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Traci Elizabeth Lords (born Nora Louise Kuzma; May 7, 1968) is an American actress and singer. As a 15-year-old high-school dropout, she used fake identity documents to enter the
sex industry The sex industry (also called the sex trade) consists of businesses that either directly or indirectly provide sex-related products and services or adult entertainment. The industry includes activities involving direct provision of sex-related se ...
, where she began appearing in pornographic magazines and
film A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, sinc ...
s. The September 1984 edition of '' Penthouse'' featured her as its
centerfold The centerfold or centrefold of a magazine is the inner pages of the middle Folio, sheet, usually containing a portrait, such as a pin-up or a Nudity, nude. The term can also refer to the model featured in the portrait. In saddle-stitched maga ...
, and she went on to become one of the most sought-after pornographic actresses of the mid-1980s, appearing in an estimated 75 adult films and videos. In 1986, the
Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...
(FBI) received an anonymous tip that she had been a minor during her time in the industry. All pornographic material featuring Lords—except her last film, '' Traci, I Love You,'' which had been shot two days after her 18th birthday—was removed from distribution in the United States as
child pornography Child pornography (also abbreviated as CP, also called child porn or kiddie porn, and child sexual abuse material, known by the acronym CSAM (underscoring that children can not be deemed willing participants under law)), is Eroticism, erotic ma ...
. Efforts to prosecute two producers and her former talent agent failed as Lords had used a stolen birth certificate to obtain a federal passport and California driver's license, thereby giving industry personnel a reasonable belief that she was over 18 at the time. Lords subsequently enrolled at the Lee Strasberg Theater Institute, where she studied
method acting Method acting, known as the Method, is a range of rehearsal techniques, as formulated by a number of different theatre practitioners, that seeks to encourage sincere and expressive performances through identifying with, understanding, and expe ...
with the intention of becoming a mainstream actress. She made her mainstream screen debut in the 1988 remake of the 1957
Roger Corman Roger William Corman (April 5, 1926 – May 9, 2024) was an American film director, producer, and actor. Known under various monikers such as "The Pope of Pop Cinema", "The Spiritual Godfather of the New Hollywood", and "The King of Cult", he w ...
science fiction film '' Not of This Earth''. She played Wanda Woodward in John Waters' teen comedy, '' Cry-Baby'' (1990). Her other acting credits include the television series ''
MacGyver Angus "Mac" MacGyver is the title character and the protagonist in the TV series ''MacGyver''. He is played by Richard Dean Anderson in the MacGyver (1985 TV series), 1985 original series. Lucas Till portrays a younger version of MacGyver in Mac ...
'', '' Married... with Children'', '' Tales from the Crypt'', ''
Roseanne ''Roseanne'' is an American television sitcom created by Matt Williams (producer), Matt Williams that originally aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from October 18, 1988, to May 20, 1997, and briefly revived from March 27, 2018, to May ...
'', '' Melrose Place'', '' Profiler'', '' First Wave'', '' Highlander: The Series'', ''
Gilmore Girls ''Gilmore Girls'' is an American comedy drama television series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, starring Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel. The show debuted October 5, 2000, on The WB and became a flagship series for the network. The show ran fo ...
,'' and '' Will & Grace''. She also appeared in films such as '' Skinner'' (1993)'', Virtuosity'' (1995), ''
Blade A blade is the Sharpness (cutting), sharp, cutting portion of a tool, weapon, or machine, specifically designed to puncture, chop, slice, or scrape surfaces or materials. Blades are typically made from materials that are harder than those they a ...
'' (1998), '' Zack and Miri Make a Porno'' (2008), and '' Excision'' (2012), which earned her a Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Supporting Actress as well as a Fright Meter Award and a CinEuphoria Award. Lords pursued music in addition to her film career. After her song "Love Never Dies" was featured on the soundtrack to the film '' Pet Sematary Two'' (1992), she was signed to Radioactive Records and subsequently released her debut studio album, '' 1000 Fires'' (1995), to generally positive reviews. Despite the poor sales of the album, the lead single " Control" had moderate commercial success. It peaked at number two on the ''Billboard'' Hot Dance Club Songs chart and a remix was included on the soundtrack to the film ''
Mortal Kombat ''Mortal Kombat'' is an American media franchise centered on a series of fighting game, fighting video games originally developed by Midway Games in 1992. The original ''Mortal Kombat (1992 video game), Mortal Kombat'' arcade game spawned Lis ...
'' (1995), which was eventually certified double platinum by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA). In 2003, Lords published her autobiography, '' Traci Lords: Underneath It All'', which received positive reviews from critics and debuted at number 31 on ''The New York Times'' Best Seller list.


