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A pornographic film actor or actress, pornographic performer, adult entertainer, or porn star is a person who performs sex acts on video that is usually characterized as a
pornographic film Pornographic films (pornos), erotic films, adult films, blue films, sexually explicit films, or 18+ films, are films that represent Human sexual activity, sexually WIKT:explicit, explicit subject matter in order to sexual arousal, arouse, fasci ...
. Such videos tend to be made in a number of distinct pornographic subgenres and attempt to present a
sexual fantasy A sexual fantasy, or erotic fantasy, is an Autoeroticism, autoerotic mental image or pattern of thought that stirs a person's Human sexuality, sexuality and can create or enhance sexual arousal. A sexual Fantasy (psychology), fantasy can be crea ...
; the actors selected for a particular role are primarily selected on their ability to create or fit that fantasy. Pornographic videos are characterized as either
softcore Soft core or Softcore may refer to: * Softcore microprocessor, microprocessor implemented using logic synthesis and perhaps other circuits * Soft core (synthesis), a digital circuit that can be wholly implemented using logic synthesis * Soft roc ...
, which does not contain depictions of
sexual penetration Sexual penetration is the insertion of a body part or other object into a body orifice, such as the mouth, vagina or anus, as part of human sexual activity or sexual behavior in non-human animals. The term is most commonly used in statute la ...
or extreme
fetishism A fetish is an object believed to have supernatural powers, or in particular, a human-made object that has power over others. Essentially, fetishism is the attribution of inherent non-material value, or powers, to an object. Talismans and amulet ...
, and
hardcore Hardcore, hard core or hard-core may refer to: Arts and media Film * ''Hardcore'' (1977 film), a British comedy film * ''Hardcore'' (1979 film), an American crime drama film starring George C Scott * ''Hardcore'' (2001 film), a British documen ...
, which can contain depictions of penetration or extreme fetishism, or both. The genres and sexual intensity of videos is mainly determined by demand. Depending on the genre of the film, the on-screen appearance, age, and physical features of the actors and their ability to create the sexual mood of the video is of critical importance. Most actors specialize in certain genres, such as
straight Straight may refer to: Slang * Straight, slang for heterosexual ** Straight-acting, normal person * Straight, a member of the straight edge subculture Sport and games * Straight, an alternative name for the cross, a type of punch in boxing * Str ...
,
bisexual Bisexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior toward both males and females. It may also be defined as the attraction to more than one gender, to people of both the same and different gender, or the attraction t ...
,
gay ''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'. While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late ...
,
lesbian A lesbian is a homosexual woman or girl. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate nouns with female homosexu ...
, bondage, strap-on,
anal Anal may refer to: Related to the anus *Related to the anus of animals: ** Anal fin, in fish anatomy ** Anal vein, in insect anatomy ** Anal scale, in reptile anatomy *Related to the human anus: ** Anal sex, a type of sexual activity involving ...
,
double penetration Double penetration (sometimes called DP for short) is a term that usually refers to a vaginal and anal sex act involving one penis penetrating a vagina while another penetrates the anus. It also refers to the simultaneous penetration of either a ...
, semen swallowing,
orgy An orgy is a sex party where guests freely engage in open and unrestrained sexual activity or group sex. Swingers' parties do not always conform to this designation, because at many swinger parties the sexual partners may all know each other o ...
,
gang bang A gang bang is a sexual activity in which one person is the central focus of the sexual activity of several people, usually more than three, sequentially or simultaneously. The term generally refers to a woman being the focus; one man with ...
,
age roleplay Ageplay or age play is a form of roleplaying in which an individual acts or treats another as if they are a different age. Ageplay is roleplaying between adults, and involves consent from all parties. Ageplay is not always sexual. Portraying an ...
,
fauxcest Incest pornography is a genre of pornography involving the depiction of sexual activity between relatives. Incest pornography can feature actual relatives, but the main type of this pornography is fauxcest, which features non-related actors to sug ...
,
interracial Interracial topics include: * Interracial marriage, marriage between two people of different races ** Interracial marriage in the United States *** 2009 Louisiana interracial marriage incident * Interracial adoption, placing a child of one raci ...
, teenage or MILFs and more. The pornography industry in the United States was the first to develop its own
movie star A movie star (also known as a film star or cinema star) is an actor who is famous for their starring, or leading, roles in movies. The term is used for performers who are marketable stars as they become popular household names and whose names ...
system, primarily for commercial reasons. In other countries, the "star" system is not common, with most actors being amateurs. Most performers use a
pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true meaning ( orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individual's o ...
and strive to maintain off-screen anonymity. A number of pornographic actors and actresses have written autobiographies. It is very rare for pornographic actors and actresses to successfully cross over to the mainstream film industry. Certain pornographic actors have leveraged their success to branch into different entrepreneurial endeavours, such as
Jenna Jameson Jenna Marie Massoli (born April 9, 1974), known professionally as Jenna Jameson (), is an American businesswoman, writer, television personality, and former pornographic film actress. She has been named the world's most famous adult entertainm ...
's ClubJenna. Leaked patient database of
Adult Industry Medical Health Care Foundation The Adult Industry Medical Associates P.C. (formerly Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation), also known simply as AIM or AIM Medical, was a non-profit organization devoted to STD testing of pornographic performers for HIV and other ST ...
in 2011 contained details of over 12,000 pornographic actors that it had tested since 1998, providing estimates of the number of pornographic film actors who have worked in the United States. , it was reported that roughly 1,200–1,500 performers were working in California's "
Porn Valley The San Fernando Valley, known locally as the Valley, is an urbanized valley in Los Angeles County, California. Situated to the north of the Los Angeles Basin, it comprises a large portion of Los Angeles, the incorporated cities of Burbank, Cal ...
".


