Photograph of Kenna James by Dean Capture for CherryPimps.com. See more photos in the December issue of AVN magazine.
Kenna James made a career move a year ago that has lifted her to a new level of stardom.
“The decision to do boy/girl was a big one for me, but never for a second have I ever regretted it,” James tells AVN. “I have loved every experience. It’s the reason that a lot of roles with depth have been presented to me and it allows me to see the other side of the industry.
“There is a lot of stuff you just don’t get to experience as a girl/girl performer. I was passed up on a lot of things. Now I don’t really have that issue anymore.
“I definitely am out there twice as much and gained a lot of fans—and that’s been amazing.”
Now in her fifth year in adult, James’ eventful 2018 has been highlighted by several high-profile sex scenes—including work for Vixen and Hard X—not to mention chances to demonstrate her acting range.
“I finally this year got to do roles that weren’t your typical step-daughter, step-sister role,” she says. “I was featured in my first Axel Braun film and it was his first feature in 15 years. I can’t believe I was chosen to be a part of that.”
In Braun’s The Possession of Mrs. Hyde for Wicked Pictures, James participates in a sensual and stylish three-way with Seth Gamble and Victoria Voxxx.
“It is one of my favorite sex scenes I think I’ve ever performed,” James says. “Seth and Victoria are incredible performers who love their jobs and it was an honor to be paired with them.”
James also landed a supporting role in director Jacky St. James’ return to the romantic comedy genre, Love in the Digital Age. She plays Lizzie, the best friend of Gia Paige’s character, Sara, who agrees to give up her phone for two weeks to go on an adventure to find love.
“It was unbelievable to be part of that with such an amazing cast and such an amazing crew,” James says. “Jacky allows you to dig in and find that character and become that person. And to get a cast that can also do that, it’s a bonding experience for everybody.”
James, who grew up in Missouri and now resides in Las Vegas, has become one of Jacky St. James’ go-to girls.
“We’ve worked together many, many times,” James says. “She’s not only a great director, she’s also one of my best friends and one of the best people to have ever graced my life.”
In the movie, James performs with Small Hands.
“He is a guy I met at a bar and we end up going back to his place,” she says. “I absolutely adore him. I like his personality. I like what makes him him. He’s not afraid to be himself. He’s comfortable in his own skin.”
She also landed a role in Wastelands, a major feature from Girlsway about a future sex probe of "pleasure bots" living among humans in a dystopian society.
“My character is an android. It’s actually a pull over from Fantasy Factory. I’m an android that is becoming self aware. I can’t really remember anything but I go wandering out and I get out of this pleasure park that Girlsway Corporation has and I’m wandering around until April O’Neil finds me, and it’s this mad adventure to free the androids. It’s a really interesting story with lots of acting and lot of romance.”
The 2016 Penthouse Pet of the Year and March 2018 CherryPimps “Cherry of the Month” now has more than 180 credits since 2014. Among her most anticipated scenes of the past year were hook-ups with Johnny Sins and a three-way with Jean Val Jean and Honey Gold—both for Vixen. Speaking of three-ways, she also rose to the occasion with Mick Blue and Kissa Sins for Hard X.
“It’s been a hectic year, but it’s been fun though,” says James, who has been self-booking for the past two years. “I can finally show what I can do in all departments—not just play the young, innocent look. I can be just as dark and dangerous as anybody.”
