"I’m up against some seriously stiff competition," Jenna Haze told AVN.com of her nomination as Female Performer of the Year. Haze’s assessment of the category is spot-on, as fifteen scorching nominees have put their bodies through some serious sexual gymnastics for the honor, to be handed down at the 24th Annual AVN Awards in Las Vegas on Jan. 13.
"People told me that I would be nominated, but I really never really believed it myself," continued Haze. "I’m proud of the honor and really excited."
Haze said she experienced somewhat of a sexual turnaround in 2006. After a three-and-a-half year stretch as a girl/girl-only performer, Haze got ultra-raunchy in gonzo titles such as Jules Jordan’s Jenna Haze: Dark Side (Jules Jordan Video), John Stagliano’s Fashionistas Safado (Evil Angel), and Goo for 2 (Zero Tolerance.)
"I feel like I’m back where I belong," remarked Haze. "I basically went from one extreme to another…doing girl/girl scenes all the time gets a little boring. You really have to take some dick every once in a while."
"This award is really for the cream of the crop in adult…the hardest-working girl in the industry for that particular year," said nominee Kimberly Kane, who also turned director in 2006.
Kane candidly said she didn’t feel that she deserved the award herself. "I don’t think I worked as hard [in front of the camera] as a lot of these girls did," she explained. However, the sexy blond did concede that her performances in features like her own Naked & Famous (Pulse Pictures), the Violation Of… series (JM Productions), Rebelle Rousers (Vivid Alt) and David Stanley’s The Visitors (Wicked Pictures) might turn more than a few heads.
The starlet that seemed to garner the most praise from her fellow nominees was Belladonna, as the veteran performer appeared to have unanimous admiration from the other starlets. "I guess I have good chemistry with a lot of different performers," she conceded, "and I feel like I worked really hard this year, usually from both sides of the camera. I think I have a kind of unique energy."
The sexually multi-faceted Belladonna agreed that she’d had a very prolific year, naming Cock Happy and Fetish Fanatic #4 (both for Evil Angel) as her personal standouts of 2006.
"It would be such a huge honor to win this award," exclaimed starlet Roxy Jezel, another sexy stunner in the running. The petite performer’s fortunes have been looking up this past year as she was crowned "Jenna's American Sex Star" in July, emerging the winner of an exclusive contract with ClubJenna, Inc. Jezel’s first release for the company will be out in January.
This year brings two Lanes to the category: Sunny Lane and Tory Lane.
The always vivacious Sunny Lane said that she found her nomination to be a huge shock. "I was really surprised," exclaimed the spunky red head, "because I thought you had to do anal to be nominated…but I’m glad that AVN looked at each performer’s [contributions], all the way across the board."
Sunny Lane said she sees titles like Red Light District’s Sex Pics and She Bangs, as well as director Jules Jordan’s Slut Puppies #2 (Jules Jordan Video) as highlights of the year. "I made thirty eight movies this year, and tried to go from one extreme to another," she said. "The nomination makes me really happy, and I’ll try to keep on pushing through 2007, and getting people off!"
Starlet Tory Lane also received a nomination for Female Performer of the Year. Known for her intense anal antics, Lane racked up several scorching performances in 2006, including Jim Powers’ Sodom 2 (Sin City), and Wendi Knight’s Grand Theft Anal 9 (Zero Tolerance).
The youthful Kinzie Kenner fucked and sucked her way through 2006 with ferocity, a fact illustrated in such hardcore titles as Cum Buckets #6 (Elegant Angel), Hard Candy #2 and Ass Addiction (both for Digital Playground).
Performer Hillary Scott said she sees her wide variety of work from the last year as key to her nomination. "I did some hardcore anal scenes, but I also did a lot of features as well," said the blond starlet.
Scott went on to explain that she made a concerted effort to seek out some more challenging roles. "I did a few features [in 2005], but I really pursued them this year. I love to act, and I wanted to be challenged. I wanted to explore my acting abilities, and I’m grateful for the chance to do that."
Scott said that, without a doubt, her key role of the year was in the Sex Z Pictures feature, Corruption. "I think it’s a brilliant movie," offered Scott, "and not just because of my participation in it. [Director] Eli Cross wrote an amazing script, and it’s very well done."