Early life

Traci Lords was born Nora Louise Kuzma on May 7, 1968, in Steubenville, Ohio, to Louis and Patricia Kuzma. Her father's parents were of Ukrainian descent, while her mother was of Irish ancestry. Louis was employed as a steelworker. Lords has one elder sister and two younger sisters. Her parents divorced when she was seven years old and Lords moved with her mother and three sisters to her great-grandmother's house. Following the divorce, her alcoholic, abusive father got partial custody. Around that same time, her mother enrolled at
Ohio University Ohio University (Ohio or OU) is a Public university, public research university with its main campus in Athens, Ohio, United States. The university was first conceived in the 1787 contract between the United States Department of the Treasury#Re ...
and became employed part-time. When Lords was 12, she moved with her mother, her mother's new boyfriend, and sisters to
Redondo Beach, California Redondo Beach (Spanish for ) is a coastal city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, located in the South Bay (Los Angeles County), South Bay region of the Greater Los Angeles area. It is one of three adjacent Beach Cities, beach c ...
. She did not see her father for many years after. In September 1982, she began attending Redondo Union High School but dropped out at age 15 to enter the porn industry. During her early school years, Lords developed a rebellious attitude. She was angry at her mother and found a father figure in her mother's boyfriend Roger Hayes, as she calls him in her autobiography. He was a drug abuser and molested Lords in her sleep. According to Lords, this and a rape by a 16-year-old boy in school she had been seeing, which she called "the single most traumatizing thing that ever happened to me in my life", would be what eventually drove her into pornography. Lords has stated, "My damage drove me into porn. I mean, I was a little girl. And I had like all of this stuff. I'd been raped. I'd been molested. I'd been abused. I was messed up. And I was angry. And the same thing that later helped me to change my life when I was 18 and out of that world that helped me to get sober and helped me to gather the courage to go and do the work I needed to do, to look at some things in my life that were so ugly." After her mother broke up with Hayes due to his drug use, she began dating his friend. Lords refused to follow them to a new place and was left with her older sister Lorraine. Her mother and two younger sisters eventually found a new apartment.


