LOS ANGELES—After an extensive casting search, Axel Braun and Wicked Comix have announced that current AVN Best Leading Actress and Female Performer of the Year nominee Kenna James has been cast as Mary Jane Watson, the female lead in the director's latest endeavor, Spideypool XXX: An Axel Braun Parody.
“It was a huge turnout—71 girls submitted audition videos for Mary Jane and a lot of them were actually very good," Braun said, “but Kenna’s submission was literally on a whole different level, there was no question that the role had to be hers.”
As a testament of her dedication and commitment to the character, James, who previously delivered a standout performance in Braun’s 2019 AVN Movie of the Year winner The Possession of Mrs. Hyde, agreed to cut her hair and dye it red for the part.
“Changing my hair was a no-brainer,” James offered. “I’m deeply honored to have been chosen to play Mary Jane, it just blows my mind that out of so many actresses Axel picked me! My peers within the industry are very good at what they do, we have so many talented people, and I don’t take it lightly that I was given this amazing opportunity. Also, I've been a huge Spider-Man fan my entire life, so the chance to play this role for an Axel Braun parody is absolutely a dream come true!”
Entering his 32nd year in the industry, Braun heads into production on Spideypool as his follow-up to last summer's Black Widow XXX, which is currently nominated for nine AVN Awards: Best Featurette, Best Actress - Featurette (Lacy Lennon), Best Actor - Featurette (Seth Gamble), Best Screenplay - Featurette, Best Make-Up, Best Art Direction, Best Editing, Best Tag-Team Sex Scene (Lacy Lennon, Mick Blue and John Strong), and the very first Mark Stone Award for Outstanding Comedy, of which Braun is especially proud.
“Mark was such a funny and talented guy,” said Braun. “He directed over 50 movies for Wicked, including Monster Tit Sex Zombies which is absolutely hysterical and literally one of my all-time favorite adult comedies, so being nominated in the category that bears his name for the first time is a huge honor and a privilege.”
While the search for the coveted Spider-Man role is still ongoing, Spideypool XXX will see the return of three-time-consecutive AVN Best Actor Seth Gamble in the role of Deadpool, which he previously reprised for Captain Marvel XXX and most recently in Black Widow XXX, earning him the above-mentioned nomination.
"Seth Gamble has always been, and will continue to be, one of my favorite performers to work with,” said James. “He has this uncanny ability to morph in such a wide variety of roles, but I gotta say that nothing compares to him as Deadpool. He’s crazy, hilarious and totally unpredictable ... I can’t wait to see what he does with this fantastic script!”
Gamble, the reigning AVN Best Actor and a nominee for 2022 AVN Male Performer of the Year, James' feeling about their on-camera chemistry, so much that he cast her in his Axel Braun-produced directorial debut The Red Room, and their standout scene earned them an AVN nomination for Best Boy/Girl Sex Scene.
“Kenna was an inspired choice,” said Gamble. “She’s an amazing actress, and she has great comedic timing. Did I mention that she’s also super hot? No? Well, she is ridiculously hot, and for sure the sexiest Mary Jane Watson ever seen in a live action film. Axel showed me her audition, and all I could say was, ‘Holy shit!’ Yeah, it was that good. Stoked to share the screen with her in this project and looking forward to some epic awesomeness!”
Despite most of the shoot being scheduled for December/January, some of James' Spideypool XXX scenes were already shot last week, prompting Braun to voice his praise for the talented actress.
“Kenna is one of a kind,” said the director, who is also Head of Production for Wicked Pictures. “The positive energy she brings to the set is priceless, she always has a smile on her face, and it’s a wonderful one! She’s also a real trooper, ready and willing to go above and beyond for a project, which is a huge deal for me, and, at the risk of stating the obvious, she is drop-dead gorgeous, sexy as hell, and a top-notch performer, so it’s no surprise that I am beyond happy to have her in this movie!”
James is quick to reciprocate the praise: "What can I say about Axel Braun ... he’s a legend within the industry. Working with him as the lead in one of his films is something I’ve wanted to do for a very long time. He’s such a pro, but still keeps plenty of humor and levity on set. So far this experience has been everything I’d hoped it would be and a bit more ... I can’t thank him enough for this opportunity!”
Spideypool XXX: An Axel Braun Parody will premiere in 2022 exclusively on Wicked.com.
