LOS ANGELES—Adult performer, content producer, and 2016 AVN Best Male Newcomer Brad Knight died at around 12 a.m. this morning after an extended battle with cancer, according to his friend and colleague “Porno Dan” Leal. He was 36.
Knight, who was diagnosed in August 2023 with stomach cancer while residing in Budapest, recently returned to the United States, Leal said. He flew to Florida last month for production shoots but was unable to perform because of back pain. Leal explained to AVN that at that time, doctors in Florida determined the cancer had spread from Knight’s stomach to his spine, with few options for treatment. Knight, who had initially thought the back pain might be the result of a gym injury, eventually traveled to Los Angeles to enter hospice care, where he succumbed to the illness after 10 days.
“Brandon, aka Brad Knight, was among the most thoughtful and caring people I have ever known. We became friends in 2015 when we would attend LA Galaxy games. After my numerous legal battles with L.A. County over condom laws, I moved to Europe in 2017, but always stayed in close communication with Brandon,” Leal said in an email from Budapest.
“In late 2019, Brandon left the U.S.A. adult industry and moved to China to teach school,” Leal continued. “In September of 2022, Brandon decided he wanted to return to performing, but he wanted to do it in Europe. I assisted him with everything, as working here has many differences.
“Brandon made many changes when he moved to Europe and was always very kind and considerate to female talent. He did his best to be respectful, which was shown in his scenes,” Leal added.
“When Brandon found out he had cancer, he did his best to fight it, going to the gym as often as possible. Brandon never let others know the tremendous amount of pain he was in, as he kept smiling and delivering great scenes, as he truly loved his job. Sadly, in the end, the cancer spread from his stomach to his spine and proved to be fatal,” he said.
“The adult industry lost more than one of the top male performers. It lost someone who loved this business and was always willing to help others,” Leal concluded. “As he requested, I will host a celebration of his life event in Budapest. He wanted people to remember the good times and fun they had with him.”
A San Diego native, Knight began his career as an adult performer in 2014, after stints as a bartender and a Criminal Justice major in Tampa, where he graduated from college. Working his way up in the industry with studios in Florida, Knight had performed in hundreds of scenes by the time he received the 2016 Best Male Newcomer award, averaging 25-30 shoots a month.
“I really couldn’t thank the girls enough that I shot with for [Primal Fetish]. I met like 100 girls in two months. It was nuts,” Knight told AVN in 2017. “I could do multiple scenes a day. You have two different girls come in every single day.”
Knight’s ready reliability, talent and personality soon had him booked on sets with major East Coast producers including Reality Kings and Score Group. Followed by a move to Los Angeles in 2016, Knight signed with OC Modeling for representation and quickly racked up credits with companies that included Spizoo, Brazzers, Digital Playground, Naughty America, Zero Tolerance, Lethal Hardcore, Third Degree, Diabolic, Evil Angel, New Sensations and Perv City, among many others.
He eventually also started a content line, Brad Knight Productions. A soccer fan, his X account lists him as a fan of Liverpool FC. In 2017, he told AVN editor-in-chief Dan Miller that he liked to follow the U.S. men’s national soccer team since seeing them compete in the 2010 World Cup. He also enjoyed playing golf and Six Flags Magic Mountain.
“I’m so sorry to hear of his passing,” OC Modeling owner Sandra McCarthy told AVN. “We have known each other a long time. I was his agent and his friend. I remember when he told me he was diagnosed with cancer and how sad I felt, but he [was] strong and I thought, ‘Yeah, this kid can beat this.’ I hope he did everything off his bucket list and wherever you are Brandon I hope you’re at peace—I miss you and love you.”
Knight's social media pages were active up until late March and filled with photos of the performer with friends and colleagues, behind the scenes on sets, socializing, and at industry special events. He is survived by his mother, extended family members, friends and industry peers.
Pictured (l, r): Brad Knight, Dan Leal; photo courtesy of Leal