Career


1984–1986: Pornography career

At age 15, Lords became pregnant by her high school boyfriend. Afraid of her mother's reaction, she went to Hayes for help. He arranged for her to have an
abortion Abortion is the early termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. Abortions that occur without intervention are known as miscarriages or "spontaneous abortions", and occur in roughly 30–40% of all pregnan ...
without her mother's knowledge. Looking for a job to get some money, she was introduced to Hayes' friend and started working for her as a babysitter. The woman offered to improve Lords's job opportunities by helping her get a fake driver's license. She provided Lords with a new birth certificate on condition that if she were ever caught she would say that she had stolen the phony identification. Lords now had the alias Kristie Elizabeth Nussman and a new driver's license that stated she was 20 rather than 15 years old. In February 1984, she answered a newspaper advertisement for Jim South's World Modeling Talent Agency. Posing as her stepfather, Hayes drove her to the agency. After signing a contract, she began working as a nude model and appeared in magazines such as ''
Velvet Velvet is a type of woven fabric with a dense, even pile (textile), pile that gives it a distinctive soft feel. Historically, velvet was typically made from silk. Modern velvet can be made from silk, linen, cotton, wool, synthetic fibers, silk ...
'', '' Juggs'', and '' Club''. During August, when she was selected to model for '' Penthouse'' magazine's September 1984 15th-anniversary issue, Lords was asked to choose a
stage name A stage name or professional name is a pseudonym used by performers, authors, and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. The equivalent concept among writers is called a ''nom de plume'' (pen name). Some performers ...
. According to a 1988 interview, she chose Traci—one of the popular names she had longed for growing up—and Lords, after the actor Jack Lord, since she was a fan of the television series '' Hawaii Five-O'', in which he played Steve McGarrett. ("Tracy Lord" was also the name of
Katharine Hepburn Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress whose Katharine Hepburn on screen and stage, career as a Golden Age of Hollywood, Hollywood leading lady spanned six decades. She was known for her headstrong ...
's character in the 1940 film '' The Philadelphia Story''.) Lords made the first of many porn movies in 1984, when she appeared in ''What Gets Me Hot!'' alongside Tom Byron, who later became her boyfriend offscreen.Jennings, David. (2000)
''Skinflicks: The Inside Story of the X-Rated Video Industry''
AuthorHouse. . Google Book Search. Retrieved on March 14, 2015.
She first appeared only in a non-sexual role but was later replaced with a hardcore scene. In her next movie, ''Those Young Girls'', she appeared in a sex role alongside Harry Reems and Ginger Lynn. After turning 16 and appearing with John Leslie (an actor 23 years her senior) in the porno parody '' Talk Dirty to Me Part III'' (which won the
AVN Award 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. ...
for the best movie), Lords was hailed as the "Princess of Porn". She became one of the highest-paid porn actresses of that time, earning more than $1,000 a day. Besides her work in porn, she also appeared in the music video for " Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'" by the heavy metal band Helix. Lords continued making more movies until late 1984 when she tried to quit the industry at age 16, but returned a few months later. Just before her 17th birthday, she met Stuart Dell, who became her boyfriend, manager, and business partner - Dell used the pseudonym Steven (or Stephen) Cartier. Together they formed the Traci Lords Company. Dell and Lords made a distribution deal with Sy Adler, an industry veteran who ran Vantage International, in which they would produce three movies for the company. In March 1986, the first TLC feature was released; titled '' Traci Takes Tokyo'', it was shot in Tokyo around Christmas Day 1985. The second, ''Beverly Hills Copulator'', was released afterwards, but the third movie, ''Screamer'', was shelved."The Traci Lords Story"
. She: Revolutionary Tough Girl Culture. Retrieved on March 14, 2015.
During late May 1986 (around three weeks after Lords' 18th birthday), authorities were informed that she had been underage when she appeared in the porn movies. She had lied (according to Lords, it was a "white lie") to law enforcement, photographers, producers, directors, co-workers, and the general public for two years. The owners of her movie agency and X-Citement Video, Inc. were arrested (see '' United States v. X-Citement Video, Inc.''). She was taken into protective custody and hired high-profile lawyer Leslie Abramson. On July 10,
district attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, county prosecutor, state attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or solicitor is the chief prosecutor or chief law enforcement officer represen ...
's investigators searched Lords' Redondo Beach home as well as the Sun Valley offices of Vantage International Productions (a major producer of adult movies) and the Sherman Oaks offices of modeling agent Jim South. South and other industry officials said that Lords, who was seeking employment, provided a California driver's license, a U.S. passport, and a birth certificate, which stated that her name was Kristie Nussman and gave a birth date of November 17, 1962. Leslie Jay, a spokeswoman for'' Penthouse'' publisher Bob Guccione, also said Lords showed identification indicating that she was older than 18 before the illicit photos for the September 1984 issue were taken.Palermo, Dave.
Sex Films Pulled; Star Allegedly Too Young
, ''
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 ...
'', July 18, 1986.
When investigators used Lords' fake birth certificate and fake state identification cards to locate the real Kristie Nussman, Nussman said that her birth certificate had been stolen a few years earlier and that an impostor had apparently forged her name on official forms. Two adults who knew Lords, but who requested anonymity, said they saw her picture in the adult magazine ''Velvet'' during July 1984 and telephoned the district attorney's office to inform authorities that she was underage, but that an investigator told them, "There isn't anything we can do about it." On July 17, 1986, video rental shops and adult movie theaters in the US scrambled to remove from their inventory all hardcore material featuring Lords in order to avoid prosecution for distributing child pornography. John Weston, attorney of the Adult Film Association of America, said distributors should withdraw any movie made before May 1986, featuring Lords "in sexual conduct, no matter how briefly." The withdrawal of Lords' movies from the market cost the industry millions of dollars. Government prosecutors declared that Lords was a victim of a manipulative industry, maintaining that she was drugged and made to do non-consensual acts. Industry insiders, including Ron Jeremy, Tom Byron, Peter North, and Ginger Lynn said they never saw her use drugs and that she was always fully aware of her actions. While most of Lords' movies were permanently removed from distribution in the United States, several were re-edited to remove her scenes (such as '' Kinky Business'' and '' New Wave Hookers'') or, in a few cases, had new footage filmed with a different actress playing her part (as in '' Talk Dirty to Me Part III''). Her only porn movie legally available in the United States is '' Traci, I Love You'', filmed in Cannes, France two days after her 18th birthday. Two Los Angeles–based producers, Ronald Kantor and Rupert McNee, as well as talent agent Jim South, were charged for filming a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The prosecution eventually failed, as all three defendants argued that—based on Lords having shown government-issued ID showing a birthdate in 1962—they could not have known she was underage. Another case, '' United States v. X-Citement Video, Inc.,'' was brought against video store owner Rubin Gottesman on charges of trafficking in child pornography by selling and distributing videos featuring Lords while knowing that she was under the age of 18. Gottesman was later convicted and incarcerated.


