The 35th AVN Awards, presented by

Adult Video News ''Adult Video News'' (also called ''AVN'' or ''AVN Magazine'') is an American trade magazine that covers the adult video industry. ''The New York Times'' notes that ''AVN'' is to pornographic films what ''Billboard'' is to records. ''AVN'' spon ...

(AVN), honored the best

pornographic movies Pornographic films (pornos), erotic films, adult films, blue films, sexually explicit films, or 18+ films, are films that represent sexually explicit subject matter in order to arouse, fascinate, or satisfy the viewer. Pornographic films repr ...

and adult entertainment products of between October 1, 2016, and September 30, 2017, and took place on January 27, 2018 at The Joint in

Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hard Rock Cafe, Inc. is a chain of theme bar-restaurants, memorabilia shops, casinos, hotels and museums founded in 1971 by Isaac Tigrett and Peter Morton in London. In 1979, the cafe began covering its walls with rock and roll memorabilia, a ...

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. During the ceremony, Adult Video News presented

AVN Awards The AVN Awards are List of movie awards, film awards sponsored and presented by the American trade magazine ''AVN (magazine), AVN'' (''Adult Video News'') annually to honor achievements in the global Sex industry, adult entertainment industry. ...

(often referred to as the Oscars of porn) in more than 100 categories. Webcam star Harli Lotts and performer/director

Angela White Angela Gabrielle White is an Australian pornographic film actress and director. She has been inducted into the AVN Hall of Fame and the XRCO Hall of Fame, and in 2020 became AVN's first three-time Female Performer of the Year winner. Earl ...

co-hosted the ceremony, each for the first time. Master of ceremonies was comedian

Aries Spears Nairobi Aries Spears (born April 3, 1975) is an American stand-up comedian, impressionist, and actor from New Jersey. Spears was a regular on Fox's sketch comedy series ''Mad TV'' (1997–2005), appearing in 198 episodes, making him the secon ...

. The show was webcast live on AVN.com originating from Livestream.com. This year also marked the return of ''

GayVN Awards The GayVN Awards are film awards presented annually to honor work done in the gay pornographic industry. The awards were sponsored by '' AVN Magazine'', the parent publication of ''GAYVN Magazine'', and continue the recognition for gay pornogra ...

'' after extended hiatus held at same location a week before AVN awards; both being part of ''

AVN Adult Entertainment Expo The AVN Adult Entertainment Expo (AEE) is an adult entertainment convention and trade fair, trade show held each January in Las Vegas Valley, Las Vegas, Nevada and is sponsored by AVN (magazine), ''AVN'' magazine. AEE is the largest pornography ...

'' also known as ''AVN Week''. Best Drama winner ''Half His Age: A Teenage Tragedy'' earned honors as Best Movie. However, ''Justice League XXX: An Axel Braun Parody'' and ''Angela 3'' each won six awards, tied for the most honors at the show. Movie of the Year winner ''Half His Age: A Teenage Tragedy'' took four trophies.

Winners and nominees

The nominees for the 35th AVN Awards were announced on November 16, 2017, at the annual AVN Awards Nominations Party at

The Edison The Edison is a steampunk themed nightclub located inside the Higgins Building basement in Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the ...

lounge in downtown

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

., The winners were announced during the awards ceremony on January 27, 2018. The major performer awards went to

AVN Female Performer of the Year Award The AVN Award for Female Performer of the Year is presented every January in Las Vegas, Nevada at the AVN Awards ceremony sponsored and presented by the American adult video industry trade magazine ''Adult Video News'' (AVN). It represents the fe ...

;

Markus Dupree Aleksey Yurievich Maetny (Russian: Алексей Юрьевич Маетный; born 31 May 1988) known as Markus Dupree is a Russian pornographic film actor and director. Dupree has been nominated four times and won one time for AVN Award fo ...

, Male Performer of the Year and Jill Kassidy, Best New Starlet. In terms of movies, the big winners were ''Justice League XXX: An Axel Braun Parody'' and ''Angela 3'', each with six awards.

Major awards

Winners of categories announced during the awards ceremony January 27, 2018, are highlighted in boldface and indicated with a double dagger ().

