Love on a Porn Set: One Woman's Story (ABC Expose of Porn Industry)

ABC News ^ | 5/27/04

[Aquinasfan]

A Mormon Girl Gets Her Start in the Adult Movie Business

Jan. 23 — When 20-year-old Michelle saw the handsome Spaniard who would later become her fiancé, she thought it was love at first sight.

[WARNING: This article contains descriptions of sexual acts that some readers may find offensive.]

"The day we met, he said, 'You're going to be the mother of my children. I love you,'" she remembers. "You know what I mean? I never had that before. I never had a guy be so in love with me."

The couple met on the set of a porn film in a rented house in Prague in July 2001.

Michelle, the daughter of a retired Air Force captain and former bishop in the Mormon Church, was an up-and-coming starlet in the adult video world. She had had some setbacks in her first year in the business, but believed her career was turning around with the Prague trip, which would be her first starring role. Her co-star, 28-year-old Nacho Vidal, was already a well-established star.

The director had told Michelle that Vidal liked her work, and when the pair saw each other they immediately fell into each other's arms, kissing from one side of the house to the other.

"There's nothing bad about you," she told him admiringly as they prepared for the shoot. "You don't know me very well" he replied with a grin.

But when the director finally got the pair to settle down to the business at hand — filming a sex scene — the tone changed. Without any prompting, Vidal got rough during the sex, slapping Michelle's face violently from side to side, and choking her. [Pleased to meet you/Hope you guessed my name]

Afterward, she looked shaken, her face reddened and her eyes watery. But she insisted she was OK. "I look torn up — can you tell?," she asked an ABCNEWS producer who was following her progress for Primetime. Laughing and wiping her eye, she turned away and said without conviction, "I took a beating today, and it was great."

'Belladonna' Is Born

Michelle had gotten her start in the business at 18, when she came to Los Angeles from her home in Utah to look for work as a nude photograph model. When she failed to get modeling work, her agent encouraged her to try porn. She refused at first. "I always hated porn. I thought it was the most disgusting thing in the world," she told Primetime, which followed her career for more than two years.

But she finally agreed. Taking the name Belladonna, like the poisonous flower, she found herself preparing for what she thought would be a simple boy-girl sex scene. She was shocked when the director told her he wanted her to do anal sex — something she says she had never even thought about before. Worried she'd have to go through with it if she wanted to work again, she let him talk her into it. "I was kind of scared. I didn't know if I could say no," she remembers. "I didn't know any better, you know?"

After the session, she was shattered. "I wasn't ready for anal sex.... It was painful. But I can hide it really well." She had just turned 18, the legal age for participation in sexually explicit films.

Michelle went on more shoots over the next few months. Then her agent sent her on a job where she would have sex with male actors in prison outfits — 12 of them. Once again, she tried to back out, telling the director it was "sick," but once again she was talked into it. She had sex — all kinds — with the 12 men. "It was really hard because I really felt like a piece of meat ... in a lion's cage, 12 lions.... I had to do a lot of things I can't imagine anyone wanting to do." She was paid $4,000.

Afterward, she says, she couldn't stop crying. She packed her bags and went home to her family in Utah.

Glimpse of the Big Time

But within a year, she was back, even agreeing to promote the prison movie that had so upset her.

She began to feel that her career was picking up. She got a small part in a movie for VCA, one of the "high end" companies that produce big-budget films, and hoped it might lead to a contract. On the shoot, she met porn legend Ron Jeremy, who was making a cameo, and began to feel like she was fitting in. "The first second I walk in, this girl grabs my breast, and I'm like, Wow, you know, that's like the best welcome ... 'cause then you feel like, Oh, someone likes me, you know?"

Another company considered giving her a contract, but at a meeting, the owner, veteran porn star Ona Zee, sensed that Michelle was not emotionally ready to become an adult star. "There's a part of me that wants to say to you, 'Run for the hills, girl, do something else, because you can be something better,'" she told her.

At the high-end companies — which produce a small proportion of the thousands of adult titles released each year — performers often have contracts and can make six figures by shooting just eight to 10 movies a year. They can pick their own partners and condoms are generally required. Shot on film with elaborate, sets, costumes and plots, the movies can have budgets up to $250,000.

But Michelle did not get a studio contract, and ended up taking a job with a company known for "gonzo" porn — sex-only, amateur-looking productions shot on video. The company, Elegant Angel, was making a film in Prague and offered her a starring role, which she hoped would show the big studios that she could carry a film.

Love Blossoms in Prague

She was thrilled at the attention Vidal gave her during the week in Prague — but wary. "It's weird to have a guy love you that much. That almost scares me because I have a hard time trusting men," she told Primetime, explaining that her first boyfriend cheated on her repeatedly and ultimately left her for a stripper. Privately, Vidal had told Primetime he could never be with just one woman, and would be happy if Michelle's attraction did not lead anywhere.

She came back to Los Angeles by herself, so sore from the week's filming that she says she could hardly walk. But then she flew to Spain to visit Vidal, and their relationship seemed to be going places. She said he could keep having sex with other women, as long as he agreed to be "honest to me, loyal, and just respect me and tell me that I'm number one every day."