1987–1991: Transition to mainstream, ''Not of This Earth'' and ''Cry-Baby''

After spending several months in therapy, Lords decided to concentrate on acting. She enrolled at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, where she studied
method acting Method acting, known as the Method, is a range of rehearsal techniques, as formulated by a number of different theatre practitioners, that seeks to encourage sincere and expressive performances through identifying with, understanding, and expe ...
for three months. After leaving the school, Lords placed an advertisement in ''
The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' looking for representation. She was contacted by Fred Westheimer and although the agency declined to officially represent her, he decided to send her out on a few auditions. As a result, she was offered a guest role in an episode of the television series '' Wiseguy''. Shortly afterwards, she met the director Jim Wynorski, who was directing the remake of
Roger Corman Roger William Corman (April 5, 1926 – May 9, 2024) was an American film director, producer, and actor. Known under various monikers such as "The Pope of Pop Cinema", "The Spiritual Godfather of the New Hollywood", and "The King of Cult", he w ...
's 1957 sci-fi classic '' Not of This Earth''. He immediately cast Lords into the lead role of Nadine Story, and '' Not of This Earth'' (1988) became her first mainstream film since her departure from the adult film industry. Although the film failed at the box office, it did well in video sales. Based on that success, Lords was offered to appear in Wynorski's next film, ''The Haunting of Morella'' (1989). However, Lords turned down the offer due to the requirement of having a nude scene, since she was trying to establish herself as a serious actress. She also signed with a modeling agency under her birth name Nora Kuzma and appeared on two covers of
Joe Weider Josef Weider (; November 29, 1919 – March 23, 2013) was a Canadian bodybuilder and entrepreneur who co-founded the International Federation of BodyBuilders (IFBB) alongside his brother Ben Weider. He was also the creator of Mr. Olympia, Ms. Ol ...
's magazine '' Muscle & Fitness''. Around that time, Lords became a spokesperson for Children of the Night, an organization for runaways and abused children, and was planning to release a book titled ''Out of the Blue: The Traci Lords Story''. In November 1988, Lords enrolled in another acting class and again began looking for an agent. In December, she mass-mailed her resumé to various agents and arranged a meeting with Don Gerler. Lords auditioned for the part of Breathless Mahoney in the film '' Dick Tracy'' (1990), but the role went to
Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone ( ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, ...
. TraciLords.com states "John Waters called her a Sexual Terrorist". By May 1989, John Waters cast her for his teenage comedy musical '' Cry-Baby'' (1990). She won the role and appeared in the film alongside
Johnny Depp John Christopher Depp II (born June 9, 1963) is an American actor and musician. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Johnny Depp, multiple accolades, including a Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for ...
and Ricki Lake. The film was a critical and commercial success, and her portrayal of the rebellious teenager Wanda Woodward established her as a legitimate actress. On the set of the film, she met the property master Brook Yeaton, whom she began dating. The couple married in September 1990 in
Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the List of United States ...
. In June 1990, the exercise video ''Warm up with Traci Lords'' was released. Directed and produced by her former boyfriend and business partner Stewart Dell, the video had been filmed in early 1988. As Lords wrote in her autobiography, she was unsatisfied with the final version of the video. An extended version was reissued in 1993 under the title ''Traci Lords: Advanced Jazzthetics''. In 1991, Lords starred in the thriller '' Raw Nerve'' and the action crime film ''A Time to Die''. Lords appeared in such popular TV shows as ''Roseanne'', ''Married... with Children'', ''MacGyver'' and ''Hercules''. She continued modeling and walked the runway for fashion designers such as Janet Howard and
Thierry Mugler Manfred Thierry Mugler (; 21 December 1948 – 23 January 2022) was a French fashion designer, creative director and creative adviser of Mugler. In the 1970s, Mugler launched his eponymous fashion house; and quickly rose to prominence in the fol ...
.


