XCritic Interview: 2018 AVN Female Performer of the Year Angela White

Australian-born Angela White has rocked the waters of adult entertainment since her debut in March 2003. For a decade-and-a-half, the blue-eyed brunette has cemented her status as one of the erotic industry’s most prominent performers and today is recognized as a modern-day XXX icon.

Angela reached a career pinnacle in January 2018 when she and her production company, AGW Entertainment, garnered an unprecedented 14 honors at the 35th AVN Awards ceremony (an event White co-hosted along with web model Harli Lotts). Additionally, the Aussie starlet was inducted into the Adult Video News Hall of Fame that same evening.

Angela kindly spoke with XCritic to discuss her recent accolades, the launch of AGW Entertainment and more.

You can visit Angela White online at her official website, AngelaWhite.com, follow her on Twitter under the handle @ANGELAWHITE and check out her FreeOnes page here.

To book Angela for film or photo shoots, please contact the Spiegler Girls talent agency. Media inquiries may be directed to Star Factory PR.

(Interview conducted by Cass Ashlen. Special thanks to Tanya Tate at Star Factory PR)

Thanks for once again taking time out for XCritic, Angela. Let’s begin with January’s AVN Awards ceremony, where in addition to co-hosting the event alongside webcam sensation Harli Lotts, you took home 14 honors, including Female Performer of the Year. I saw a photo taken afterward of you with all of your trophies and the visual alone is stunningly impressive. Can you describe that evening overall from your perspective?

It was the best night of my life! I’m so overwhelmed with gratitude for the opportunity to host, my induction into the Hall of Fame, my 14 award wins, and the incredible honor of being named Female Performer of the Year. It’s an amazing feeling to have your hard work recognized, but breaking a record for award wins was not something that I had in my sights. It’s still quite surreal and I’m not really sure how to process it all.

Co-hosting the awards show was so much fun, but it flew by. Joanna Angel, who hosted in 2016, warned me that the show would feel like it was over before it had even begun, and she was right. It was a fast-paced show and there was so much adrenaline pumping through me. I was nervous, but I did my best to take it all in and enjoy the experience. My main goal was to make sure that everyone enjoyed the show.

You were also inducted into the AVN Hall of Fame this year. What did that accolade mean to you?

I can’t think about it without wanting to cry with joy. It means a lot to me to have the support and recognition of my peers and AVN. Thinking about my humble beginnings in this industry to now joining the ranks of the most established performers in all of porn … honestly, it’s a dream that for many years I didn’t even dare to dream.

In the midst of everything, you were also named Twistys Treat of the Month for January 2018. What are your feelings on that honor and shooting for the Twistys studio?

That was another wonderful honor and a great way to start 2018. I had so much fun shooting with famed photographer Holly Randall for my solo and girl/girl scenes. The shoots were very creative and I got to play with themes ranging from hot dog vendor and cowgirl to classic glamour and red lingerie.

Of course, you also helm your own production company, AGW Entertainment. Can you tell us what was behind your decision to launch the studio and what you enjoy most about producing your own content?

I established AGW Entertainment because I wanted to create content that reflected my own sexual desires and fantasies. I love producing and directing my own scenes and movies because I have full creative control. I put time and thought into every detail: the talent, the crew, the wardrobe, the makeup, the location, the lighting, the furniture, the soundtrack. I edit my scenes and movies as well, so I’m in control of my product from inception to completion. The most obvious reason I love making my own movies is that I get to have the best sex of my life. But another thing I love is hearing from fans that I have had a positive impact on their lives, that a scene resonated with them, and that they were touched by what they saw. That reminds me that what I am doing is meaningful, not just for me, but for others.

In researching for this interview, it really stood out to me just how much you have going on professionally with shooting content, running your own company, appearing at industry events and media commitments. How do you manage everything and maintain a balance in your life?

To be completely honest, I don’t live a balanced life. I live and breathe adult entertainment. It’s the convergence of a number of factors that make it possible for me to live this way. Firstly, I love what I do. They say that when you choose a job you love you never have to work a day in your life, and I believe this to be mostly true. Of course, I have stressful days, but for the most part I live an incredible life where my job allows me to explore my sexuality and constantly grow as a person. I also love to be productive - it gives meaning to my day when I am working towards an objective. And if I wasn’t filming sex, I would be writing about sex, and if I had free time, I would be reading about sex. Human sexuality is infinitely fascinating to me so I feel privileged to be able to live a life that revolves around my greatest passion.

With all of the recent excitement surrounding your career, many people may forget that you co-hosted the 2017 XRCO Awards alongside fellow performer Eva Lovia. Can you discuss that experience and perhaps contrast that evening with your hosting role at the AVN ceremony?

