CHATSWORTH, Calif.—Way before her well-received role as the "hooker with the heart of gold" in the 2006 comedy Borat, comedian Luenell spoke openly about her body, beauty, and public perception. Now, fans can see this multi-talented woman in all her glory, along with an in-depth interview by Chris Nieratko that sheds more light on one of today’s biggest and brightest stars. The exposé, titled "Hey, Luenell," is a key feature in the April edition of Penthouse magazine, slated to hit newsstands on March 21.
“It was the opportunity of a lifetime because Penthouse wanted to do much more than just go skin deep,” said Luenell. “Looking closer at social media, Hollywood stereotypes, body shaming, and the current political landscape, posing for Penthouse empowered me to be real with y’all in a way that was previously unavailable to me. These things affect us all, and this is a more honest look than anything you’ll see in the mainstream. Naked truth can be as sexy as a naked body.”
Among the topics covered in her wide-ranging interview include Luenell's thoughts on being a big beautiful woman, her love of non-restrictive clothing, her fear of where the country is headed under the Donald Trump administration and her wholehearted concurrence with Nieratko's characterization of the Penthouse pictorial as a "fuck-you to him."
"Absolutely," she agreed. "The only thing that could have made this photo shoot any better was if I was sitting in the lap of a hot guy in a wheelchair because, you know, he shamed a handicapped person as well—or tried to—which I thought was moronic. Black people have always been put down and taunted, but you really, really hit a new low when you do that openly in the media to a handicapped person... My world doesn't even deal in the world that Donald Trump lives in."
For her part, Penthouse CEO Kelly Holland lauded the performer's honesty, bravery and intellect.
“For the past 52 years, Penthouse magazine has led the conversation about the progression of sex, sexuality, and sex appeal—a conversation that is still woefully unexplored today,” Holland said. “We’re huge fans of Luenell—her style, her attitude, her fierce honesty—and her layout reveals everything about who she is, who we are as a brand, and the world we want women to live in today.”
“I want to make history with this shoot,” said Luenell of her session with photographer Gregory Holloway. “It’s already made history for me. I had cold feet, but they warmed up very quickly when I walked on set. I just said, 'Eff it!' People can go fuck themselves if they feel any type of way about what I’m doing.”
Along with the Luenell interview/photo spread, the "April Fools Issue" of the magazine features some decidedly non-joking articles, including Paola Saulino's "Pompa Tour," where the Italian actress promised blowjobs for her countrymen who voted "No" in a recent referendum; a profile of Community star Gillian Jacobs; an in-depth look at webcamming; an article on why it's important to be politically involved—and a pictorial/centerfold of Niki Skyler by Tammy Sands.
To see all of that, including a hot look at one of today’s sexiest renegades, check out the April issue of Penthouse magazine, which hits newsstands March 21.