1992–1996: Breakthrough, ''1000 Fires'' and ''Melrose Place''

During 1992, Lords decided to emphasize her career as a recording artist. She first signed a development deal with
Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007), and simply known as Capitol, is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-base ...
.Lim, Gerrie
"Traci Lords: The Other Side of an X-Rated Star"
, ''BigO'', Issue 110, February 1995.
After meeting with Rodney Bingenheimer at a birthday party, she was recommended to Jeff Jacklin, who hired her to record the song "Love Never Dies" for the movie '' Pet Sematary Two'' (1992). The producer of the soundtrack, Gary Kurfirst, signed Lords to his company Radioactive Records. She was later featured on the songs " Little Baby Nothing" by
Manic Street Preachers Manic Street Preachers, also known simply as the Manics, are a Wales, Welsh Rock music, rock band formed in Blackwood, Caerphilly, in 1986. The band consists of Nicky Wire (bass guitar, lyrics) and cousins James Dean Bradfield (lead vocals, le ...
and " Somebody to Love" by
Ramones The Ramones were an American punk rock band formed in the New York City neighborhood Forest Hills, Queens in 1974. Known for helping establish the punk movement in the United States and elsewhere, the Ramones are often recognized as one of th ...
. During 1993, Lords was cast in the television adaptation of
Stephen King Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author. Dubbed the "King of Horror", he is widely known for his horror novels and has also explored other genres, among them Thriller (genre), suspense, crime fiction, crime, scienc ...
's novel '' The Tommyknockers''. During the spring of 1994, Lords began working on her debut album. The company arranged her to fly to London and meet with producer Tom Bailey. After finishing her recording with Bailey, Lords was introduced to producer Ben Watkins of Juno Reactor with whom she recorded more
techno Techno is a genre of electronic dance music (EDM) which is generally produced for use in a continuous DJ set, with tempos being in the range from 120 to 150 beats per minute (bpm). The central rhythm is typically in common time ( ) and often ...
-influenced songs. She later met Mike Edwards, the main singer of the band Jesus Jones. Around the same time, Lords was cast in the television series ''
Roseanne ''Roseanne'' is an American television sitcom created by Matt Williams (producer), Matt Williams that originally aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from October 18, 1988, to May 20, 1997, and briefly revived from March 27, 2018, to May ...
'', appearing in three episodes. During January 1995, Lords appeared in four episodes of the television series '' Melrose Place'', where she played the part of Rikki Abbott. Her debut studio album, '' 1000 Fires'', was released on February 28, 1995. It received generally positive reviews and the lead single " Control" peaked at number two on the ''Billboard'' Hot Dance Club Songs."Traci Lords - chart history"
''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
''. Retrieved January 26, 2015.
An instrumental version of "Control" was remixed and released on the soundtrack to ''
Mortal Kombat ''Mortal Kombat'' is an American media franchise centered on a series of fighting game, fighting video games originally developed by Midway Games in 1992. The original ''Mortal Kombat (1992 video game), Mortal Kombat'' arcade game spawned Lis ...
'' (1995), which was certified double platinum by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA). The album's second single, "
Fallen Angel Fallen angels are angels who were expelled from Heaven. The literal term "fallen angel" does not appear in any Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic religious texts, but is used to describe angels cast out of heaven. Such angels are often described ...
", was also successful in charts, peaking at number eleven on Hot Dance Club Songs. The Paul Oakenfold remix of the song was included on the soundtrack of the movie '' Virtuosity'' (1995), in which Lords had a
cameo appearance A cameo appearance, also called a cameo role and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief guest appearance of a well-known person or character in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking on ...
. After the release of the album, Lords embarked on a small tour performing as a DJ, mostly in Miami nightclubs. On August 12, 1995, she was the opening act of the
Lollapalooza Lollapalooza () is an annual American four-day music festival held in Grant Park (Chicago), Grant Park in Chicago. It originally started as a touring event in 1991, with Chicago becoming its permanent location beginning in 2005. Music genres i ...
after-party, Enit Festival, alongside
Moby Richard Melville Hall (September 11, 1965), known professionally as Moby, is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, disc jockey, and animal rights activist. He has sold 20 million records worldwide. AllMusic considers him to be "amo ...
, Sven Väth, DJ Keoki and Single Cell Orchestra. By the end of 1995, Lords divorced her husband of five years, Brook Yeaton. In 1996, she appeared in a commercial for
Guess Guessing is the act of drawing a swift conclusion, called a guess, from data directly at hand, which is then held as probable or tentative, while the person making the guess (the guesser) admittedly lacks material for a greater degree of certaint ...
with Juliette Lewis.


