Editor’s Note: This is part one of a two part interview with Kristina Rose. Part two will be posted next week.
WHACK! So if there are any porn fans out there who don’t know you are… well, they must not really be porn fans. But, just in case, can you give us a little bit of info about yourself for the uninitiated?
KRISTINA ROSE My Name is Kristina Rose. I’m a 26 years, a old native southern Californian, and an adult film star. I work in the Blue Films. I collect gnomes, paint, read and watch bad TV.
W! So you’ve been in the industry for how long now? And you’ve been nominated for all kinds of awards, including AVN for Performer of the Year! Woah, girl. Why do you think you’ve been such a success?
KR I’ve been in the industry about three years. I got my start in the industry back in May 2007. As far as my success thus far, I’m always amazed. I was always told from the get-go that I would never make it, that I didn’t have the right “look” to be a big name. Whatever that means. I’m very happy and proud of the level of success I’ve achieved so far. I always just try to have a good time every time I shoot. I always want the last scene I did to be the best scene I’ve ever done. And I am always just me. I think people connect with that realness. And I suck a mean dick.
W! You have an interesting history of how you got into porn, starting out on the other side of the camera. Can you tell us a little about it?
KR I worked in the customer service department of a porn mega site. When they moved the customer service dept. overseas I was out of a job. The only people that would respond to my resume were porn companies. So, I ended up taking a job as the assistant to the owner of a major internet content company. That’s when I started getting offers to work in movies rather than on them. At the time I was 19 years old and felt too immature to make that kind of choice, but over the years porn kept coming up, offers kept coming in and finally one day when I was 23 years old, I said yes and shot my first scene for Reality Kings’ First Time Amateurs.
W! You’ve said that after working for an adult company as a customer service rep you couldn’t get work anywhere except with other adult companies. Why do you think that is? Like, you could have done customer service for any other company just as well, and the porn industry is worth billions, so obviously porn people are doing something right. Why do you think people in adult get so looked down on?
KR I think the reason why only porn companies responded to my resume is because they recognized the name of the porn company I was already working for and so they knew seeing naked people wasn’t gonna be a problem with me. I think people in adult get looked down on because a lot of people in the world are still ashamed about their own sexual needs and desires. It also doesn’t help that anytime the adult industry is mentioned in mainstream media it’s always some awful story. No one ever talks about when a girl or company does major charity work, etc. America only wants to hear horror stories.
W! You did an interview with Complex magazine last year, in which you said that porn actors are “just fucking. It’s not like we’re changing the world or anything.” I guess that’s true, but do you think there is a larger meaning in porn? I mean, without porn, where do you think America would be?
KR I think porn plays a major role in many people’s lives. We need porn to get off. Getting off makes you feel good. Raises your self-esteem for a minute and so much more. Without porn there would be a lot of frustrated and angry men and women running around this world and the haters would have one less group to hate on.
W! You seem like a girl with a good head on her shoulders — as Grandma Lagsalot would say — who’s not out to prove anything, but who just loves sex and performing. Do you think that the reputation porn people in general have as damaged individuals who are trying to get attention by breaking taboos is warranted? Or do you think most porn performers are more like you, just enjoying themselves?
KR I think generalizing a group of people as “damaged” just because we have sex on camera is just dumb. I think people are afraid of things they can’t understand and labeling us as damaged makes it easier for the person labeling us to understand how we can do what we do. It’s fun work but I’ve noticed that not just anyone can do it. As far as performers enjoying themselves, I think most of them do. Usually the ones that don’t bail pretty quickly. Of course not every day is a cakewalk. We have bad days too. Traffic on the way to set, gossip, haters, “Oh, shit I forgot the lube,” etc. etc.
W! You apparently have a thing for garden gnomes — they’re all over your twitter site and they’re on your Amazon wish list. Where did that come from?
KR I started having a thing for gnomes when I was eighteen. I’m not sure why. I think it was after a funny scene I saw with gnomes in the movie The Full Monty. I just love them. I collect them. They make me smile. I have a gnome in every room in my house and I even have some in storage. I love when fans bring/send me gnomes. I always put them up in my house. They’re like little reminders that someone cares about me.
W! You’ve got a modest public Amazon wish list for fans to buy you items. Have you gotten many? Do you expect to get many? Why do you have it? Isn’t it kind of weird, or is it like a defensive move so you don’t have fans showing up at your door with presents?
KR I’ve gotten a few gifts. I’m not sure how many. I love getting things in the mail from fans. Gifts, letters, fan art. I love my fans. Without them, I don’t get to live this wonderful life. I made the list at the urging of some of my co-workers. I never thought people would actually send me stuff. But I love it! What girl doesn’t like to get gifts? I only put things I really actually want on my list. Whenever someone sends me something I send them something back a “Thank You” package. I make each and every package myself and I write and sign every card, poster, movie, etc. I’ll never ask to be spoiled or beg for gifts, etc. But if someone thinks I’m worth it then I’ll take it… And send ‘em a niiiice thank you package in return.
Make sure to check back next week for Part 2 of our interview with Miss Rose!