History

Production of risqué films commenced with the start of photography. "Moving pictures" that featured nudity were popular in "
penny arcades An amusement arcade, also known as a video arcade, amusements, arcade, or penny arcade (an older term), is a venue where people play arcade games, including arcade video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, merchand ...
" of the early 1900s which had hand-cranked films and
stereoscope A stereoscope is a device for viewing a stereoscopy, stereoscopic pair of separate images, depicting left-eye and right-eye views of the same scene, as a single three-dimensional image. A typical stereoscope provides each eye with a lens that ...
glasses, as well as
vitascope Vitascope was an early film projector first demonstrated in 1895 by Charles Francis Jenkins and Thomas Armat. They had made modifications to Jenkins' patented Phantoscope, which cast images via film and electric light onto a wall or screen. T ...
theaters. These attractions featured topless women, full frontal nudity, and sexual coupling. Production of erotic films commenced almost immediately after the invention of the motion picture. The first erotic film was the seven-minute 1896 film directed by Frenchman
Albert Kirchner Albert Kirchner (1860–1902), better known under the pseudonym Léar, was a French photographer, manufacturer, exhibitor,Richard Abel''Encyclopedia of early cinema'' Taylor & Francis, 2005, , p.518 and filmmaker who is noted for producing severa ...
(under the name "Léar") which had Louise Willy performing a bathroom
striptease A striptease is an erotic or exotic dance in which the performer gradually undresses, either partly or completely, in a seductive and sexually suggestive manner. The person who performs a striptease is commonly known as a "stripper", "exotic d ...
.Richard Abel
''Encyclopedia of early cinema''
Taylor & Francis, 2005, , p.518
Other French filmmakers also started making this type of risqué films, showing women disrobing. The
Pathé Pathé SAS (; styled as PATHÉ!) is a French major film production and distribution company, owning a number of cinema chains through its subsidiary Pathé Cinémas and television networks across Europe. It is the name of a network of Fren ...
brothers supplied the demand throughout Europe.Michael Achenbach, Paolo Caneppele, Ernst Kieninger: ''Projektionen der Sehnsucht: Saturn, die erotischen Anfänge der österreichischen Kinematografie''. Filmarchiv Austria, Wien 2000, . In
Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...
,
Johann Schwarzer Johann Schwarzer (30 August 1880 – 10 October 1914) was an Austrian photographer and pioneer producer of adult films through his Saturn-Film (:de:Saturn-Film, de) company. Schwarzer was born in Javorník (Jeseník District), Javornik, then part ...
produced 52 erotic productions between 1906 and 1911, each of which contained young local women fully nude, to provide an alternative local source to the French productions. Performers in these early productions were usually uncredited or used
pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true meaning ( orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individual's o ...
s to avoid legal sanction and social disapprobation. The use of pseudonyms was the norm in the industry; pornographic film actors maintained a low profile, using pseudonyms to maintain a level of anonymity, while others performed uncredited. The use of pseudonyms has remained a tradition in the industry, and actors would perform under a number of pseudonyms, depending on the genre of film, or changed a pseudonym when the previous one ceased to be a draw card. Casey Donovan starred in the first mainstream pornographic hit, ''
Boys in the Sand ''Boys in the Sand'' is a landmark American Gay pornography, gay pornographic film, released early in the Golden Age of Porn. The 1971 film was directed by Wakefield Poole and stars Casey Donovan (actor), Casey Donovan.
'', in 1971. However, arguably the first pornstar to become a household name was
Linda Lovelace Linda Lovelace (born Linda Susan Boreman; January 10, 1949 – April 22, 2002) was an American pornographic actress who became famous for her performance in the 1972 hardcore film '' Deep Throat'', which was an enormous success. She later all ...
(the pseudonym of Linda Susan Boreman) from
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
, United States, who starred in the 1972 feature '' Deep Throat''. The film grossed millions of dollars worldwide, a success that was echoed by similar stars and productions such as
Marilyn Chambers Marilyn Ann Taylor (née Briggs; April 22, 1952 – April 12, 2009), known professionally as Marilyn Chambers, was an American pornographic actress, exotic dancer, model, actress, singer and vice-presidential candidate. She was known f ...
(''
Behind the Green Door ''Behind the Green Door'' is a 1972 American pornographic film, widely considered one of the genre's "classic" pictures and one of the films that ushered in the Golden Age of Porn (1969–1984). Featuring Marilyn Chambers, who became a mainstr ...
''),
Gloria Leonard Gale Sandra Klinetsky (August 28, 1940 – February 3, 2014), known professionally as Gloria Leonard, was an American pornographic film actress and publisher of ''High Society'' magazine. As a board member of Adult Video Association and its s ...
(''
The Opening of Misty Beethoven ''The Opening of Misty Beethoven'' is an American pornographic comedy Comedy is a genre of dramatic works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or ...
''),
Georgina Spelvin Shelley Bob Graham (born March 1, 1936), known professionally as Georgina Spelvin, is an American former actress and pornographic performer, best known as the star of the classic 1973 pornographic film ''The Devil in Miss Jones'', released duri ...
(''
