The XCritic Interview: Avi Love

February 26, 2019
DEMARKO

The “times” in the adult world are always changing. There is a reality and desire within this business that has never been seen before. The number of beautiful women across the globe coming into the land of fantasy that we all know and love is so astronomical, the numbers are hard to imagine, let alone place within this article. We are not here to talk about the masses, we are here to speak of only one. The term “new” starlet means something different then it did twenty years ago in the porn world. In today’s world, a starlet must struggle, gain her footing, learn the ropes and find a niche that fits her before she is even known by the bulk of adult film fans. This particular performer, she has been in the industry since 2016 and despite what you may think, she has been working her ass off in order to step foot on that next stage I just spoke of in her career, even before she took home her three trophies this year during the 2018 and 2019 awards seasons. Avi Love, she joins a rare group of performers who have taken home a trophy for Best Actress, along with Best Sex Scene and a nomination for Best New Starlet. What that says to fans worldwide, is that Avi has a dedication that has always been the backbone of success within any side of entertainment with those who are destined for greatness. Despite all the hills and mountains, she had to climb, Avi managed to show even the most bitter critic, that not everything has changed within the business. In a world where speed and fast pace is a way of life, she showed that perhaps if we slowed down to see what she is and how she accomplished it, then maybe we would all see something we never thought possible with the world of adult entertainment that was always there. Maybe, the business was just waiting for the right person to come along. Perhaps that person, is Avi Love? …….

Don Juan DeMarko: I am so excited to sit down and do this interview with you, especially with you. As I was researching my subject, I was finding with every article about you that you have such a deep passion for acting and for art in general. It was so cool to read about. When I was in school, my love for art became massive, it was neat to see another person in the industry who loves it as well. Art History was my favorite subject.

Avi Love: That is awesome!

Don Juan DeMarko: So, first things first and I must ask Av…. Oh, wait, I discovered that I was saying your name wrong, it is pronounced (Aww-Vee) not (Av-Vee), right?

Avi Love: Yes, it is pronounced (Aww-Vee.) Think of it like the word obviously.

Don Juan DeMarko: That is gangsta! I love it! So, how did Avi Love find her way into the world of adult cinema?

Avi Love: (She laughs the cutest laugh. Mainly because I asked that last line to her in Count Choculas voice.) Um, it is kind of boring because I think that a lot of girls have done this. I found this industry by answering an ad on Craigslist. The day I found the business, I had been on the internet looking for odd jobs.

I was bored and I said, “what the hell.” I was working a very boring desk job at the time and I had come across an ad for nude modeling as was killing time at my beloved, yet boring “9 to 5.” I decided to take a chance and my inquiry led me to meet a porn agent.

I did not sign right away, I had to do some thinking if I was really going to go through with things and that is all there is to it. That is how I got in. That is how I discovered the adult film world as you call it.

Don Juan DeMarko: That is pretty fucking cool. You know that is not the most common way gals get into the industry. It is close but I think the fact that you were at your job, trying to see if taking a massive risk was something you could do is an amazing story. I think the way that you got into the industry is amazing because that way is more trying on one’s personality and can discourage a lot of women because they do not always see the best side of the industry that way, not saying that is what happened to you. So, kudos to you because if that is how you eventually got to meet Jonathan and my favorite photographer in, …...

Avi Love: Oh, no, the first person I met was not Andre or Jonathan. So, the guy I started with, let’s just say, he was a piece of crap and I had signed a six-month contract with him, and it was ending around the time that AVN was coming. I was starting to learn a few things about the industry so, I called the agency up one day, acted professional and said, “with the awards season coming up, I no longer want to do business with you.” This person threw a huge fit, told me that I could not go to AVN, but I went anyway and I met Jennifer White there and she actually introduced me to Jonathan and Andre.

Don Juan DeMarko: That is fucking badass. I love your boldness. That is the year I saw you at AVN. I remember seeing you and I saw this woman who just screamed model at every angle knowing the story behind that event for you is pretty cool. You know, to speak on the wonder of the years past and how a story like this relates, women like Jenna Jameson, like Janine, they were women who had bold spirits, who did what they needed to for business and they showed the other women in the business like you are with such stories that you can achieve fame, a success, a goal that is beyond what you think possible. It just takes that inner strength and an initial first step to do everything. I love that you are showing such things and have such great stories at this stage of your career. Fucking kudos to you woman, I mean that.

Avi Love: Thank you so much. That really means a lot.

Don Juan DeMarko: It is so nice to get to talk to you because you are truly such a good actor, you can change the pitch of your voice and do it to where it is believable that I have always wondered, “what is she going to sound like when I finally get to sit her down and have a conversation with her.” I was always wondering, which one of these amazing characters is the real Avi?

Avi Love: I have multiple personalities, Don Juan…...

Don Juan DeMarko: I think that we all do, whoever says they don’t is fucking lying?

Avi Love: Well, I am a Gemini as well, that is what I was getting at.

