01

How would you describe yourself in five words?
Audacious, just, dignified, moody, playful.

What is your weirdest dealbreaker?
I don't like it if someone is too big of a fan. If you know more about my work than I do, it's flattering, but I'm out. I want to be seen as an equal in a relationship, and that becomes difficult when you suspect that your love interest is also the editor of your Wikipedia page.

Do you consider yourself the hero or the villain in your story?
Neither. I'd consider myself to be the narrator.

What is your proudest accomplishment thus far?
Last year, I wrote for the New York Times. This year, I'm writing a book.

Is there anything specific that made you take an interest in your field?
Honestly, sex things I wanted to do, which probably would have landed me dead in some freak's crawlspace without the opportunity to try them in a safe and controlled setting. Nobody wants their eulogy to say that they were a huge perv who got axed by a Craigslist user who gave strong creepy uncle vibes. (Um ... except for me, ten years later. I love a bizzare news story and frankly, I've got no shame left.) (Also, $$$)

What is your favorite thing about what you do? Least favorite?
Well, I know all the Orange Is The New Black spoilers, so my summer is ruined.

In all seriousness, though, I was beginning to struggle doing adult film. Not because of the rigors of the job itself, but because it's a job that's still socially acceptable to stigmatize. My values, character, and morality are completely unrelated to my work, and what I do says no more about me than what being an accountant says about an accountant, or a gas station attendant, or a painter. But it's 2015, and caricatures of money-grubbing bimbos still get laughs on Parks & Rec. That's disheartening. Even moreso when it comes from people you expect better than punching down from.

But mainstream celebrity gives me access to enormous audiences. Because I am known, people are receptive to my point of view, which people have not always been. Fame affords the luxury of credibility, which I can use to contribute to discussions about people who have demonized(/stigmatizedotherizedallkindsofized/izedizedized) that either aren't happening, aren't happening on a large enough scale, or have been historically one-sided. I was apprehensive about this level of visibility at first, but I've since come to embrace it it. (Also ... $$$)

If you could change one thing in your field, what would it be?
It really grinds my gears when red carpet interviewers ask me, um, anything. (Note: I had to step away before I could finish that sentence, and when I resumed hours later, I realized it wasn't even a specific question that I found revolting, it was personal.) This survey has made me aware of a dislike for TV personalities which is maybe kind of irrational. On a logical level, I understand they're just doing their jobs. But they BUG me and their teeth bug me and their tans bug me and I know they're really nice people! But I don't want to have these weird spectator sports of interactions with them. So I'd get rid of those, and in their place, we would have all of our red carpet interviews conducted by the relatives who are secretly our favorite and/or the cutest senior citizens to chat us up in line at the grocery store.

Describe a memory you have from your first acting job.
Does it have to be my first, though? Because the best I have from that is that Paris Hilton didn't (or did, I don't know) know who I was, and told me "move, peasant cunt" as she shoved past me at a Sundance event. For my own film. And seriously, who cares about that when I fell out of a cake naked on the set of Portlandia? That's a way better story. I'm not going to tell it now, because I've written enough, thank you. And also because Paris was half right.

Are there any roles you regret taking? Any that you regret not taking?
No, but it's important to me that I begin to diversify the roles I accept. I wouldn't feel okay with playing hot chick/mistress/girl in bikini roles for the rest of my career - as though that was even possible, which is a soapbox for another day - but I've had to make do with what's available to me. Recently, I've been able to make a good start at going against type. I'm proud of that.