1997–2002: ''Profiler'', ''Blade'' and ''First Wave''

In 1997, Lords appeared in a small part in the
Gregg Araki Gregg Araki (born December 17, 1959) is an American filmmaker. He is noted for his involvement with the New Queer Cinema movement. His ''Teenage Apocalypse'' film trilogy, consisting of ''Totally F***ed Up ''(1993), ''The Doom Generation ''(1995) ...
film '' Nowhere'', and starred in the drama thriller '' Stir''. She also guest starred on television series '' Nash Bridges'' and ''
Viper Vipers are snakes in the family Viperidae, found in most parts of the world, except for Antarctica, Australia, Hawaii, Madagascar, New Zealand, Ireland, and various other isolated islands. They are venomous and have long (relative to non-vipe ...
''. In November, she became a recurring cast member in the second season of the crime television series '' Profiler''. She played a felon, Sharon Lesher, who is manipulated by a serial killer Jack-of-All-Trades and eventually becomes his partner in crime Jill-of-All-Trades. In 1998, Lords had a supporting role in the crime thriller '' Boogie Boy'' and starred in the drama ''Extramarital''. She also appeared in the action horror film ''
Blade A blade is the Sharpness (cutting), sharp, cutting portion of a tool, weapon, or machine, specifically designed to puncture, chop, slice, or scrape surfaces or materials. Blades are typically made from materials that are harder than those they a ...
'' (1998) in which she played the vampire seductress Racquel. Lords was eventually approached to appear in the sequel '' Blade II'' (2002) portraying Racquel's twin sister Valerine in seeking of vengeance upon Blade. However, she turned down the offer because of her contradictory schedule. At the premiere of the film, Lords announced she was finishing her sophomore album on Radioactive Records that would be released in the spring of 1999. However, it was later neglected after she left the record label. In August, Lords ended her two-year relationship with John Enos after they reportedly got into an argument because her cat was killed by one of Enos' dogs. In 2000, Lords had lead roles in the films ''Epicenter'' and '' Chump Change''. Her role of Sam in the romantic comedy ''Chump Change'' earned her the Film Discovery Jury Award for Best Actress at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival. In September, she became a regular cast member in the third season of the Sci-fi Channel television series '' First Wave'', becoming the first recurring female character to be featured on the series. She played Jordan Radcliffe, an heiress and leader of the Human Resistance Group "The Raven Nation" after the aliens used her brother to murder her parents.


2003–2006: ''Underneath It All''

Her autobiography, '' Traci Lords: Underneath It All'', was published during July 2003 by
HarperCollins HarperCollins Publishers LLC is a British–American publishing company that is considered to be one of the "Big Five (publishers), Big Five" English-language publishers, along with Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group USA, Hachette, Macmi ...
. In the book, Lords chronicled her childhood, career, and two-year stint in the X-rated industry. The book received positive reviews from critics and was a commercial success, making ''The New York Times'' Best Seller list. It was criticized by pornographers, who claim they were the victims. In the book, Lords revealed that she received about $35,000 as total compensation for all her porno movies, including the $5,000 for her underage appearance in '' Penthouse''. Lords continued to use the now-famous stage name that she had given herself as a minor and ultimately made it her legal name. She explained, "I chose to stop running from it. Instead, I own it, legally changing my name to Traci Elizabeth Lords. That's who I was, and that's who I was going to be." In her interview with
Oprah Winfrey Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954) is an American television presenter, talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and media proprietor. She is best known for her talk show, ''The Oprah Winfrey Show' ...
she stated: "I found you can run, but you cannot hide." During 2003, it was announced that Lords was working on new music and had recorded a cover version of Missing Persons' song " Walking In L.A.". Directed by Mike Ruiz, the music video was premiered during her interview on ''
The Oprah Winfrey Show ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'' is an American first-run syndicated talk show that was hosted by Oprah Winfrey. The show ran for twenty-five seasons from September 8, 1986, to May 25, 2011, in which it broadcast 4,561 episodes. The show was taped i ...
''. On December 28, 2004, she independently released two songs, "Sunshine" and "You Burn Inside of Me", via online music store
CD Baby CD Baby, Inc. is a Portland, Oregon based online distributor of independent music. The company was described as an "anti-label" by its parent company's Chief Operating Officer Tracy Maddux. It was established in 1998 and offered distribution fo ...
. Both of the songs along with "What Cha Gonna Do" were featured in the television series '' Joan of Arcadia''. "You Burn Inside of Me" was also used in the commercial for Duprey Cosmetics, in which Lords appeared. She signed to Sea To Sun records the following year, and released the chart-topping single "Last Drag".