Additional award winners

The following is the list of remaining award categories, which were presented apart from the actual awards ceremony. CONTENT CATEGORIES * All-Girl Performer of the Year: Jenna Sativa * Best All-Girl Group Sex Scene: Melissa Moore, Elsa Jean, Adria Rae ''Best New Starlets 2017'' * Best All-Girl Movie: ''Angela Loves Women 3'' * Best All-Girl Series: ''Women Seeking Women'' * Best Amateur/Pro-Am Movie: ''Amateur Introductions 24'' * Best Anal Movie: ''Anal Savages 3'' * Best Anal Series: ''Anal Savages'' * Best Anthology Movie: ''Sacrosanct'' * Best Art Direction: ''Justice League XXX: An Axel Braun Parody'' * Best BDSM Movie: ''Cybill Troy Is Vicious'' * Best Cinematography: Winston Henry, ''Sacrosanct'' * Best Continuing Series: ''Angela Loves ...'' * Best Director – Feature:

Axel Braun Axel Braun (born September 22, 1966) is an Italian Americans, Italian-American adult film producer and director known for his productions of Pornographic parody film, pornographic parodies. He is the most awarded director in the history of adult ...

, ''Justice League XXX: An Axel Braun Parody'' * Best Director – Foreign Feature: Hervé Bodilis, Pascal Lucas, ''Revenge of a Daughter'' * Best Director – Foreign Non-Feature: Hervé Bodilis, ''Megan Escort Deluxe'' * Best Director – Non-Feature:

Kayden Kross Kayden Kross (born 1985) is an American pornographic actress and director. She is a member of the AVN and XRCO Halls of Fame. Early life Kross grew up in the foothills between Sacramento and Placerville in a strict, religious household. She h ...

, ''Sacrosanct'' * Best Double-Penetration Sex Scene:

, Markus Dupree,

Mick Blue Mick Blue (born September 9, 1976) is an Austrian adult entertainer and adult film director. He has won over 25 awards including the 2015 and 2017 AVN Award for Male Performer of the Year and the XBIZ Award for Male Performer of the Year in 20 ...

, ''Angela 3'' * Best Editing:

, ''Angela 3'' * Best Ethnic Movie: ''Asian Anal'' * Best Ethnic/Interracial Series: ''Black & White'' * Best Foreign Feature: ''Bulldogs'' * Best Foreign Non-Feature: ''Anissa the Tenniswoman'' * Best Foreign Series: ''Rocco’s Psycho Teens'' * Best Gonzo Movie: ''Manuel’s Fucking POV 7'' * Best Group Sex Scene:

, Xander Corvus, Markus Dupree,

Toni Ribas Toni Ribas (born 13 June 1975 as Antoni García Cabra) is a Spanish pornographic actor and director. In 2010, he was inducted into the AVN Hall of Fame. Ribas began acting in pornography in 1994. Ribas worked for Brazzers and performed in 78 vid ...

, John Strong, ''Angela 3'' * Best Ingénue Movie: ''Young Fantasies 2'' * Best Interracial Movie: ''Interracial Icon 4'' * Best Lewd Propositions Movie: ''Babysitter Auditions'' * Best Makeup: Dusty, May Kup, Cammy Ellis, ''Justice League XXX: An Axel Braun Parody'' * Best Male Newcomer: Wes Meadows (Vacated; Given to Juan “El Caballo” Loco) * Best Marketing Campaign – Individual Project: ''Justice League XXX: An Axel Braun Parody'' * Best Marketing Campaign – Company Image: Vixen * Best MILF Movie: ''MILF Performers of the Year 2017'' * Best New Imprint: Pure Taboo * Best New Series: ''Young & Beautiful'' * Best Niche Movie: ''Cum Inside Me 3'' * Best Niche Series: ''Squirt for Me'' * Best Non-Sex Performance:

Kyle Stone Kyle Stone (born Mark Hynes; October 18, 1963 – September 13, 2018) was an American pornographic actor and stand-up comedian. Stone appeared in over 1,700 pornographic films over a career that spanned 25 years. Entry into pornography Sto ...

, ''Conflicted'' * Best Older Woman/Younger Girl Movie: ''The Art of Older Women'' * Best Oral Movie: ''Facialized 4'' * Best Orgy/Gangbang Movie: ''My First Gangbang'' * Best Parody: ''Justice League XXX: An Axel Braun Parody'' * Best Polyamory Movie: ''Adventures With the Baumgartners'' * Best Screenplay: Will Ryder, ''Bad Babes Inc.'' * Best Sex Scene in a Foreign-Shot Production: Claire Castel, Kristof Cale, Math, Ricky Mancini; ''Claire Desires of Submission'' * Best Solo/Tease Performance:

, ''Angela 3'' * Best Soundtrack: ''The Altar of Aphrodite'' * Best Special Effects: ''Justice League XXX: An Axel Braun Parody'' Content (ctd.) * Best Supporting Actor: Small Hands, ''Half His Age: A Teenage Tragedy'' * Best Taboo Relations Movie: ''Dysfucktional: Blood Is Thicker Than Cum'' * Best Three-Way Sex Scene – Boy/Boy/Girl: Kendra Sunderland, Jason Brown, Ricky Johnson; ''Kendra’s Obsession'' * Best Three-Way Sex Scene – Girl/Girl/Boy:

Riley Reid Riley Reid (born July 9, 1991) is an American pornographic film actress. She has won over 50 awards, including the 2014 XBIZ Award for Female Performer of the Year and the AVN Award for Female Performer of the Year in 2016. She was inducted i ...