The Devil in Miss Jones ''The Devil in Miss Jones'' is a 1973 pornographic film, written, directed and produced by Gerard Damiano, inspired by the 1944 play ''No Exit'' by French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre. Starring Georgina Spelvin and Harry Reems, it is widely ...
''), and
Bambi Woods Bambi Woods is an American former pornographic film actress and exotic dancer best known for her appearance as the title character in the 1978 film '' Debbie Does Dallas''. Her success during the Golden Age of Porn and later disappearance fueled ...
(''
Debbie Does Dallas ''Debbie Does Dallas'' is a 1978 American pornographic film produced and directed by Jim Clark, and starring Bambi Woods. The plot focuses on a team of cheerleaders attempting to earn enough money to send the title character to Dallas, Texas to ...
''). The period from the early 1970s through the late 1970s or early 1980s has been called
the Golden Age of Porn The term "Golden Age of Porn", or "porno chic", refers to a 15-year period (1969–1984) in commercial American pornography, in which sexually explicit films experienced positive attention from mainstream cinemas, movie critics, and the genera ...
, when erotic films were produced in the United States with narratives, backed by movie-style promotional budgets, and were shown in public theaters and accepted (or at least tolerated) for public consumption.Second wave: Feminism and porn's golden age
''Radical Society'' Oct 2002 by Loren Glass
Performers in these productions became celebrities including Peter Berlin, John Holmes,
Ginger Lynn Allen Ginger Lynn Allen (born December 14, 1962) is an American pornographic actress and pornographic model, model who was a premier adult-entertainment star of the 1980s. She also had minor roles in various B movies. ''Adult Video News'' ranked he ...
,
Porsche Lynn Porsche Lynn (born February 14, 1962) is an American exotic dancer and pornographic actress. Career Lynn chose her stage name from the Porsche car company after seeing one of their cars during a drive to one of her earliest film shoots; she add ...
, Desireé Cousteau,
Juliet Anderson Juliet Anderson (born Judith Carr; July 23, 1938 – January 11, 2010), also known as Aunt Peg, was an American pornographic actress and adult movie producer, relationship counselor and author. Entering the adult movie business relatively late ...
(Aunt Peg),
Lisa De Leeuw Lisa De Leeuw (born July 3, 1958) is an American former pornographic actress. Career She appeared in over 200 films and was inducted into both the X-Rated Critics Organization, XRCO Hall of Fame and the AVN Hall of Fame. Alleged death In the 2 ...
,
Veronica Hart Jane Hamilton (born 1956 or 1957) is an American film director and former pornographic film actress who performed under the stage name Veronica Hart. Described by columnist Frank Rich as "a leading porn star of the late '70s and early '80s", Ha ...
,
Nina Hartley Marie Louise Hartman (born 1959), known professionally as Nina Hartley, is an American pornographic film actress and sex educator. By 2017 she had appeared in more than one thousand adult films. She has been described by ''Las Vegas Weekly'' as ...
,
Harry Reems Herbert John Streicher (August 27, 1947 – March 19, 2013), better known by his professional pseudonym Harry Reems, was an Americans, American pornographic actor, later working as a real estate agent. His most famous roles were as Doctor Y ...
, Seka, Annette Haven and
Amber Lynn Amber Lynn (born Laura Lynn Allen; September 3, 1964) is an American pornographic actress, pornographic film actress and mainstream actress, radio host, model, exotic dancer, advocate and humanitarian. Early life Amber Lynn was born Laura Lynn ...
. Meanwhile, in Europe, many pornographic actresses and actors come from the so-called pornographic bloc countries, such as
Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
,
Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
,
Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...
,
Slovakia Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...
and
Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...
. In France, popular female performers have included
Brigitte Lahaie Brigitte Lahaie (born Brigitte Lucie Jeanine Van Meerhaeghe; 12 October 1955) is a French radio talk show host, mainstream film actress and former pornographic actress. She performed in erotic films from 1976 through 1980 and is a member of t ...
,
Clara Morgane Clara Morgane () is a French singer and former pornographic film actress. Biography Clara Morgane first became notable as a pornographic actor, porn star : she started making movies with her boyfriend Greg Centauro and Pierre Piot in 2000 an ...
,
Céline Tran Céline Tran (born 9 April 1979) Retrieved 31 January 2016. is a French actress, writer, martial artist, blogger, and former pornographic actress, previously known under the stage name Katsuni, and before that Katsu''m''i. She started her adult ...
(Katsuni), and
Yasmine Lafitte Yasmine Lafitte (Arabic: ياسمين لافيت) is a French-Moroccan former pornographic actress who performed under the mononym Yasmine. Life and career Born in an observant Muslim family in Thar Es-Souk, a small village of Morocco, Lafitte ...
. In
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
, the Swedish Marina Lothar rose to prominence in the early 1980s, as well as
Moana Pozzi Anna Moana Rosa Pozzi (; 27 April 1961 – 15 September 1994), also known mononymously as Moana, was an Italian pornographic actress, television personality and politician. Early life Pozzi was born in Genoa, Italy, the daughter of Alfredo Po ...
,
Ilona Staller Ilona Anna Staller (born 26 November 1951), known by her stage name Cicciolina, is a Hungarian-Italian former porn star, politician, and singer. Staller gained fame in the early 1970s through her radio show ''Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?'' a ...
(Cicciolina), and Lilli Carati.


