It's one of the most well known porn scenes ever filmed - and it's also one of the most controversial. Mia Khalifa's infamous hijab sex scene earned her worldwide fame, as well as a multitude of death threats from Muslims around the world who found it deeply offensive.

She's opened up about said scene in an interview with BBC HARDtalk's Stephen Sackur, in which she said she felt like she had no choice but to do the scene, even though she was opposed to it.

Speaking in the interview, she explained she knew that what she was doing was provocative.

Mia said: "I verbatim told them, 'You guys are going to get me killed.'"

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Mia Khalifa speaks to Stephen Sackur. Credit: BBC

When asked why she didn't just say no, she replied: "Intimidation - I was scared. I knew that if i said no, it would... you know, they're not going to force you to do it, at that point that's rape. No one is going to force you to have sex. But I was still scared..."

She continued: "I mean, I have you ever felt scared to... not scared, but nervous to speak up and say something at a restaurant when your food's not right, and the waiter comes by and says, 'How is everything?' I was intimidated, I was nervous."



After the scene gathered attention online, Mia was threatened by many religious groups after the film, including ISIS.

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She said that she was targeted by the group online, receiving threats of being beheaded as well as mocked-up images of her own execution. This led to her leaving the adult industry - however, she says she didn't want those responsible to see that it had affected her.

Mia left the industry and is now engaged to Swedish chef Robert Sandberg. Credit: Instagram / @MiaKhalifa

She said: "They photo-shopped a picture of me being beheaded and threatened that that would happen to me. It does worry me but I try not to show it, because you can't show weakness.

"That's exactly what they're looking for. I really try and just make it look like it rolls off, but I'll admit, it gets to you after a while."

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Once Pornhub's highest ranking adult star, the 26-year-old was born Mia Callista. Raised in Lebanon until she was seven, she moved to the US.