She even began hearing wedding bells, telling Primetime, "The second I get married, I won't having sex with men in this business any more."

Wedding Bells

By December 2001, Michelle and Vidal were engaged. As she proudly showed off her diamond ring, saying how pretty it was, Vidal joked in his Spanish accent, "I need to f—k so many girls for that ring."

The couple was in love, Michelle says, but they were fighting regularly. Vidal would sometimes get what he calls "Latino jealous" when he saw her talking to other men at clubs. Michelle told Primetime, "It's hard to be in a relationship with someone in porn."

By now, she was working steadily, even shooting for the same company she shot the prison gangbang for. "I guess now I've gotten past the whole feeling-bad-about-it thing. I'm like, 'OK, I did it and that was pretty damn rough of me' ... Like wow, you know?," she said with a laugh. "I can say that I've done pretty much everything there is to do, and I can walk away feeling a little proud about it, you know?"

The Primetime producers who had been following her noticed changes. At 18, she had said she would never use drugs, but now Primetime learned that she was sometimes high on marijuana during her scenes. She was working without condoms, though she said the risk of AIDS was never far from her mind — or her prayers. "The fans don't like to see condoms ... If I would have said I want to use condoms every time, I really wouldn't get any work," she explained. She contracted chlamydia, which can make you sterile.

And anal sex — which she had be talked into during her first shoot — was now her specialty. "Funny, isn't it? Something I didn't want to do and now I'm known best for it," she told Primetime. No longer a fresh face in the business, she found she had to agree to even riskier sex acts to earn the same money.

Ona Zee, the producer who had interviewed Michelle the previous year, noticed a difference, too. "I said to my husband, Our baby is all grown up and left home. She's no longer the adorable fresh-faced girl that I met ... Now she's really in the life ... Even in the pictures that I see of her, she's much harder, much tougher."

Behind the Smile

During interviews with Primetime, Michelle kept the happy smile she had always had — even when describing things that many people would find disturbing. However, her composure cracked when Diane Sawyer asked why she always smiled. Tears came to her eyes as she said, "Because I like to hide — hide everything, you know?" Then she began to cry, explaining that she hides her real emotions because she wants to show everyone how happy she is. "And I'm not happy ... I don't like myself at all," she said.

Michelle confessed she often felt physical revulsion during her scenes: "My whole entire body feels it when I'm doing it and ... I feel so — so gross." While pretending to be enjoying the sex, she said, she was in fact counting the minutes, telling herself, "Hey, I only have this much time left. Don't worry about it. Get the check. Gonna go deposit it in your bank." She admitted: "You get addicted to the money."

Like other performers Primetime spoke to, Michelle said that during shooting she often imagines herself outside her body. "I call it the 'other half,'" she said.

Bringing Home a Trophy

In January 2002, Michelle's Prague movie won an award at the Adult Video News awards in Las Vegas, considered the Oscars of the adult industry. Things were not going smoothly with Vidal that day — he complained that Michelle "don't do the ironing my clothes... I still 28 and I need my mother," and at the ceremony he openly checked out other women — but there were crowds of admiring fans for Michelle and she soaked up the attention.

After going on stage to pick the trophy, she was beaming, telling Primetime she had worked hard for it. "I think this is the very beginning of my career, like I've just begun," she said.

And at the 2003 AVN awards two weeks ago, Michelle was an even bigger winner, taking home awards for best supporting actress and three other categories.

[TOUGH STOUGH]

No, I think psychological studies would well make the same points, and have.

[RightWingNut]

True !! Gorgeous eyes !! (And the rest of her wasn't bad either !!)

[inflation]

I hope you understand that not everyone on the planet views sex as a very intimate act.

[TOUGH STOUGH]

So, she knew enough about sex to want to appear in adult movies, but had no clue of that risk? That's like telling me a person who smoked during the last 20 years had no clue that cancer was a risk.

You are changing the argument. My response was to your point "as long as there was no physical harm."

Furthermore, the guy was slapping her around and as she said in the article, she took a beating.

You are not being honest with yourself.

[TOUGH STOUGH]

People are all over each other's most private areas. And usually one body part is inside of another, how much more intimate can you get?

[Long Cut]

Neither are you. She did what she did CONSENSUALLY, that is, she agreed to it, and afterward did not press assault charges. She also accepted payment. Oh, and returned to the business as well.

If you're trying to portray her as some innocent who was corrupted so, please remember that she went to LA for the express purpose of getting into adult movies. If anything, she was "corrupted" well before this happened. Oh, and need I point out that she also might be...stretching the truth a might? These girls are not known for their honesty, and her mom was there watching.

[inflation]

That is your opinion, an opinion that not everyone shares. You wish to stop an activity purely for religious reasons and that isn't what this country is about.

Not everyone thinks that one body part in another is that intimate an act. You may not like it, but a lot of people think along those lines.

[Long Cut]

I view sex as an intimate act. Sometimes, however, it's not a permanent intimacy, or even a night long. ; )

[TOUGH STOUGH]

"You're still using your own interpretation of what you saw."

No "interpretation" was required. It was IN YOUR FACE brutal, hardcore, sex.