Performers


Female performers

The on-screen physical appearances of the female performers is of primary importance. They are typically younger in age than their male counterparts, in their teens, 20s, and 30s. There is a preference in the industry for thinness and large-breasted actresses; some
film studios A film studio (also known as movie studio or simply studio) is a major entertainment company that makes films. Today, studios are mostly financing and distribution entities. In addition, they may have their own studio facility or facilities; howev ...
encourage their actresses to have
breast implants A breast implant is a prosthesis used to change the size, shape, and contour of a person's breast. In reconstructive plastic surgery, breast implants can be placed to restore a natural looking breast following a mastectomy, to correct congenital ...
, and offer to pay for the procedure. According to actor-turned-director
Jonathan Morgan Jonathan or Jon Morgan may refer to: *Jonathan Morgan (director) (born 1966), director and former actor in pornographic films *Jonathan Morgan (politician) Jonathan Morgan, (born 12 November 1974) is a Welsh Conservative politician, who served ...
: Less desirable actresses are more likely to agree to perform more extreme and high-risk sexual acts such as " double-anal" in order to get work. According to Morgan: Some performers note that "a performer's pleasure is not of primary importance" and that "porn sex is not the same as private sex". According to a study investigating health risks for industry performers, female performers experience significantly higher risk within their job role than male performers. The study reported: Furthermore, there is a contrary opinion stating that porn production is not necessarily unethical or degrading. According to Lynn Comella, a women's studies professor at
UNLV The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) is a public land-grant research university in Paradise, Nevada, United States. The campus is about east of the Las Vegas Strip. It was formerly part of the University of Nevada from 1957 to 1969. ...
, presenting demeaning practices as representative of the entire porn industry is "akin to talking about Hollywood while only referencing
Spaghetti Western The spaghetti Western is a broad subgenre of Western films produced in Europe. It emerged in the mid-1960s in the wake of Sergio Leone's filmmaking style and international box-office success. The term was used by foreign critics because most o ...
s". A 2012 study titled, "Why Become a Pornography Actress?" analyzed female performers in pornography, and their reasons for choosing the occupation; it found that the primary reasons were money (53%), sex (27%), and attention (16%). Respondents also stated the aspects of their work which they disliked. These included industry-associated people, e.g., co-workers, directors, producers, and agents, whose "attitudes, behaviors, and poor hygiene
ere Ere or ERE may refer to: * ''Environmental and Resource Economics'', a peer-reviewed academic journal * ERE Informatique, one of the first French video game companies * Ere language, an Austronesian language * Ebi Ere (born 1981), American-Nigeria ...
difficult to handle within their work environment" or who were unscrupulous and unprofessional (39%); STIs risk (29%); and exploitation within the industry (20%). According to a 2013 study in the ''
Journal of Sex Research The ''Journal of Sex Research'' is a peer-reviewed academic journal covering the study of human sexuality and the field of sexology in general. It is published by Routledge on behalf of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality. In 1963, t ...
'', female porn performers were reported to have engaged in sexual activity at a younger age, utilized several drugs, identify as bisexual, had more sexual partners, and have better enjoyment of sex compared to their non-porn peers. They were also found to have a good quality of life, social support systems, sexual fulfillment, spirituality, and equal or better levels of self-esteem compared to their non-porn counterparts. A 2018 review published in the ''
