CANOGA PARK, Calif.—Multi-awarded adult industry studio Wicked Pictures and the lines it distributes have received nearly 120 2018 AVN Awards nominations. Nearly half of this impressive tally went to six outstanding releases: the Brad Armstrong blockbusters An Inconvenient Mistress, Ethni*City, Takers, and Jessica Drake is Wicked, Axel Braun’s smash hit Justice League XXX: An Axel Braun Parody, and Stormy Daniels' romantic Texas-filmed drama Unbridled. (A full list of the nominations appears below.)
According to the company, these productions are achievements which took each of the studio's in-house imprints—Wicked Comix, Wicked Passions, Wicked Showcase, Wicked Blockbuster, Wicked Feature, and Wicked All-Sex—to new heights of innovation and excellence while spotlighting the beauty, talent, intelligence and sensuality of iconic Wicked Girls Stormy Daniels, Jessica Drake and Asa Akira.
In addition to celebrating the studio’s formidable contract talent and diverse in-house lines, AVN gave many additional nominations to product distributed by Wicked on behalf of such international production companies as Dorcel, JoyBear Pictures and AbbyWinters.com. The 2018 nominations also recognized the ongoing success of the Wicked Sensual Care line of lubricants and enhancers.
Veteran contract filmmaker Brad Armstrong's timely and suspenseful relationship drama An Inconvenient Mistress tied Daniels' Unbridled as Wicked’s most acclaimed original feature, receiving such coveted nominations as Best Action/Thriller, Best Actress (Jessica Drake), Best Actor (Ryan Driller), Best Cinematography, Best Director-Feature, Best Editing, Best Non-Sex Performance (Carl Johnson), and Best Three-Way B/B/G (Jessica Drake, Michael Vegas & Ryan Driller).
His intricate urban drama Ethni*City earned Best Drama, Best Screenplay, Best Soundtrack, Best Supporting Actor (Prince Yahshua), Best Supporting Actress (Kira Noir), and Best Three-Way Sex Scene G/G/B (Chanell Heart, Yasmine de Leon & Prince Yahshua). The darkly erotic sci-fi drama Takers snared the versatile filmmaker Best Action/Thriller and Best Actor nods, as well as a nomination for Best Makeup, while the film's star, Wicked Girl Asa Akira, was recognized with a Mainstream Star of the Year nomination.
Armstrong's groundbreaking Wicked Showcase release Jessica Drake is Wicked earned Best All-Girl Group Sex Scene (Jessica Drake, Anikka Albrite, Angela White, Vicki Chase, Abella Danger & Brandy Aniston), Best Art Direction, Best Director Non-Feature, Best Marketing Campaign-Individual Project, Best Oral Sex Scene (Jessica Drake, Ricky Johnson, Rob Piper, Isiah Maxwell & Dirk Huge), Best Star Showcase, and, in a first for the studio, Best Transsexual Sex Scene (Jessica Drake, Venus Lux, Aubrey Kate & Domino Presley).
In recognition of his many triumphs across such diverse genres, it is no surprise that Armstrong was recognized with AVN's coveted Director of the Year nomination. And in addition to her rich and varied array of acting and sex scene nominations, writer/director/producer/host Jessica Drake’s renowned media profile, tireless public advocacy and many commitments to charitable causes were recognized with a Mainstream Star of the Year nom.
Axel Braun's Justice League XXX: An Axel Braun Parody not only beat its mainstream inspiration into release by nearly two months, it emerged as Wicked's most acclaimed production of the year, receiving 13 major nominations, including Best Actress (Romi Rain), Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Director-Feature, Best Editing, Best Group Sex Scene (Romi Rain, Xander Corvus, Tyler Nixon & Giovanni Francesco), Best Makeup, Best Marketing Campaign-Individual Project, Best Parody, Best Soundtrack, Best Special Effects, Best Supporting Actor (Tyler Nixon), and Best Supporting Actress (Charlotte Stokely).
Braun received nominations in numerous other genres as well, including Best Anal Movie (Axel Braun's Big Ass Anal Movie), Best MILF Movie (Axel Braun's MILF Fest 2), Best Interracial Movie (Axel Braun's Brown Sugar), and Best Ethnic Movie (Axel Braun's Asian Connection), while the Riley Steele release Riley Goes Gonzo 2, which Braun produced for his son Rikki Braun, was nominated for Best Star Showcase and Best Three-Way Sex Scene B/B/G (Riley Steele, Toni Ribas & Mr. Pete). Rikki's debut as a feature director, Exposed, which the elder Braun both wrote and produced, earned Best Screenplay, Best Director-Feature, Best Boy/Girl Sex Scene (Katrina Jade & Seth Gamble), Best Drama, Best Non-Sex Performance (James Bartholet), Best Soundtrack, and Best Three-Way Sex Scene B/G/G (Abella Danger, Valentina Nappi & Jessy Jones).