, Megan Rain,

; ''Young & Beautiful'' * Best Transsexual Movie: ''All My Mother’s Lovers'', ''Buck Angel Superstar'' (tie) * Best Transsexual Series: ''Hot for Transsexuals'' * Best Transsexual Sex Scene: Adriana Chechik, Aubrey Kate, ''Adriana Chechik Is the Squirt Queen'' * Best Virtual Reality Product/Site: BadoinkVR.com * Best Virtual Reality Sex Scene: Adriana Chechik, Megan Rain, Arya Fae, Tommy Gunn; "Zombie Slayers", WankzVR.com * Best Web Director:

Mike Adriano Mike Adriano (born June 30, 1980) is a Spanish–American adult content producer and director. He has been nominated for best director awards at several AVN Award, XBIZ Award and XRCO Award ceremonies. Gonzo pornography Adriano is recognized as ...

* Clever Title of the Year: ''Black Loads Matter'' * Female Foreign Performer of the Year: Jasmine Jae * Mainstream Star of the Year:

Asa Akira Asa Akira (born January 3, 1985) is an American pornographic film actress, writer and adult film director. Akira has appeared in 689 adult films as of June 2023. In 2013, she became the third Asian performer (after Asia Carrera and Stephanie Sw ...

* Male Foreign Performer of the Year: Ryan Ryder * MILF Performer of the Year: Cherie DeVille * Most Outrageous Sex Scene: Leya Falcon, Ophelia Rain in “Well There’s ONE Place You Can Put an AVN Award”, ''Viking Girls Gone Horny'' * Niche Performer of the Year: Cybill Troy PLEASURE PRODUCTS * Best Condom Manufacturer: Paradise Lubricated Condom * Best Enhancement Manufacturer: Bedroom Products * Best Fetish Manufacturer: XR Brands * Best Lingerie or Apparel Manufacturer: Fantasy Lingerie * Best Lubricant Manufacturer: Wicked Sensual Care * Best Pleasure Product Manufacturer – Small: Clandestine Devices * Best Pleasure Product Manufacturer – Medium:

We-Vibe We-Vibe is a brand of sex toys manufactured by Standard Innovation, a company founded by a Canadian couple in 2003. It is one of Canada's largest producers of adult toys. The company has sold millions of devices since the launch of its first vibra ...

* Best Pleasure Product Manufacturer – Large: Topco Sales RETAIL & DISTRIBUTION * Best Boutique: Pepper's Parties Too (Hattiesburg, MS) * Best Retail Chain – Small: Inz & Outz * Best Retail Chain – Medium: The Pleasure Chest * Best Retail Chain – Large: Castle Megastore * Best Web Retail Store: AdultEmpire.com FAN AWARDS * Favorite BBW Performer:

Angelina Castro Angelina Castro (born Francys Delia Valdez; 6 September 1982) is a Cuban Americans, Cuban American pornographic actress, film producer and radio personality. Castro grew up in Havana, Cuba, migrating to the United States when she was a child. Afte ...

* Favorite Cam Guy: Aamir Desire * Favorite Camming Couple: 19honeysuckle (aka Honey & Tom Christian) * Favorite Female Porn Star:

* Favorite Indie Clip Star: Jenny Blighe * Favorite Membership Site: BrazzersNetwork.com * Favorite Male Porn Star: Johnny Sins * Favorite Porn Star Website:

* Favorite Trans Cam Star: Aubrey Kate * Favorite Trans Porn Star: Chanel Santini * Hottest MILF: Kendra Lust * Hottest Newcomer: Lena Paul * Most Amazing Sex Toy: Angela White Fleshlight * Most Epic Ass:

Alexis Texas Alexis Texas (born May 25, 1985) is an American pornographic actress. In 2020, Texas was characterized as one of "the most popular porn performers", based on her Instagram following of around 6 million followers. She was inducted into the ...

* Most Spectacular Boobs:

* Social Media Star:

Multiple nominations and awards

''Justice League XXX: An Axel Braun Parody'' and ''Angela 3'', each with six, were the movies that won the most awards. ''Half His Age: A Teenage Tragedy'' was next with four trophies while ''Sacrosanct'' won three. ''Facialized 4'' and ''Anal Savages 3'' won two apiece while the ''Anal Savages'' series also won a best series award. ''Angela Loves Women 3'' also won an award in addition to being part of the ''Angela Loves...'' series, which also won a best series award. ''Justice League XXX: An Axel Braun Parody'' also had the most nominations, with 13.

