LAS VEGAS—In the history of modern adult film entertainment, Peter North is a legend. For the native son of Halifax, Nova Scotia, whose real name is Alden Brown, the unexpected and unbelievable rise to the upper echelon of male performers in the ‘80s and ‘90s is the stuff that PT Anderson’s 1997 classic Boogie Nights was made of.
North’s life will be the subject of feature documentary, Peter, which will make its world premiere on Thursday, January 22, at the AVN Adult Entertainment Expo, held in Las Vegas, at the Virgin Hotels. A trailer for the movie is posted here on YouTube.
“I've had a good life because of the industry and very interesting—a lot of different things, from doing sex scenes underwater to traveling to Europe,” North told AVN. “There's just so much that I probably wouldn't have experienced if I wasn't in the industry. There's always going to be positives and there's going to be negatives. So, this was done with everything coming out—the good, the bad, the ugly.”
Interviews with AVN Hall of Fame stars Jenna Jameson, Ginger Lynn, Christy Canyon and Jewel De'Nyle are also featured in the film, as they recall their interactions with North, through the lens of the classic "Porn Valley" era.
“This isn’t just the story of a performer,” said writer and producer Jeremy Wagner. “It’s the story of a person whose identity was shaped and reshaped by an industry and by the culture watching him. We wanted to give Alden the space to tell his never-before-shared story with honesty and depth.”
North’s storied adult career includes more than 2,000 scene credits as a performer and 70 adult films as a director, as well as establishing his production company Northstar Entertainment. He received his first AVN Award nominations in 1989.
But his story also includes several controversial episodes that North confronts in the film—including his start as a “gay-for-pay” performer Matt Ramsey in the early ‘80s, which eventually led him to audition for legendary agent and owner of World Modeling, the late Jim South, who North said became like his second father.
“I wouldn't even have known about Jim himself and World Modeling if that didn't happened, so, it’s kind of the of beginning of the story. To be honest, we cover that,” he said.
His first scene as Peter North is also sampled in the documentary, when he co-starred with blonde performer Biff Malibu and three starlets. North credits the documentary’s editor Eric Pritchard for finding the vintage footage.
The documentary will also touch on his involvement with the Traci Lords scandal in the mid-‘80s, when he unknowingly performed with the infamously underage actress.
North’s main claim to fame in adult, though, may be as a prolific ejaculator. Well known for his voluminous and powerful pop shots, the film will also address his strength as a swordsman with some swagger, which he said came naturally for him.
From his childhood in Halifax to his current status as a retired adult industry figure and real estate investor, North said he’s happy with the way things turned out. He never expected the recognition he’s received, for which he is grateful, but which he said is also a two-edged sword.
“I would still be happy if I didn't get in the industry, but I'm not, so, there's two sides to that,” the Canadian explained. “The life was great. I was happy because, I'm going to work, I'm having a great time. [But] how does that affect your personal life? It did... I’m not gonna say anything negative about the industry because it's my choice and I took that. I took that journey and and I stayed on that journey.”
Producers described the 95-minute film, which “reveals the many layers that shaped Peter North’s life and identity, presenting him as a three-dimensional human being whose path unfolded in ways few viewers could imagine. The film humanizes Peter in a way that has not been done before, offering new context for the choices he made and the pressures he faced. Audiences will come away with a new respect for Alden Brown and for the complex story behind the persona known as Peter North.
“When the credits roll, the film places him firmly within mainstream pop culture as more than a figure from adult entertainment, but as a person whose journey reflects ambition, vulnerability, reinvention and resilience.”
The screening will be followed by a Q&A with producer and writer Wagner, director Corey Soria and Alden Brown himself, “who will speak to the emotional and personal depth of the project,” producers said.
Peter will premiere at the AVN Expo on, Thursday, January 22. Industry badge holders, show attendees and media are invited to attend. To attend the premiere, contact [email protected].