Fittingly, the overall excellence of Braun's output for the year earned him a Director of the Year nomination. With Justice League XXX and Exposed, the 2018 AVN Awards mark the first time in adult history that a father and son are competing against each other in the Best Director-Feature category.
Triple threat writer, director and performer Stormy Daniels' incredible run included eight nominations for her big-budget feature Unbridled. The Texas-lensed romance's mentions were for Best Actor (Marcus London), Best Art Direction, Best Director-Feature, Best Drama, Best Editing, Best Marketing Campaign-Individual Project, Best Non-Sex Performance (Jay Crew), and Best Supporting Actor (Michael Vegas). Vendetta earned Daniels Best Action/Thriller, Best All-Girl Group Sex Scene (Asa Akira, Kleio Valentien & Stormy Daniels), Best Non-Sex Performance (Dick Chibbles), and Best Screenplay nominations.
Daniels' The Blonde Dahlia earned Wicked Girl Asa Akira a Best Actress nomination, as well as nods for Best Comedy and Best Screenplay, while Karma snared both Best Actor (Seth Gamble) and Best Supporting Actor (Robby Echo) noms. Ella Nova earned a Best Actress nomination for Snapshot; the film also saw Lucas Frost receiving a Best Non-Sex Performance mention, while Stormy's Wicked Passions release From The First Moment earned Damon Dice a Best Actor nod. Daniels' paranormal suspense drama From Beyond was recognized with a Best Action/Thriller nomination, and the continued excellence of Ms. Daniels' work was celebrated with a nom for Director of the Year.
A veteran AVN award winner who has been creating acclaimed Wicked features for over two decades, director Jonathan Morgan’s acclaimed release Conflicted earned Best Actress (Cassidy Klein), Best Comedy, and Best Non-Sex Performance (Kyle Stone) nominations. Morgan's Crash became Wicked's fifth movie to be honored in the newly-minted Best Action/Thriller category, while the film's winsome star, Alexa Grace, snared a Best Actress nomination.
International lines distributed by the studio, including Marc Dorcel, AbbyWinters.com and JoyBear Pictures, all received major nominations, while the continued success of Wicked Sensual Care, the acclaimed creator of cruelty-free and PETA-certified intimate products, was celebrated in the Best Lubricant Manufacturer category.
For his part, Wicked President and owner Steve Orenstein couldn’t be more pleased with the 2018 AVN Awards nominations: “There is so much to be thankful for in these extensive and diverse nominations. In this ever-changing environment, I’m happy to see that half of all the titles we shot were nominated. I’m very proud of all of our directors and stars for continuing to keep the quality of their work at the highest level. When you add the lines we are proud to distribute—Dorcel, AbbyWinters.com and Joybear Pictures—we have nominations in nearly fifty categories. We are grateful to AVN for recognizing and celebrating the consistently high-quality of the movies we produce.”
Wicked Pictures congratulates all of the talented performers, filmmakers, production crews, distribution partners, and support staff for their 2018 AVN Awards nominations.
To learn more about Wicked Pictures, visit Wicked.com.
Wicked Pictures 2018 AVN Awards Nominations:
Director of the Year
Brad Armstrong
Axel Braun
Stormy Daniels
Mainstream Star of the Year
Asa Akira
Jessica Drake
Wicked Pictures
Best Marketing Campaign – Company Image
Wicked Sensual Care
Best Lubricant Manufacturer
An Inconvenient Mistress
Best Action/Thriller
Best Actor–Ryan Driller
Best Actress–Jessica Drake
Best Cinematography
Best Director–Feature-Brad Armstrong
Best Editing
Best Non-Sex Performance–Carl Johnson
Best Three-Way Sex Scene B/B/G
Axel Braun's Asian Connection
Best Ethnic Movie
Axel Braun's Big Ass Anal Movie
Best Anal Movie
Axel Braun's Brown Sugar
Best Interracial Movie
Axel Braun's MILF Fest 2
Best MILF Movie
Conflicted
Best Actress–Cassidy Klein
