Boogie Nights takes place in the world of adult entertainment. Paul Thomas Anderson's 1997 classic stars Mark Wahlberg as Dirk Diggler, a California native who became a well-known adult film actor in the San Fernando Valley during the '70s. Recognizable actors portray most characters, but several real-life adult film stars make cameos in small roles. Before Boogie Nights, Mark Wahlberg had already established an impressive resume in the entertainment industry, but this movie made him a star.

Boogie Nights transformed Wahlberg into a mainstream movie star, thanks in large part to his tragicomic lead performance and a climactic scene that literally exposes the film's lead character, Dirk Diggler. However, what many P.T. Anderson fans remember is that this film is full of character actors who would go on to appear in several of the director's movies over the next two decades, some in lead roles and others always working as brilliant supporting actors.