Journal of Sex Research The ''Journal of Sex Research'' is a peer-reviewed academic journal covering the study of human sexuality and the field of sexology in general. It is published by Routledge on behalf of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality. In 1963, t ...
'' found in a survey that the majority of male pornography consumers disliked seeing "acts that were more clearly unpleasant/painful for female performers, such as forced gagging or forceful anal penetration." The study concluded that despite the oversaturation of extreme and kinky content in the industry, most consumers are not interested in kinky, fetish or degrading pornography.


Male performers

While the primary focus of heterosexual adult films are the women in them, who are mostly selected for their on-screen appearance, there is a definite focus on the male performers who are able to fulfill the desires of the male watching audience as their on-screen proxies. Most male performers in heterosexual pornography are generally selected less for their looks and more for their sexual prowess, namely their ability to do three things: achieve an
erection An erection (clinically: penile erection or penile tumescence) is a Physiology, physiological phenomenon in which the penis becomes firm, engorged, and enlarged. Penile erection is the result of a complex interaction of psychological, neural, ...
while on a busy and sometimes pressuring film set, maintain that erection while performing on camera, and then
ejaculate Ejaculation is the discharge of semen (the ''ejaculate''; normally containing sperm) from the penis through the urethra. It is the final stage and natural objective of male sexual stimulation, and an essential component of natural concepti ...
on cue. However, the majority of on-screen ejaculations,
semen Semen, also known as seminal fluid, is a bodily fluid that contains spermatozoon, spermatozoa which is secreted by the male gonads (sexual glands) and other sexual organs of male or hermaphrodite, hermaphroditic animals. In humans and placen ...
, and "money shots" are artificial. In the past, an actor's inability to maintain an erection or being subject to premature ejaculation could make the difference between a film turning a profit or a loss. If an actor loses his erection, filming is forced to stop. This problem has been addressed with the use of
Viagra Sildenafil, sold under the brand name Viagra among others, is a medication used to treat erectile dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension. It is also sometimes used off-label for the treatment of certain symptoms in secondary Ray ...
, although Viagra can make the actor's face noticeably flushed, give him a headache, make it difficult to ejaculate, and can take about 45 minutes to take effect. According to director
John Stagliano John Stagliano (born November 29, 1951), also known as Buttman, is an American entrepreneur, former pornographic film actor, producer and director who founded and owns the Evil Angel pornographic film studio. Early life and career Stagliano gr ...
, using Viagra means "You also lose a dimension. The guy's fucking without being aroused."
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 ...
, John Holmes, and
Rocco Siffredi Rocco Antonio Tano (born 4 May 1964), known professionally as Rocco Siffredi, is an Italian Pornographic film actor, pornographic actor, director, and producer. Known as the "Italian Stallion", Siffredi has starred in more than 1,300 pornograph ...
are considered by AVN as the top male performers of all time. Adding to his fame, Ron Jeremy has been a staple in the industry since the 1970s and has become something of a cultural icon.
Ken Shimizu Ken Shimizu () is a Japanese pornographic film actor. He is credited with having sex with over 10,000 women in the course of making 10,000 films. Life and career Born on September 1, 1979, and made his first appearance as a gravure model at 18 ...
is credited with having had sex with over 8,000 women in the course of making 7,500 films.