2007–2009: Motherhood and ''Zack and Miri Make a Porno''

By the beginning of 2007, Lords became unexpectedly pregnant. She first announced her pregnancy in June: "I kind of thought the children thing was off the table. Now I'm expecting a boy! We're stunned and thrilled. I just want you to know, these 36-Ds are mine. I haven't had a boob job, she laughed! I am 5 months pregnant! But now I'm starting to show. And my husband is happy with the changes in my figure." On October 7, 2007, at the age of 39, she gave birth to a son, her first child with her husband of five years, Jeff Lee. In January 2008, it was announced that Lords had been cast in
Kevin Smith Kevin Patrick Smith (born August 2, 1970) is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. He came to prominence with the low-budget buddy comedy film ''Clerks (film), Clerks'' (1994), which he wrote, directed, co-produced, and acted i ...
's comedy '' Zack and Miri Make a Porno'' (2008). She said that at first she wanted to refuse but changed her mind after reading the script. "It was really great that in taking the movie because I didn't plan on going back to work right away, but I was dying to work with Kevin. I never thought it would be on something called ''Zack and Miri Make a Porno''. What? So I went and I read the script at his house and I was prepared to say no. I thought I have the perfect out. I just had a kid. No one is going to blame me if I say I just can't do this right now. But it made me laugh out loud and it made me just literally cry. It was just funny." Initially, the character had a topless scene in the movie, but Lords refused. "I'm done with all that," she said. Lords chose to breastfeed her son in between takes instead. Katie Morgan, a pornographic actress, also appeared in the film. In 2009, Lords appeared in the direct-to-DVD science fiction movie, '' Princess of Mars'', alongside Antonio Sabàto Jr. She was disappointed by the final project. "Somewhere in my heart of hearts, I was worried that it might be a crummy movie. The production was just too careless. But I believed the voices of those around me who said 'No, it'll be artistic, no, it'll be creative. You'll look beautiful. We have a very limited budget but honest, you'll be proud.' They were wrong, it was very bad. At least that was what I was told. After watching the first two minutes I had to turn it off and hide under the covers."


2010–2014: Return to music and ''Excision''

In March 2010, Lords announced she began working on her new album with "Pretty" being the lead single. However, the project was later shelved and "Pretty" was released as a promotional single only. Lords starred in the drama comedy ''Au Pair, Kansas'' which premiered in April 2011 at the Kansas City FilmFest. In July, Lords officially signed to independent record label Sea To Sun Recordings and in October made her musical comeback with the song " Last Drag". The single was successful in dance charts debuting at number forty-five and eventually peaking at number four on the ''Billboard'' Dance Club Songs. Lords starred alongside AnnaLynne McCord and Ariel Winter in the horror film '' Excision'' (2012), which premiered in January 2012 at the
Sundance Film Festival The Sundance Film Festival is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with 423,234 combined in-person and online viewership in 2023. The festival has acted ...
. Her portrayal of the controlling mother Phyllis earned Lords Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Supporting Actress as well as Fright Meter Award and CinEuphoria Award. In September, Lords released a compilation of dance music '' Traci Lords Presents: M2F2'' (2012). It featured three of her own remixed tracks as well as songs by other artists. The song " He's My Bitch" managed to chart on the ''Billboard'' Dance Club Songs peaking at number twenty-five. Lords also voiced the character of Layla Stockton in the 2012 video game '' Hitman: Absolution''. Following the Steubenville High School rape case, Lords spoke up on the topic and subsequently released the song "Stupidville" as a response to the case. "I was born in Steubenville, Ohio and I was raped in there. So was my mother. I think there's a sickness in that city," Lords said. In 2013, Lords appeared in the horror movie '' Devil May Call'' (2013) and an episode of the web series '' EastSiders''. She was nominated for the Best Guest Star – Drama at the 2014 Indie Series Awards.


