This feature appears in the April issue of AVN magazine.
LOS ANGELES—In January, at the Best New Starlet panel at AVN Adult Entertainment Expo, 2025 Best New Starlet winner Gal Ritchie was asked for three words of advice.
She contemplated for a moment and said: “Don’t. Fucking. Cry.”
And after she announced Cheerleader Kait as the 2026 Best New Starlet, “As we came off the stage, she told me ‘I didn’t fucking cry,’” Ritchie recalls.
“I handed the torch over, which was a bittersweet experience,” Ritchie says. “I had an incredible year as Best New Starlet. It’s a badge of honor. I’m going to hold that with me. It’s something that I did earn, and it was a moment that I was genuinely proud of myself and recognized my hard work. I’m someone who’s very hard on themselves, so I’m constantly challenging myself to do the next thing rather than appreciate when I’ve done so far. That was a really nice smack in the face—in a good way—that you’ve fuckin’ done this. I wasn’t coy about wanting it, I wanted to make a splash in the industry when I was in England thinking about doing this. The fact that I got there was amazing. It’s nice to think that I’m passing it on to someone else who will take on that honor.
“It’s like getting a promotion. I’m on to the next thing now and see where that will lead me.”
What’s the next thing?
“I’ve started anal. That’s the biggest thing I’ve been doing, Literally,” Richie says.
“I’ve been learning all the tips and tricks from everyone of exposing my butthole,” she adds with a giggle. “It’s kind of like an athlete prepping for the Olympics. I trained for six months, because I didn’t do it in my personal life. It’s like muscle memory. I got lots of tricks and tips from all the lovely ladies who gave them to me.
“My first anal was insane. It was really fun. I actually enjoyed it. I did it with Ricky Johnson. I was offered—‘offered,’ it sounds funny—other dick sizes that were available, but I was, like, go big or go home. So I challenged myself. And. I. succeeded in the challenge,” she adds with a triumphant grin.
“I wanted to find the pleasure point with it, so I had somewhere to go in my head,” Gal continues. “A lot of it is breathing and relaxing, which is the majority of what you need to train to do. It’s like going through a second puberty: You have to re-learn your body, and though I got amazing advice from lots of fantastic people, I had to find what works for my body. I stop eating at 3 p.m. the day before for a morning call time. The day before, I’m very watchful of what I eat. What works for me is fish and rice. That’s it. No vegetables, no dairy.
“I created a space in my head, to remember and remind myself that I do have pleasure from my experience in case it was a stressful environment. It’s been an enjoyable experience, and being able to explore a different... orifice... in a way that’s safe has been really fun. It’s been pushing my body a little bit, in a good way. I’ve done seven or eight now.”
She’s not stopping at anal.
“I put a lot of pressure on myself to do really well, and even when I do well, sometimes I feel like I didn’t,” Ritchie explains. “I’m very hard on myself as a performer. I have standards I want to live up to, so I put a lot of pressure on myself. If I’m standing still in life, one, I get bored, and two, I want to get to the next place. I’m constantly looking forward. Might not be the next healthy thing, but I’m constantly looking forward. Seeing where I can get to next. Doing anal was the next step for me, and I’m looking forward to the next thing.”
Do you have a next thing in mind?
“Yes.” Her eyes narrow over a conspiratorial grin. “I’m working on a special project that I hope will be out by nomination time. But I want it to be a surprise. I’m currently training for it.”
Photography by Dean Capture