Industry practices


Pay rates


By scene

Payment for pornstars is dependent on the sex acts performed; penetration typically paying highest. In a single scene, female actresses typically make between $100 and $6,000, while male actors make between $100 and $400. In 2017, ''
The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'' reported that female performers in scenes with male performers typically earn around $1,000, compared with $700–800 in scenes with other females. ''The Independent'' also claimed that pay rates are subject to variation up or down by around 10–20%, depending on various factors. The Daily Beast claimed in 2019 that female performers could make between $300 and $2500 per scene, depending on their level of experience and the sex acts performed. Higher-paid female performers could make around $1200 per scene. The ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'' reported, in 2009, that the pay rates for a female actress performing
heterosexual Heterosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between people of the opposite sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, heterosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions ...
scenes were $700 to $1,000. According to the porn website Videobox in 2008, actresses make these rates: Blowjobs: $200–$400; Straight sex: $400–$1,200; Anal sex: $900–$1,500; Double Penetration: $1,200–$1,600; Double anal: $2,000. For more unusual fetishes, women generally get 15% extra. Ron Jeremy commented in 2008 that, "The average guy gets $300 to $400 a scene, or $100 to $200 if he's new." According to producer
Seymore Butts Adam Glasser (born March 18, 1964), known professionally as Seymore Butts, is an American pornographic film director, producer, and occasional performer who has produced hundreds of films in the gonzo genre of pornography (faux reality-based adul ...
in 2007, who runs his own sex-film recruitment agency as well as producing sex films, "depending on draw, female performers who perform in both straight and lesbian porn earn more than those who do just heterosexual scenes ndusually make about US$200–800 while those who only do oral sex (blow job) usually only make about US$100–300 for the scene". In a 2004 interview conducted by Local10 news of Florida, it was claimed that individuals were offered $700 for sexual intercourse while shooting a scene of the popular series ''Bang Bus''. In 2001, actress Chloe said of pay-rates: "In
Gonzo Gonzo may refer to: People * Gonzo (nickname), a list of people with the nickname * Radislav Jovanov Gonzo (born 1964), Croatian music video director Radislav Jovanov, also known as Gonzo * Matthias Röhr (born 1962), German musician whose stage ...
, you're paid not by the picture, but by the scene. So it's girl-girl: $700, plus $100 for an anal toy. Boy-girl: $900. Anal: $1,100. Solo: $500. DP: $1,500."


Salaries

Salaries for female actresses typically range from $60,000 to $400,000, compared with $40,000 for male actors. In 2017, ''The Independent'' reported that top porn performers' salaries were around $300,000 to $400,000. In 2011, the manager of
Capri Anderson __NOTOC__ Capri Anderson (born Christina Walsh; March 30, 1988) is an American pornographic actress. Background Walsh was born of Irish and Welsh descent. She was raised in New York City, New York as well in Florida. She has experience in dance ...
said, "A contract girl will only shoot for one company, she won't shoot for anyone else. Most actresses in the adult industry are free agents – they'll shoot for anyone. Most contract girls make $60,000 a year. In one year, a contract girl will shoot, on average, four movies and each movie takes about two or three weeks to shoot."


Other payment

Besides appearing in films, porn stars often make money from endorsements and appearance fees. For instance, in 2010, some night clubs were paying female porn stars and Playboy Playmates to appear there to act as draws for the general public; the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'' reported that
Jesse Jane Cynthia Ann Howell (July 16, 1980 – January 24, 2024), known professionally as Jesse Jane, was an American pornographic film actress. She became one of the few adult film performers of the 2000s to make the transition into mainstream film an ...
was paid between $5,000 to $10,000 for one appearance by a
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
club.