2015–present: fashion career and upcoming directorial debut

In May 2015, Lords appeared in an episode of the fourth season of the reality television series ''Celebrity Wife Swap'', where she swapped lives with Jackée Harry. Lords co-starred in Jim Wynorski's television horror ''Sharkansas Women's Prison Massacre'' (2015) and made her second appearance as Val on the series '' EastSiders''. In March 2016, Lords co-starred in the television thriller '' Nightmare Nurse'' (2016) in which she played a psychopathic nurse looking for revenge for her dead husband. Lords voiced several characters in the action-adventure video game ''
Hitman Contract killing (also known as murder-for-hire) is a form of murder or assassination in which one party hires another party to kill a targeted person or people. It involves an illegal agreement which includes some form of compensation, moneta ...
'' (2016) after having had previously voiced the character of Layla Stockton in '' Hitman: Absolution'' (2012). In June, Lords announced her collaboration with Pinup Girl Clothing. The first pieces from her collection were inspired by the character of Wanda Woodward from '' Cry-Baby'' (1990) as well as
1950s File:1950s decade montage.png, 370x370px, Top, L-R: U.S. Marines engaged in street fighting during the Korean War, late September 1950; The first polio vaccine is developed by Jonas Salk.Centre, L-R: US tests its first thermonuclear bomb with co ...
fashion; the clothing line is available exclusively through the Pinup Girl Clothing website. She commented on her inspiration behind the line: "John aterswrote such strong characters in ''Cry-Baby''. And in that
rockabilly Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music. It dates back to the early 1950s in the United States, especially the Southern United States, South. As a genre, it blends the sound of Western music (North America), Western musi ...
,
punk rock Punk rock (also known as simply punk) is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 1970s rock music. They typically produced sh ...
, vintage
pin-up girl A pin-up model is a model whose mass-produced pictures and photographs have wide appeal within the popular culture of a society. Pin-up models are usually glamour, actresses, or fashion models whose pictures are intended for informal and aesth ...
kind of world, Wanda Woodward is pretty much a queen." In 2016, Lords co-starred in the Viaplay original comedy series '' Swedish Dicks''. She played Jane McKinney, a private investigator and competitor of the show's protagonist. In October, the series was renewed for a second season with Lords as a confirmed cast member. In the United States, the first season premiered in August 2017. Later that month, Lords confirmed she would direct her first feature film called ''The Unquiet Grave''. Filming was scheduled to commence in 2017. In November, it was announced that Lords voiced the character of Jackal Z in the upcoming video game '' Let It Die'' (2016), and will appear on the third season of '' EastSiders''. In July 2017, Helmut Lang's fashion campaign for the Fall 2017 collection featuring Lords was unveiled. In May 2018, Lords released the single "Come Alive" as a gift for her fans in celebration of her 50th birthday. Following the release it was announced that she began working on an EP with Adam Barta and Jordan Von Haslow. In July 2018, the second season of ''Swedish Dicks'' premiered in the United States. In 2019, Lords starred in a Los Angeles revival of the stage play '' Women Behind Bars''.


Activism

Lords has publicly stated her support of the
LGBTQ community The LGBTQ community (also known as the LGBT, LGBT+, LGBTQ+, LGBTQIA, LGBTQIA+, or queer community) comprises LGBTQ individuals united by a common culture and social movements. These communities generally celebrate pride, diversity, individu ...
.


Filmography


Discography

* '' 1000 Fires'' (1995)


Bibliography

* '' Traci Lords: Underneath It All'' (2003)


See also

* Golden Age of Porn


References


Footnotes


Sources

* * * * Nicolas Barbano: ''Verdens 25 hotteste pornostjerner'' (Rosinante, Denmark 1999) * Steve Rag (= Tim Greaves): ''Norma K.'' nr. 1-2 and ''Nora K.'' nr. 3-6 (England 1990–1992): Traci Lords-fanzine * Steve Rag (= Tim Greaves): ''The Nora K. Kompendium'' (Media Publications, England 1996): The best from ''Norma K.''/''Nora K.'' * Brad Linaweaver (pub): ''Traci Lords – Incomparable'' (Mondo Cult, 2009) * Suzanne Somers (ed): ''Wednesday's Children: Adult Survivors of Abuse Speak Out'' (Putnam Adult, 1992) * Frank C. Naylor ''El cine X underground. Llevándolo al límite'', 2009 Ed.: Lulu


External links

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lords, Traci 1968 births 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American singers 21st-century American actresses 21st-century American singers 21st-century American writers 21st-century American women writers Actors from Redondo Beach, California Actresses from Ohio Age controversies American child actresses American female adult models American pornographic film actresses American film producers American people of Irish descent American people of Ukrainian descent American television actresses American video game actresses American voice actresses American women in electronic music Child pornography Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute alumni American LGBTQ rights activists Living people Penthouse Pets People from Steubenville, Ohio Pornographic film actors from Ohio Writers from Ohio American women film producers American stage actresses 20th-century American women singers 21st-century American women singers Spike Video Game Award winners Redondo Union High School alumni