[inflation]

If it was so bad, why didn't she press charges?

[Long Cut]

If you guys are talking about adult actresses and beauty, what about Ginger Lynn?
I've also always thought Nina Hartley was hot. Call me crazy. Hartley, BTW, would be an interesting person to talk to about this issue. She's been in the business for nearly 25 years, and loves it. Very outspoken, too.

'Course, we can't forget such luminaries as Jeanna Fine and Barbara Dare.

[inflation]

Some people like that sort of thing. ;->

[Long Cut]

"It was IN YOUR FACE brutal, hardcore, sex."

Which, once again, not everyone thinks is bad. There are even some women who enjoy it.

There was one porn star named "Houston" who appeared in a 500 man gangbang video. She claimed to enjoy every minute of it. At the end, she actually raised both arms in triumph.

[inflation]

No, she hated every minute of it and was force to do it ;->

BTW, it was 620 men, not 500 ;->

[TOUGH STOUGH]

Which, once again, not everyone thinks is bad.

Really? Lil' ole me thought everyone thinks its bad. Thank you for the enlightenment./sarcasm

Let me rephrase my point, if you don't think it is evil and destructive, you are blind, intellectually dishonest, or also evil and destructive.

"Houston" was ACTING, she was in a MOVIE and movies are not REAL.

I doubt, very much, she actually enjoyed it. If you believe that I have an attractive piece of swampland in Florida I could sell you.

[Lockbar]

""Kegger" seems more appropo..."

Oh man, does she look used up! She looks like she should be working the streets of North Las Vegas.

[Long Cut]

"BTW, it was 620 men, not 500 ;->"

Yep. I know it was advertised as 500. Like I said, I don't get into gangbang vids, so I never watched it.

620 you say? Whew! God Bless 'er...

I don't even want to THINK about how she must have been walking the next day, however.

[TOUGH STOUGH]

LOL, If you think she really enjoyed it, you are naive.

[kcvl]

WARNING, WARNING, FILTHY LANGUAGE AHEAD!

Nacho Vidal
Biography

Already one of the most popular and hard-working studs on the hardcore scene, Nacho has only been in the business since 1998. He's a Spanish-born super-stud whose swarthy good looks and wild-eyed approach to his work have kept him very busy over the past few years. Nacho has built a reputation as a Spanish Rocco Siffredi, a guy who is at his best when the sex is at its roughest and dirtiest. Nacho's orgasmic screams have become legendary, and he's well on his way to becoming the biggest male name in porn.

Nacho first got into hardcore in 1998 as the beau of luscious little Jazmine. During late '98 and early '99, Nacho and Jazmine turned in a whole host of blistering performances, including a wild turn in 'Buttman and Rocco's Brazilian Butt Fest.' The couple heated up the opener, not even waiting to leave the hotel room before losing themselves in lascivious lust. Another great segment is in 'Please #01,' in which Nacho and Jazmine delve into some heated back door fun in one of their very first on-screen dust-ups.

By mid-1999, Nacho and Jazmine has split up, and Nacho was free to pursue his carnal career with all comers. His reliable performance skills and rough-edged approach instantly landed him lots of roles. Among his very best is a scene in 'Tera Patrick aka Filthy Whore,' where Nacho took on the gorgeous superstarlet in a hot and hard closing blast.

This is what Diane Sawyer does in "Primetime"?! DUH! If this girl didn't know what she was getting into maybe she should check out GOOGLE before her next "JOB".

[Long Cut]

"Let me rephrase my point, if you don't think it is evil and destructive, you are blind, intellectually dishonest, or also evil and destructive."

You can rephrase it as much as you want. it still isn't true. I hope you feel better about yourself by calling me "evil" over a disagreement, though.

""Houston" was ACTING, she was in a MOVIE and movies are not REAL."

But, But,...I thought you said a few posts back that what YOU saw in that video was real...oh, it was because YOU saw it...

Houston not only did the video, but granted numerous interviews afterward in which she reiterated that she did, in fact, enjoy herself greatly. Do you REALLY think ANY woman would do (according to Inflation) 620 guys in one session if they hated it? She'd pass out first, probably from boredom after a while.

"I doubt, very much, she actually enjoyed it. If you believe that I have an attractive piece of swampland in Florida I could sell you."

Nonetheless, she emphatically claims to have, on many different occaisions. Also, in the stills from the vid that I've seen, she certainly looks it. Of course, that's only my interpretation, but hey, if you can do it so can I.

Have you ever actually SEEN a pornographic film? If you had, you'd know that the people in them, male and female alike, need no coercion.

A certain percentage of the population simply enjoys sex with multiple partners, doesn't mind doing it in front of a camera and film crew (which I cannot imagine!), and is willing to take money to do it. Some actors and actresses have been in the business for 20+ years. Yes, they live a life that you , hell, ME, couldn't imagine living, but live it they do. Just because we find it unimaginable to us doesn't necessarily make it something "EEEVVVILLLL".

Oh, and as for the swampland, I'm from Florida. Always wanted to build a stilt cabin in the Glades and tie an airboat to it. Be a great place from which to fish and hunt gator.