Health issues

In the 1980s, there was an outbreak of
HIV/AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...
in the pornographic film industry which caused many deaths. This led to the creation of the
Adult Industry Medical Health Care Foundation The Adult Industry Medical Associates P.C. (formerly Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation), also known simply as AIM or AIM Medical, was a non-profit organization devoted to STD testing of pornographic performers for HIV and other ST ...
(AIM) in 1998, which voluntarily tested the pornographic performers for
HIV The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of '' Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the im ...
, chlamydia and gonorrhea every 30 days; and twice a year for
hepatitis Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver parenchyma, liver tissue. Some people or animals with hepatitis have no symptoms, whereas others develop yellow discoloration of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice), Anorexia (symptom), poor appetite ...
,
syphilis Syphilis () is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium ''Treponema pallidum'' subspecies ''pallidum''. The signs and symptoms depend on the stage it presents: primary, secondary, latent syphilis, latent or tertiary. The prim ...
and HSV. AIM closed all its operations in May 2011. Since 2011, STI testing for pornographic performers is being monitored by
Free Speech Coalition The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) is a non-profit industry trade group, trade association of the sex industry in the United States. Founded in 1991, it opposes the passage and enforcement of obscenity laws and many censorship laws (with the excep ...
, which set up the Adult Production Health and Safety Services (APHSS) system, now known as
Performer Availability Screening Services The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) is a non-profit trade association of the sex industry in the United States. Founded in 1991, it opposes the passage and enforcement of obscenity laws and many censorship laws (with the exception of "anti-piracy" ...
(PASS). Performers are tested every fourteen days for
HIV The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of '' Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the im ...
,
syphilis Syphilis () is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium ''Treponema pallidum'' subspecies ''pallidum''. The signs and symptoms depend on the stage it presents: primary, secondary, latent syphilis, latent or tertiary. The prim ...
,
gonorrhea Gonorrhoea or gonorrhea, colloquially known as the clap, is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacterium ''Neisseria gonorrhoeae''. Infection may involve the genitals, mouth, or rectum. Gonorrhea is spread through sexual c ...
,
chlamydia Chlamydia, or more specifically a chlamydia infection, is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium ''Chlamydia trachomatis''. Most people who are infected have no symptoms. When symptoms do appear, they may occur only several w ...
,
hepatitis B Hepatitis B is an infectious disease caused by the '' hepatitis B virus'' (HBV) that affects the liver; it is a type of viral hepatitis. It can cause both acute and chronic infection. Many people have no symptoms during an initial infection. ...
and C and
trichomoniasis Trichomoniasis (trich) is an infectious disease caused by the parasite ''Trichomonas vaginalis''. About 70% of affected people do not have symptoms when infected. When symptoms occur, they typically begin 5 to 28 days after exposure. Symptoms ca ...
. According to PASS, there has not been an on-set transmission of HIV on a regulated set since 2004.


Awards

Exceptional performance of pornographic actors and actresses is recognized in the
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. ...
,
XRCO Awards The XRCO Awards are given by the American X-Rated Critics Organization annually to people working in adult entertainment and it is the only adult industry awards show reserved exclusively for industry members. Once every calendar year, XRCO m ...
and
XBIZ Award XBIZ Awards, renamed as XMAs Awards from 2025 onwards, are given annually to honor "individuals, companies, performers and products that play an essential part in the growth and success of adult films". They have been described by XBIZ publisher ...
s. The AVN Awards are
film awards This is a list of groups, organizations, and festivals that recognize achievements in cinema, usually by awarding various prizes. The awards sometimes also have popular unofficial names (such as the "Oscar" for Hollywood's Academy Awards), which ar ...
sponsored and presented by the American
adult video In Japan, (AV) are sex or nudity themed videos distinguishable from Toei porno feature films, Nikkatsu Roman Porno feature films, indie studio pink films, and less sex-centred 'V-cinema' or other (OV). Adult videos feature sex or nudity, and ...
industry
trade magazine A trade magazine, also called a trade journal or trade paper (colloquially or disparagingly a trade rag), is a magazine or newspaper whose target audience is people who work in a particular tradesman, trade or industry. The collective term ...
'' AVN'' (''Adult Video News''). They are called the "
Oscars The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence i ...
of porn". The AVN Awards are divided into nearly 100 categories, some of which are analogous to industry awards offered in other film and video genres, and others that are specific to
pornographic Pornography (colloquially called porn or porno) is sexually suggestive material, such as a picture, video, text, or audio, intended for sexual arousal. Made for consumption by adults, pornographic depictions have evolved from cave paintings ...
/
erotic Eroticism () is a quality that causes sexual feelings, as well as a philosophical contemplation concerning the aesthetics of sexual desire, sensuality, and romantic love. That quality may be found in any form of artwork, including painting, sculp ...
film and video. The
XRCO Award The XRCO Awards are given by the American X-Rated Critics Organization annually to people working in adult entertainment and it is the only adult industry awards show reserved exclusively for industry members. Once every calendar year, XRCO m ...
s are given by the
X-Rated Critics Organization The X-Rated Critics Organization (XRCO) is a group of writers and editors from the American adult entertainment industry who each year present awards in recognition of achievement within the industry. After the controversy and criticism of the ...
annually. The
Venus Award The Venus Award is a film award in the adult film industry presented yearly in Berlin since 1997 as part of the Venus Berlin, an international erotic trade festival, on the exhibition grounds at the Funkturm Berlin, Funkturm. Prizes are offered ...
s are presented each year in
Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
as part of the Venus Berlin trade fair.