Best Comedy
Best Non-Sex Performance–Kyle Stone
Crash
Best Action/Thriller
Ethni*City
Best Drama
Best Screenplay
Best Soundtrack
Best Supporting Actor–Prince Yashua
Best Supporting Actress–Kira Noir
Best Three-Way Sex Scene G/G/B
Exposed
Best Boy/Girl Sex Scene-Katrina Jade and Seth Gamble
Best Director – Feature–Rikki Braun
Best Drama
Best Non-Sex Performance–James Bartholet
Best Screenplay
Best Soundtrack
Best Three-Way Sex Scene G/G/B
From Beyond
Best Action/Thriller
Best Actress–Alexa Grace
Ingenue
Best Actor–Tommy Pistol
Best Actress–Janice Griffith
Best Director Feature – Mike Quasar
Best Drama
Best Screenplay
Best Supporting Actress – Karlee Grey
Inner Demons
Best Cinematography
Best Drama
Best Supporting Actress – Aaliyah Love
Jessica Drake is Wicked
Best All-Girl Sex Scene (Jessica Drake, Abella Danger, Angela White, Brandy Aniston, Vicki Chase, Annika Albrite)
Best Art Direction
Best Director – Non-Feature – Brad Armstrong
Best Marketing Campaign – Individual Project
Best Oral Sex Scene – Jessica Drake
Best Soundtrack
Best Star Showcase
Best Transsexual Sex Scene
Justice League XXX: An Axel Braun Parody
Best Parody
Best Actress – Romi Rain
Best Art Direction
Best Cinematography
Best Editing
Best Director – Feature – Axel Braun
Best Group Sex Scene-Romi Rain, Xander Corvus, Tyler Nixon & Giovanni Francesco
Best Makeup
Best Marketing Campaign – Individual Project
Best Soundtrack
Best Special Effects
Best Supporting Actor – Tyler Nixon
Best Supporting Actress – Charlotte Stokely
Karma
Best Actor – Seth Gamble
Best Supporting Actor – Robby Echo
Riley Goes Gonzo 2
Best Star Showcase
Best Three-Way Sex Scene B/B/G
Snapshot
Best Actress – Ella Nova
Best Non-Sex Performance – Lucas Frost
Spoiled
Best Drama
Best Girl/Girl Sex Scene (Abigail Mac and Olive Glass)
Best Supporting Actor – Jay Smooth
Takers
Best Action/Thriller
Best Actor – Brad Armstrong
Best Makeup
The Blonde Dahlia
Best Actress – Asa Akira
Best Comedy
Best Screenplay
Unbridled
Best Actor – Marcus London
Best Art Direction
Best Director – Feature – Stormy Daniels
Best Drama
Best Editing
Best Marketing Campaign – Individual Project
Best Non-Sex Performance – Jake Jacobs
Best Supporting Actor – Michael Vegas
Vendetta
Best Action/Thriller
Best All-Girl Sex Scene
Best Non-Sex Performance – Dick Chibbles
Best Screenplay
Who’s Banging the Babysitter?
Best Ingénue Movie
Lines Distributed By Wicked Pictures:
Marc Dorcel:
Revenge of a Daughter, Marc Dorcel/Wicked
Best Cinematography
Best Director-Foreign Feature, Herve Bodilis & Pascal Lucas
Best Foreign Feature
Best Screenplay
My Daughter-in-Law Is a Whore, Marc Dorcel/Wicked
Best Director-Foreign Feature (Liselle Bailey)
Best Foreign Feature
Best Sex Scene in a Foreign-Shot Production, Cara St. Germain, Luke Hardy, Pascal White & Dean Van Damme
Anissa the Tenniswoman, Marc Dorcel/Wicked
Best Director-Foreign Non-Feature (Frank Major)
Best Sex Scene in a Foreign-Shot Production, Amirah Adara, Max Fonda & Zack
Megan Escort Deluxe, Marc Dorcel/Wicked
Best Director-Foreign Non-Feature (Herve Bodilis)
Best Sex Scene in a Foreign-Shot Production, Megan Rain, Kristof Cale & Ricky Mancini
The Perverse Games of a Posh Wife, Marc Dorcel/Wicked
Best Foreign Feature
Dorcel Lab, Marc Dorcel
Best Marketing Campaign-Individual Project
Claire Desires of Submission, Marc Dorcel/Wicked
Best Sex Scene in a Foreign-Shot Production, Claire Castel, Kristof Cale, Math & Ricky Mancini
The Fighter, 21 Sextury/Marc Dorcel/Wicked
Best Sex Scene in a Foreign-Shot Production, Nikita Bellucci & Renato
DorcelStore.com
Best Web Retail Store
Abby Winters:
Girls and Their Boys 29, abbywinters.com/Wicked
Best Amateur/Pro-Am Movie
Lascivious Girls, abbywinters.com/Wicked
Best Amateur/Pro-Am Movie
Girl Girl Sex, abbywinters.com/Wicked
Best Foreign Series
Girls and Their Boys, abbywinters.com/Wicked
Best Foreign Series
Joybear Pictures:
Sun Stroke, JoyBear/Wicked
Best Foreign Feature
Best Director-Foreign Feature, Jessie Black
