How did you get started in the industry?
James: I was an entertainment reporter covering the adult industry, and one day I was covering a XXX movie set, and they asked me if I would jump in and do a small speaking role in the film. I believe that was “The Reunion” for Jennifer James and Brooke Hunter. I was a bit hesitant at first, I had been working in mainstream movies, television, and on stage for many years, but I thought why not, it’s a good film, and I’m just acting in it right? Well, I did that, and then along comes more speaking roles in adult films for directors like Will Ryder and Andre Madness, and then the rest, as they say is history, or should I say XXX history? LOL I got an adult agent, and started working a lot more. This was when porn parodies were just starting to take off big time, so my timing was good. I don’t think if I had started now, that I would have entered the industry considering everything that is happening industry wide. Back when I started it was still the “golden age” as they say. Performers were getting paid well, the illegal tube sites were not running rampant, and there was a lot of projects to be in. I come from a real acting background, and I bring that with me to every role I do. I have three AVN Awards for my Non Sex Performances, and I really proud of that. Thank you AVN!
Do you have a favorite performer or director to work with?
James: I love working with Brad Armstrong, Will Ryder, Axel Braun, Andre Madness, Paul Thomas, Jonathan Morgan, and Stuart Canterbury. These are really great directors, very creative people, and good friends. For female performers there’s so many, and I don’t want to forget to mention somebody, so I’ll say everybody is great to work with, which is true. There’s a few ladies that I want to film with, and they know who they are, and if we don’t get a scene cast for us now, there’s always “content” scenes. Don’t you love that? Content work affords us the opportunity to work together on scenes that we totally have control over. We may not be paid for it when we shoot it at first, but in the long run, you make the profits of that, not just getting paid that one time by the production company and they continually make money on that scene over and over again.
Any memorable scenes or movies you have done that you want to share with us?
James: Wow, there’s a lot! Let me think a minute… My new release for “Not The Wizard Of OZ XXX” for XPlay was pretty memorable. 27 hours on the set, but the finished product is INCREDIBLE. “Spiderman Meets Superman XXX”, “Men In Black”, “Rocki Horror”, “Not The Three Stooges XXX”, “Not Partridge Family”, “Not Charlie’s Angels XXX”, “Bewitched”, “Breaking Bad XXX”, and “Flight Attendants/Airplane” were great parodies to do. I have to mention my some of my roles in movies like “Saw; a Hardcore Parody” and “Not The Beverly Hillbillies XXX” as memorable as well, not only were these great movies to make, but I had sex roles in these as well. My additional new releases include; “Booty Pageant” for Jonathan Morgan and Wicked, “Sperm Bank” for Brad Armstrong and Wicked, and “Bridesmaids” for Digital Playground.
Yes, you’ve been performing on camera as well as the non sex roles. How did that come about?
James: My friend Dick Chibbles cast me in one of the lead roles in “Saw: A Hardcore Parody”, he said “This is your first sex role, do you have a girl in mind to do the scene with?” I had a long list, LOL But, we decided on my friend and co hostess at “Inside the Industry” Emy Reyes. It was a good scene. There some people who said, I’m a mainstream actor, I may not be able to do it, but I did, and it went really well. From there more sex roles in addition to my non sex acting roles, have come up, and not just in the parodies. It’s not a easy job what we guys have to do on camera, there’s so many variables that come up on the set, but hey, I can do it. The majority of work I do is just acting in the movies, but it’s always great when they can cast me in a sex role as well. I’ll be the first person to admit that I’m not blessed with a rock hard body or super well endowed, but a lot of guys aren’t, are they? I’ve found that I’m cast as an “everyman”. There’s some guys out there who see my scenes, and yes they have written me about this, and say “Wow, that was cool, I can relate more to watching you with these beautiful girls, because I can now picture myself in that scenario”.
Have you noticed that the “Condom Law” has effected your work, for good or bad?
James: Yes it has, and now the L.A. City Council are supposed to be enforcing this. We can work with condoms of course, and I really hope that a lot of the companies won’t run of town to film. We need to keep production here in town for many reasons. We can adapt and evolve, the industry always does. Yes, I know I am an optimist, but you have to be right?
What do you do in your time off from working?
James: Working around the house, and gardening. Swimming or exercising, yes I know I need to do that more, LOL. I host dinner parties here at my house, so we can all get together and network, and just hang out and have a nice dinner with friends, and our extended XXX family. I also teach an acting class every month. I like to keep busy all the time.
James, we all love our fans, do you have a favorite “encounter” with a fan?
There’s several, of course at the fan signings and at convention like Exxxotica and AVN, but some others that stand out are when we meet our fans out in public. It amazes me sometimes when you have a fan that will come up and talk about every detail in a particular movie. Like what we wore, what we said, or how a scene went. Now, that’s a dedicated fan! We do listen to what the fans say, I think it’s important to get their feedback on what we do, so we can make movies they want to buy or rent.
What are working on now?
James: I’m hosting an entertainment news magazine program about the industry, we’ll be announcing that soon. Working in the mainstream industry, I co starred and co produced “Isis Rising: Curse Of The Lady Mummy” with Priya Rai for TomKat Films. I am planning to do a lot more mainstream work again this year. I am co starring in a mainstream Thriller this Fall, that’s shooting in Southern California.
I host the popular “Inside the Industry” radio program on latalkradio.com, I love doing radio, I’ve been working in radio since I was a teenager, it’s a real passion of mine. I also run Galaxy Publicity doing publicity and marketing work. I also host and co produce an exciting new entertainment news program about the adult industry. So, you can see I’m really busy, knock on wood. I love to entertain people, I always have, and whether it’s in adult or mainstream, it’s great to be working in the front of the camera.
Have you ever been recognized in public?
James: Yes, and it’s pretty cool that someone acknowledges you for work you did in the adult industry. I always say make time for the fans, and say hello to them, take a picture, sign an autograph, tell them a story, and they’ll stay your fans. If it wasn’t for our fans, we wouldn’t be doing what we’re doing right? The industry has given me more exposure and a bigger fan base world wide than I had in the mainstream world. But the fact that I do both, has given me an even bigger exposure and fan base.
Any advice for a new performer starting out in the industry?
James: Now is not the time to get into the industry. But if you REALLY want to do this. Take the time to research this, talk to family and friends and let them know what you’re planning on doing. You need to have them to fall back on when the time comes you don’t want to do this anymore. Keep in shape physically and mentally. Be professional, be a business woman or businessman, and treat your career like a business, and with care. Most of all, have fun with this.