I had a fantastic time hosting the XRCO Awards. The XRCO Awards have a much more relaxed, party atmosphere. It’s an event where everyone lets their hair down and has a great time. I’m not sure if anyone even noticed I was hosting because everyone was having such a blast catching up with each other.

As many people know, you are originally from Australia and now live in the United States. Can you compare the American and Australian adult industry landscapes and the mindset of citizens toward the porn business in both countries?

Los Angeles is the global headquarters of porn production, and as you can imagine, Australia’s adult entertainment industry is a lot smaller by comparison. But Australia does have a burgeoning industry and it has its own distinct look and feel. A lot of the production Down Under is amateur or artistic, and many companies take a feminist approach to shooting, with a strong focus on affirmed consent and ethical production. That’s not to say that the porn produced in Los Angeles isn’t consensual or ethical. But I have noticed that in Australia, consent and concerns for comfort seem to permeate all negotiations and feel more about care than compliance. On the flip side, I felt restrained by the aesthetic paradigm of a lot of Aussie porn because glamour and makeup were derided and rough sex outside of a BDSM context felt frowned upon. Despite that, I’m very proud to have been part of an Aussie community that wanted to create a positive shift in the way we view and produce adult material.

It’s difficult to compare the mindsets of U.S. and Australian citizens. I would say that the Australian laws relating to the production and distribution of adult content do not reflect the values of the average Australian. I would also say that Australians are less conservative and moralistic when it comes to sex. But it’s certainly not a sexual utopia.

How has your success in adult entertainment been received in your home country?

I actually have no idea. I’ve been booked solid since I arrived in August 2016 and haven’t had time to return to Australia. I have been getting quite a bit of mainstream Australian press, so I guess it has been largely positive.

You are known as being a strong advocate for sex worker rights. What misconceptions about the adult industry from those outside of it do you most wish you could dispel?

This is a tough question to answer because, ideally, I want to dispel all of the myths. I think one of the most dangerous problems is when sex work gets conflated with sex trafficking. Sex work is consensual, while sex trafficking is forced upon victims. When legislation is proposed or created that pushes legitimate sex work underground, the lives of those sex workers are put at risk while doing nothing to help actual trafficking victims who are truly in need of assistance.

I understand you were actually still in high school when you entered the adult business in 2003 and knew from a relatively early age that it was a genre you wished to explore. What was it about XXX entertainment that made you consider adult as a possible career option and do you feel your high school experience was significantly different from others’ due to being in such a unique line of work?

My high school experience was already different well before I decided to get into porn. I was criticized in school for my uninhibited sexuality and it was that criticism that ultimately led me to want to get into the adult industry. Pornography was the first place I saw female sexuality being celebrated. It was the first place I saw a positive representation of women with my body type in the media. It was a space in which I imagined I could be myself and express my sexual desires while being supported by peers. The adult industry is the first place I’ve truly belonged.

I can’t imagine you have much spare time these days, but when you do manage to get away, what are some of your interests and hobbies?

You’re correct: I don’t really have any spare time. One thing I do miss is having more time to read. I also miss the ocean. I grew up on the Australian coast, right next to the beach. I miss the sound of the waves crashing on the shore and the way the water felt lapping, and sometimes pounding, against my skin. But it would be indulgent of me to get too nostalgic when I’m living out my dreams here in Los Angeles. Every once in a while I’ll go to Malibu for an hour or two, but I can’t help feeling guilty when I know there’s work to be done. And it’s work that I love.

How about favorites - favorite movies, T.V. shows and musical artists?

I love Gaspar Noe’s Love, Lars Von Trier’s Nymphomaniac, and Frank Miller’s Sin City. I’ve never been much of a television watcher.

I listen to different music depending on my mood and what I’m doing. Classical is my go-to when I’m working, particularly Chopin. I actually listen to a lot of podcasts because it’s something I can do while working out, packing my set bag, doing my makeup and cleaning. I guess I can’t justify sitting down and watching Netflix, but podcasts I can fit into my everyday chores. I listen to a lot of NPR and This American Life, some of my favorites have been Love + Radio and The Heart, and then industry-wise I listen to Holly Randall Unfiltered, Girlvert, and Asa Akira’s Pornhub podcast.

Is there one thing about yourself that you feel would surprise many people?

I’m actually quite a shy person. Sex helps me to get out of my shell and connect with people. I guess that is why sex is so important to me. It helps me get close to people.

Thanks again for your time, Angela. Congratulations on all of your amazing accomplishments and recognition over the past 15 years and I wish you continued success moving forward.

Thank you so much. I’m very grateful for all of the support that XCritic has given me and I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me.