BARCELONA – Digital Playground performer Katsumi has been forced to permanently change her stage name to Katsuni, after a year-long trial in France found that the exotic French-Vietnamese beauty’s name was too close to that of Mary Katsumi, a French communications advisor.
"The main reason is a problem of morality," Katsuni told AVN. "Mary Katsumi complained against me because my name and reputation was a problem."
Katsuni had appealed the French court's decision in January and lost the case Sept. 27.
“I had no choice but to accept a change of name," she said. "I didn't really communicate it to the United States [while the appeal was in progress], but now I don't really have the choice.”
According to Katsuni, the French court ruling allows Mary Katsumi to ask for financial compensation every time the porn performer is identified with her previous moniker.
The Asian performer chronicled some of the trial proceedings on her myspace blog (www.myspace.com/clubkatsumi).
The celebrated performer is coming off a recent Best Actress win at the Ninfa Awards, as part of the International Erotic Film Festival in Barcelona. The win marks her 28th award since entering the adult industry.