California native Marie Luv had a breakout year. The scorching hot ebony starlet lit it up in titles like Dark and Delicious #3 (Sin City) and Blow Me Sandwich #9 (Zero Tolerance). Luv’s naturally sexy frame and craving for cock didn’t go overlooked. "I really worked to get this nomination this year...tried to get in as many big-budget movies." Luv mentions Vivid's Chemistry and Digital Playground's Island Fever 4.
"I love performing, but I do want to do more projects where I show that i can say more than 'oooh' and 'ahhh,'" laughed Luv, "and I think this nomination will help me do that."
"First and foremost, I want to say that it’s a complete honor to be put in the same category with some of the girls that are up for the award," said Latin beauty Sativa Rose. "It’s pretty overwhelming, because just being nominated puts you on this new level. When people are hiring talent, they see that…and you get to wear that nomination on your sleeve."
Rose said that she "expanded her resume" this year by adding anal sex to her onscreen repertoire. "I don’t want to say that my scenes [before I started doing anal] were getting redundant, but this definitely moved me onto a different plane as a performer."
The stunning Latina said that she looks to her scenes with Joey Silvera as her best of 2006. "Hellcats 11 [for Evil Angel] was great. Joey is one of the best directors out there. He always has a way of bringing some kind of magic to a scene."
Starlet Flower Tucci has thrown her round backside and incredible squirting ability into the Female Performer of the Year nomination ring. Tucci brought her expertise to titles such as Big Booty White Girls 4 (Justin Slayer/Evil Angel) as well as her Flower’s Squirt Shower series for Elegant Angel.
"I really tried to keep it strong this last year, in every aspect," said Tucci. "I was one of the first performers to squirt, and now almost every production company features squirting in a title, or has a squirting line…so I hope I’ve made some kind of impact on the industry, as well as make porn more enjoyable for women, and continue to do so."
Tucci feels she’s always made an attempt at doing both feature and gonzo titles, and now has her first interactive title on the way from New Machine.
"I’m looking forward to bigger and better things in 2007."
Jada Fire, another nominee for the category, made her first foray into squirting this year with Elegant Angel’s Squirtwoman. Fire took over the popular, ongoing gush series in October. "I worked so hard on that set," remembered Fire. "It was basically ‘there she blows’ from take one. I feel like I really stepped it up in that respect."
The ebony beauty also put in some great scenes in Ready Wet Go #3 (Third Degree Films) and Joey Silvera’s Hellcats 12 (Evil Angel). "I wanted to show everybody that black girls can do it just as well as white," said the vivacious Fire. "Don’t ever underestimate the black girl," she laughed.
"I’ve always tried to give a hundred percent to every set," Fire continued. "It’s never been about performing better for a particular director…I always bring it."
"I always try and give a hundred percent when I’m on camera and just have fun with it…not treat it so much as a job, and that’s what got me where I am today," explained starlet Shy Love. "People must have noticed that.
"The girls on the [nominees] list are phenomenal, and so just to be nominated is an honor," Love continued. The busty Latina had a prolific year in 2006, starring in and directing several features, including Shy Love’s Mass Destruction and MyXXXPORNSPACE.COM for VCA, the latter for which the starlet cast performers using the popular community website.
Euro-starlet Sandra Romain surely hit her stride this past year, as the sexual firecracker built on her naughty reputation in titles such as Porno Revolution (Sky World Productions), Overflowing Assholes #3 (Red Light District) and Ready Wet Go (Third Degree Films).
Romain, who started her stay in the United States as a two month stop that has turned into three fruitful years, said she has been constantly evolving as a performer. "I was not really comfortable with the language at first, so I was doing my gonzo stuff. But I’ve started to do a lot more features now for bigger companies. When people bring me dialog, even if I don’t know it all that well, I’m comfortable enough now to improvise.
"I stayed [in the United States] because I really love what do…sometimes I think I was born to do this."
Latin hottie Jasmine Byrne showed off her gorgeous face and tight body in titles like P.O.V. For Your Eyes Only (Tightfit Productions), Pop Shots #7 (Diabolic) and Sweet Cream Pies (Third Degree Films), nabbing her a spot amongst the elite female performers of 2006.
Each starlet had her own way of combining a unique look with insatiable sexuality for a nod in the Female Performer of the Year category. It’s anybody’s guess as to which candidate will carry the trophy off the AVN stage.
The 24th annual AVN Awards will be held the night of Jan. 13 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. For tickets, call (818 718-5788 ext. 117, or log onto www.avnawards.com and ticketmaster.com.