AVN Honorary Awards

Hall of Fame

AVN on January 6, 2018, announced the 2017 inductees into its hall of fame, who were later honored with a January 23 cocktail party and then a video as the awards show opened. * Video Branch: Alexis Amore, Eva Angelina, William H., Brandon Iron,

Jessica Jaymes Jessica Redding (March 8, 1979 – September 17, 2019), known by her stage name Jessica Jaymes, was an American pornographic actress. She was '' Hustler''s first contract model and the "''Hustler'' Honey of the Year" in 2004, the August 20 ...

Sunny Leone Karenjit "Karen" Kaur Vohra (born May 13, 1981), known by her stage name Sunny Leone, is a Canadian American actress, model, and former pornographic actress. She was named ''Penthouse (magazine), Penthouse'' Pet of the Year in 2003, was a co ...

, Nick Orleans, Kirsten Price, Mike Ranger, David Stanley, Celeste Star, Aiden Starr, Devlin Weed,

, Michael Zen * Executive Branch: Marc Bruder, Mara Epstein, Rondee Kamins * Founders Branch: Mark Kulkis, David Joseph, Chuck Zane * Internet Founders Branch: Brad Mitchell

Presenters and performers

AVN announced the 2018 AVN Awards Trophy Girls would be Ayumi Anime and Sofi Ryan. Hip-hop artist

Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. He is often regarded as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, as well as one of the greatest rappers of all ...

performed several musical numbers during the show. Comedian and master of ceremonies

cracked jokes and appeared in several comedy skits with various adult industry luminaries.

Ceremony information

For the first time, content released exclusively on membership websites was eligible for AVN Awards consideration in any sex scene category. AVN also added two new categories in the Web and Technology area: Best New Website and Best Clip Website. In addition, Best Specialty Movie - Other Genre and Best Specialty Series - Other Genre were renamed Best Niche Movie and Series and a new category, Niche Performer of the Year, was added. At the nominations unveiling, two more new categories, Best Action/Thriller and Best Lewd Propositions Movie were announced. Favorite BBW Performer was added later as a fan-voted category for 2018. Another new fan category for 2018 was Favorite Cosplay Cam Cosplayer. Porn legend

Ron Jeremy Ronald Jeremy Hyatt (born March 12, 1953) is an American former Pornographic film actor, pornographic actor, and actor. Nicknamed "The Hedgehog", Jeremy was ranked by AVN (magazine), ''AVN'' at No. 1 in their "50 Top Porn Stars of All Time" l ...

was banned from the year's awards show. AVN felt he violated its code of conduct based on a ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

'' article published in November 2017, in which he was accused of sexual misconduct.

''In Memoriam''

As the show was beginning, AVN used a video segment to pay a tribute to adult-industry personalities who had died since the 2017 awards show: James Baes, Sean Barnett, Ron Harris,

Hugh Hefner Hugh Marston Hefner (April 9, 1926 – September 27, 2017) was an American magazine publisher. He was the founder and editor-in-chief of ''Playboy'' magazine, a publication with revealing photographs and articles. Hefner extended the ''Playboy ...

, Morton Hyatt,

Sonny Landham William M. "Sonny" Landham III (February 11, 1941 – August 17, 2017) was an American actor. He portrayed Billy Bear in ''48 Hrs.'' (1982), tracker Billy Sole in ''Predator (film), Predator'' (1987), and 'Chink' Weber in Lock Up (1989 film), '' ...

Radley Metzger Radley Metzger (January 21, 1929 – March 31, 2017) was an American filmmaker and film distributor, most noted for popular artistic pornographic films, including '' Thérèse and Isabelle'' (1968), '' Camille 2000'' (1969), '' The Lickerish ...

, Jocalyn Pink, January Seraph, Greg Steel, Michael Zen, Roxy Nicole, Olivia Nova, Olivia Lua, Yurizan Beltran,

Shyla Stylez Amanda Hardy (September 23, 1982 – November 9, 2017), better known as Shyla Stylez, was a Canadian pornographic actress and model. Career Stylez first became interested in entering the pornography industry in her teens, and later moved to Van ...

August Ames Mercedes Grabowski (August 23, 1994 – December 5, 2017), known professionally as August Ames, was a Canadian pornographic actress. She appeared in more than 100 films, including a non-pornographic film in 2016, and was nominated for several AV ...