Nikki Benz (born 1981 or 1982
) is an American
pornographic film actress. She was named the 2011
Penthouse Pet of the Year.
Early life
Born in Ukraine, Benz immigrated to Canada with her parents at age seven. She was raised in
Toronto
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
.
After living in the United States for several years, she became a U.S. citizen in February 2013.
Career
Benz worked as a
swimsuit model and
stripper
A stripper or exotic dancer is a person whose occupation involves performing striptease in a public adult entertainment venue such as a strip club. At times, a stripper may be hired to perform at private events.
Modern forms of stripping m ...
prior to her porn career.
[ She entered the adult film industry by e-mailing porn director Jim Gunn, who introduced her to Frank Kay, the president of Pleasure Productions.][ She signed with Pleasure Productions in January 2003 and made her first on-screen sex scene in ''Strap on Sally 20'' with Gina Lynn, and her first boy-girl scene with Ben English in ''The Sweetest Thing''. After completing her contract, Benz moved to Los Angeles and signed with Jill Kelly Productions in September 2004. Benz signed a contract with TeraVision in September 2005. She was the Penthouse Pet of the Month for April 2010, and the magazine's cover girl and feature in the May 2008 issue.] Benz was named ''Penthouse'' Pet of the Year 2011.
In June 2016, Brazzers signed Benz to be its first brand ambassador to promote their products. Several months later, Benz alleged that she was assaulted on a shoot for the website. She alleged that the director of the scene, Tony T, choked her after she asked the shoot to be stopped. A representative for Tony T denied the charges, and Brazzers ended its relationship with him after the allegation. After the accusations, several other performers including Dana DeArmond, Carter Cruise, and Devon
Devon ( ; historically also known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west ...
came forward with their stories about the director. Tony T and Ramon Nomar filed a lawsuit against Benz and Brazzers for defamation
Defamation is a communication that injures a third party's reputation and causes a legally redressable injury. The precise legal definition of defamation varies from country to country. It is not necessarily restricted to making assertions ...
.
Appearances
Along with Lisa Ann and Sean Michaels, Benz co-hosted the XRCO Awards in April 2010. Benz has made several appearances on the FoxSports.com show ''Cubed'', playing a wise-cracking, sports-savvy cleaning lady.
In 2012, Benz was featured in a video game, ''Saints Row: The Third – Penthouse Pack'', released by Volition. She also was in a music video, ''Lose Yourself''. In 2013, she appeared briefly in the film '' Pain and Gain''.
She appears in the dramatic film '' My Trip Back to the Dark Side'' (2014), which was directed by filmmaker Shane Stanley.
Other ventures
Benz hosted a show on KSEX called ''Contract Superstars'' alongside Lacie Heart, Ashley Steele, Stormy Daniels
Stephanie A. Gregory Clifford (born Stephanie A. Gregory; March 17, 1979), known professionally as Stormy Daniels, is an American pornographic film actress, Film director, director and former stripper. She has won many industry awards and is a ...
, and Tyler Faith but quit citing "time constraints". She and fellow adult performer Alexis Texas decided to advocate for gender equality, supporting female toplessness
Toplessness refers to the state in which a woman's breasts, including her areolas and nipples, are exposed, especially in a public place or in a visual medium. The male equivalent is known as barechestedness.
Social norms around toplessness ...
by Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and Neighborhoods in New York City, neighborhood in the Midtown Manhattan section of New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway (Manhattan), ...
performers, by exposing their breasts in Times Square.
Toronto mayoral campaign
In May 2014, Benz announced her candidacy to run for mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...
of the Canadian city of Toronto
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
via her Twitter account. She decided to fight against Rob Ford
Robert Bruce Ford (May 28, 1969 – March 22, 2016) was a Canadian politician and businessman who served as the 64th mayor of Toronto from 2010 to 2014. Before and after his term as mayor, Ford was a city councillor representing Ward 2 Etobi ...
for Toronto mayor. The announcement was subsequently covered by the ''Huffington Post
''HuffPost'' (''The Huffington Post'' until 2017, itself often abbreviated as ''HPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and covers ...
'', TMZ
''TMZ'' is an American entertainment-focused tabloid news organization owned by Fox Corporation. It made its debut on November 8, 2005, as a collaboration between AOL and Telepictures, a division of Warner Bros., until Time Warner divested ...
, and in a Playboy
''Playboy'' (stylized in all caps) is an American men's Lifestyle journalism, lifestyle and entertainment magazine, available both online and in print. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, funded in part by a $ ...
.com interview. The news also gained international attention via Yahoo France, Britain, and Finland.[
On May 28, 2014, Benz tried to submit her application to run for Mayor of Toronto, but the city would not accept her application because her Ontario driver's license had already expired. It was not known at the time whether she would reapply to run for mayor.] In the Playboy interview, Benz discussed various campaign issues including gay rights
Rights affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people vary greatly by country or jurisdiction—encompassing everything from the legal recognition of same-sex marriage to the death penalty for homosexuality.
Not ...
, economic stimulation for the city, and public transportation. Her platform included supporting and raising funds for the Downtown Relief Line, a proposed addition to Toronto's mass transit system.[ She also commented on former mayor ]Rob Ford
Robert Bruce Ford (May 28, 1969 – March 22, 2016) was a Canadian politician and businessman who served as the 64th mayor of Toronto from 2010 to 2014. Before and after his term as mayor, Ford was a city councillor representing Ward 2 Etobi ...
's substance abuse and his break from campaigning while he attended to his drug rehabilitation.[ In the interview, Benz cited her honesty and transparency, her love of her home city, and concern for its people. She also vowed to donate half of her salary as mayor to a cause chosen by its citizens.][
]
Awards and nominations
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Benz, Nikki
Year of birth missing (living people)
Living people
Soviet emigrants to Canada
Canadian people of Ukrainian descent
Canadian pornographic film actresses
Penthouse Pets
Penthouse Pets of the Year
Actresses from Toronto
Canadian expatriate actresses in the United States