Is Candy From The Deuce Based On A Real Person?

Come children, back to the seedy streets of Times Square in the ‘70s, where prostitutes, pimps, and johns formed a rich (and illegal) economic ecosystem, and where tourists walked briskly past peep shows on their way to Broadway theaters. HBO’s newest drama, The Deuce, takes us back to those legendary, long-gone New York days, and tells us the origin story of the porn industry.

Despite its inherently misogynistic subject matter, with scenes that include female objectification and assault, The Deuce tells its story in a way that gives voice to women. That’s largely in part due to the character of Candy (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a wry, detached prostitute who’s immersed in Times Square culture, but intellectually floating above it all. Candy's able to bring natural artistry to her area of employment, and becomes an porn producer.

But is Candy based on a real person? The short answer: yes. In addition to being inspired by a figure directly from that Times Square culture, Candy's character has roots in Candida Royalle, a porn star turned feminist pioneer.