Media


Media and press coverage

With some notable or occasional exceptions, pornographic actors are not generally reported on by
mainstream media In journalism, mainstream media (MSM) is a term and abbreviation used to refer collectively to the various large Mass media, mass news media that influence many people and both reflect and shape prevailing currents of thought.Noam Chomsky, Choms ...
. As a result, specialized publications (or
trade journal A trade magazine, also called a trade journal or trade paper (colloquially or disparagingly a trade rag), is a magazine or newspaper whose target audience is people who work in a particular trade or industry. The collective term for this a ...
s) emerged to serve as a source of information about the industry, its business dealings, trends and forecasts, as well as its personnel. Two of the predominant media outlets are ''Adult Video News'' and ''
XBIZ XBIZ is an American publisher of business news and business information for the sex industry founded in 1998 and based in Los Angeles. In addition to its flagship "Xbiz.com" website, XBIZ publishes two monthly trade magazines, hosts winter and ...
''. Certain performers also have had their public accounts blocked on social media platforms. The ''Internet Adult Film Database'' (
IAFD The Internet Adult Film Database (IAFD) is an online database of information pertaining to the pornography industry: actors, actresses, directors, studios, distributors and pornographic films. History The predecessor to IAFD was email- and FTP ...
) lists adult film productions dating back to the 1970s, the performers in those films, and the associated directors.


Autobiographies

A number of pornographic actors and actresses have written autobiographies, including the following:


Discrimination

Porn actors have spoken out about discrimination they face due to their work, including being denied banking services and being fired from other jobs.
Lana Rhoades Lana Rhoades is an American internet personality, podcaster and former pornographic film actress. She has appeared in publications such as ''Hustler (magazine), Hustler'', ''Penthouse (magazine), Penthouse'' and ''Playboy''. Early life Rhoades ...
and others faced difficulty when renting or buying a home. On numerous occasions, banks closed or refused to open the accounts of porn actors.
Chanel Preston Chanel Preston is an American pornographic film actress. She was the ''Penthouse (magazine), Penthouse'' magazine Penthouse Pet for March 2012. Early life Preston was born and raised in Alaska. Career Appearances Preston was on CNBC's li ...
was among those whose bank account was closed due to her profession. Porn actors also face discrimination from social media websites. Around 200 performers and models signed a letter to Facebook saying that their Instagram accounts were closed unfairly. Many say that they are being held to a different standard than mainstream celebrities. More than 1,300 performers claimed that their accounts have been deleted by Instagram's content moderators for violations of the site's community standards, despite not showing any nudity or sex. They claim that famous celebrities are allowed to be much more explicit on their accounts than porn stars or sex workers without getting sanctioned. Over 100 platforms, including banks, payment processors, social media websites and hotels have been accused of discriminating against sex workers.


See also

*
List of pornographic film studios The following is a list of pornographic film studios. A * Abbywinters.com (Australia) * Active Duty (includes gay content) * Adam & Eve (US) * Alice Japan (Japan) * Anabolic Video (US) (defunct) * Athletic Model Guild (includes gay con ...
*
List of pornographic actors who appeared in mainstream films Since the 1970s, there have been a number of adult film actors who have appeared in mainstream films with varying degrees of success. Adult film actors Marilyn Chambers and Linda Lovelace tried crossing over to mainstream careers in the 1970s, bu ...
*
List of members of the XRCO Hall of Fame The XRCO Hall of Fame lists well-known adult entertainment works and workers. The list is managed by X-Rated Critics Organization and inducted annually during the XRCO Awards. The first XRCO Awards were presented in Hollywood on February 14, 1985.< ...
* AV idol


References


External links


AVN Awards

Internet Adult Film Database

Adult Film Database

European Girls Adult Film Database
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pornographic Actor Entertainment occupations Pornographic film actors Pornography