she said. “Because I think it can be more mainstream, where people can enjoy the script and enjoy what is going on and is like, ‘Wow, this is a really hot sexual situation.’”

Of course, many people are curious why the starlet wanted to dive into a whole new genre, but Maitland admitted that it’s something she has been thinking about for a long time. “It started slowly,” she confessed. “It all started when I started doing cosplay, which I really genuinely love doing and people started giving me attention for it, and I wore sexy outfits. I have always sort of been an exhibitionist, like always. I love dressing sexy in public and things like that.”

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Maitland continued to explain how she got to where she is today. “I started doing this kind of film, professional stuff, not very long ago — only a couple months ago,” she said. “I felt ready. It wasn’t like I was saying, ‘Oh, I want to do this all along,’ but it was like, ‘I need to do this.’ I really feel that quality stuff and the hot sex stuff can be together, and I really want that. I hope my past and stuff can add any legitimacy to a great project, to get attention or to get people to actually watch and say, ‘Oh yeah, it is really good.’”

She added, “It’s been an evolution. It’s all been my authentic journey because everything that I have done along the way is something I wanted to explore and do, and I just did it publicly for my fans, that is the exhibitionist style of me. I wanted to take them along for the journey, and it’s been a really fun, crazy adventure and there is still stuff to explore.”

So, what exactly is the model’s secret to being confident on social media — and in real life? “Over time, I kind of don’t give a f—k anymore,” she shared. “I want to be who I am, and I just think as I have matured too, I am who I am. I want my cellulite to be sexy. Of course, there are days you don’t want to. I don’t do it every day. If I am feeling like crap, I am not going to go run out in the streets naked, you know?”

However, over time, Maitland wants others to feel good about themselves. “I think you have to accept your body and love your body. When I was younger, I was so much more nervous about that. I wasn’t as confident, and then finally, I was like, ‘You know what? I take care of myself, I work out.’ Confidence is sexiness, and I just think over time I have learned to really embrace my body and my sexuality. I love seeing women — you don’t have to be super model perfect — but I love when they just say, ‘Yeah, I don’t care. I am sexy no matter what.’ I love any women who is confident like that.”

Courtesy of Maitland Ward/Instagram

Even though this is a jump from her time on Boy Meets World, Maitland revealed the ABC show — and the cast — still mean a lot to her. “I talk to Trina [McGee], who played Angela,” she said. “Trina is really great. I talk to people off and on. It’s not like we are together all of the time, but we all had a really good relationship, and it was a really smooth running show. It was like a culmination of such a beautiful show and such wonderful memories, and I just remember how affected everyone was at the end, and it was just special to be a part of.”

Some of the cast reunited for the Disney reboot of Girl Meets World in 2014, but Maitland would be down to try an actual reboot with the OG cast one day. “That is a really fun thing to explore the characters like so many years later,” she said. “That is a good idea. They really should do that. They should at least do a movie!”

We can’t wait to see Maitland take the adult film world by storm!

Drive will be released online exclusively on Deeper.com on September 30.