CHATSWORTH, Calif.—One expects a little hyperbole when reading a publicist’s missive about her client’s latest project. So AVN didn’t take it as the gospel truth when we saw a quote from Abella Danger that claimed her favorite project of the year was The Obsession, a new movie directed by Jacky St. James for Sweet Sinner.
But lo and behold, a conversation with AVN’s 2016 Best New Starlet confirmed that statement. And what’s more, the director herself is just as enthused about the drama, which stars Danger as an unhinged young woman who becomes obsessed with her roommate, played by Chanel Preston.
First off, Danger said, “It’s a Jacky St. James feature … she’s really amazing. To be the lead in one of her features is an honor in itself.”
Danger asserted, “The Obsession is pretty much the biggest project I did this year. That’s what I care about the most.”
What did she find most appealing? “I like a challenge. It was definitely a challenge to do this. It was fun. She gets something out of you that you didn’t know you had in you.”
Commenting on her character’s motivation, Danger explained, “I’m kind of a standoffish, awkward girl in this feature. To get nurturing affection from Chanel makes me have a crush on her.”
Danger added, “She treats me with a certain kindness that I appreciate.”
Above, Abella Danger. Below, Chanel Preston
“There’s a lot of things I related to with this character. Like when you get obsessed with someone.” But some of the action goes way beyond anything Danger’s ever experienced. “I personally think … she’s not all there mentally. Most people, they don’t think they’re crazy. She doesn’t see it as being crazy at all.”
Shooting a narrative feature was a different experience for Danger. “I’m kind of a gonzo girl—that’s what I’m known for. Doing teases and getting fucked in the butt.” And working with St. James was a much more intense experience. “I’m still psycho from shooting that movie. I poured my heart into it. Hours and hours on set.”
Despite the hard work, she’d come back for more. “Directors like Jacky make it fun. I’m definitely looking forward to shooting for her again.”
She’s also looking forward to seeing how fans react to the movie. “I don’t know if I can act or not. This will really show people. It will be interesting to see the response.”
She expects to get feedback at the next Exxxotica show, where she’ll be bringing copies of The Obsession. “I love that box cover. I can’t wait to take it to Exxxotica. I sell out on so many movies. Last year the movies that sold out were Abella [Hard X/Mile High] and Danger Ass [James Deen/Girlfriends Films]. I’m really excited to see how this movie does.”
St. James talked about how The Obsession came together. “It was actually Jon [Blitt]’s idea. We were doing a call. He said, ‘What about a Single White Female thing?’ … The wheels started turning. Abella had always impressed me. I know she’s viewed as an all-sex girl. Like with Carter [Cruise] and Remy [LaCroix], people put them in a box. Abella has that magic too.”
St. James confirmed, “Our days are very long and very exhausting. I’m casting people who we can hang with for that amount of time and who are going to put in the work. I don’t have any patience with laziness and lateness.”
Throughout the shoot, St. James said, “Abella was coming up with some great ideas for her character. The subtext and little nuances that she did. … A lot of people don’t know that side of her. She’s very sexual and very flirtateous. But there’s more to her. She’s very complex and not easy to read.
“Abella outdid herself for sure and I’m really proud,” St. James reported.
Also in the cast were Adria Rae, Reena Sky, Michael Vegas, Jay Smooth, Logan Pierce and of course Preston in the role opposite Danger. “Chanel is one of my favorites in the business,” St. James revealed. “She’s low maintenance and a great actress. She takes direction well.”
Working behind the camera were director of photography Hank Hoffman and second shooter Ralph Parfait, plus makeup artist Mila Van Damme. Asked how she chooses her co-workers, St. James joked, “Can I tolerate someone for 17 hours, and do they have the skills?”
As for this group, she assured, “They all were fantastic and they cared.”
And the movie itself “just turned out exactly as I hoped,” St. James said. “And being able to say that is hard for me because I’m a perfectionist.”
The Obsession is out now from Sweet Sinner, distributed by Mile High Media. Find it on VOD sites (still above from AdultEmpire.com) or order wholesale by emailing [email protected].
Click here to see the trailer.
Below, photos of Abella Danger, Chanel Preston, Reena Sky, Jay Smooth and Adria Rae, and Preston with Michael Vegas. Courtesy Sweet Sinner/Mile High Media