Don Juan DeMarko: That is badass. You are the true two parts of your brain, two parts of your soul. The light and the dark in solid form. Too fucking cool. This means that you were born to be an actor. So, before we get into your work, I have been dying to ask you this one since I first came across an interview with you about a year ago. There are few people that have the natural ability that you do as an entertainer and actor. You are such a badass, you can lip sync to a song, better then most people can walk down the street. That is how much rhythm and character you have. No bullshit!

Avi Love: Oh gosh!

Don Juan DeMarko: You have so much poise and accuracy for an actor and it shows in everything I have seen you in. I would love to know, who inspired you both musically and in the world of acting and why did they inspire you?

Avi Love: (She laughs the cutest laugh imaginable.) Um, well I love Cardi B of course. Oh my gosh, when I was backstage accepting my award, she walked past me and smiled and waved. I was a total fangirl Don Juan and said, “OH MY GOOOOOOOOD!”

Don Juan DeMarko: That is fucking awesome!

Avi Love: I love Nicki Minaj as well. I do not know, when it comes to music, I am really open to so much of it. Music is something that has always been so chill and something I really vibe with my whole life and there is so much that has inspired me. Now, as far as actresses who inspire me, I love Dakota Fanning. I feel like I grew up with her. I think she is the most amazing actress. Anything that she is in I will watch it. Let’s see, who else inspires me? Emma Stone, she is another, I love her so much. She stars in my favorite chick flick.

Don Juan DeMarko: She is so amazing. She is one of the sweetest human beings that you will ever meet too. I met her three times now, well, more like met her once and then ran into her twice more. I first met her when she was doing promo work for Birdman. She was just a joy to talk to. A true actor. You rarely meet someone who can do drama and comedy.

Avi Love: Oh my gosh, yes! My new favorite has to be Rachel Brosnahan, I think that is how you pronounce her name. She stars in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, oh, she is so good! She is someone who really inspires me.

Don Juan DeMarko: Kick fucking ass woman. You know what is really awesome? I take it that you are a person that has a flair for everything, right?

Avi Love: Yes, I do.

Don Juan DeMarko: I think that is one of the most amazing insights. You know, I honestly believe that the industry is going the way of bringing back new, bold films, that showcase acting of all sorts. I love that so many big, in-depth roles are being written and created.

Avi Love: I agree with you. You know, when you look at it, there is so much soft-core in the mainstream, it is just natural that we go this way.

Don Juan DeMarko: Agreed. I think you Avi would atone to this, I think that is a wonderful thing in both the adult side of things and in the mainstream world. Sex is a part of who we are as human beings. It integrates everything from work to home life. The thing that I think the world never looks at, is that sex, it can be something that goes dramatic, it can be something playful, it is also something that can be filled with anger and aggression and well as the happiest thought and gesture.

Avi Love: Yes, and sadness too. (We share a great laugh. Her wit is so charming. Avi can spark any conversation with her charming humor.)

Don Juan DeMarko: You know, I was going through so many of your interviews and I loved the fact that you said that you love the opportunity to get to perform. I think the other thing you will be able to address being a woman and most men never understand this, women, when it comes to sex and intimacy with a man, or I should say, a man’s lack thereof, even women who are not actors, there is performance that a woman must create when being intimate with some men and partners. That is just a fact. Or, should I say, at least I think it is in today’s world. Let’s face it, men sometimes can simply be just a bump on a log when it comes to sex.

Avi Love: Well, I guess some of you are. I think that a lot of men grow up watching porn to begin with, so right there, the expectation is something that they may never achieve or see in real life. I think that there are some people who that is what they expect when they have sex. They are not supposed to have those types of expectations but come on, they do.

Don Juan DeMarko: No, it is so true, it really is. I like you already sugar, you fucking rock! (We start to laugh our ass off. I do not think any man reading this interview should think insult because honestly, what we were both laughing at was irony of something like this.) Ok, now here is the really interesting one, I have to tell you, Mrs. Hyde was amazing! For all the readers who do not know, can you tell us about The Possession of Mrs. Hyde?

Avi Love: Well first off, thank you so much for that praise. Yes, well, how this film begins, Valerie, that is the character that I took on, she gets ahold of this potion/medicine that Dr. Jekyll makes to help her with her bipolar disorder. This potion is meant to help her by making the bad, making the evil go away after she drinks it. What happens instead is the exact opposite of what is meant to. This medicine makes the bad side come out in Valerie. Every time that the character takes this potion, she kind of goes crazy. A good way that I can describe this character to you, Don Juan, is with my sex scene. In this scene, she is in the limousine, she has just taken her medicine and right out of no-where she starts masturbating in the back of this limo. The driver, he can see her in the rear-view mirror. Valerie sees this and she just gets more and more turned on and she literally gets so hot and crazy that she crawls over to him and she squeezes her way right beside him just so she can fuck the shit out of him. It is so funny because I feel that I can relate to Valerie so much. That character, she is so much like Avi. I am very shy and very timid in real life but when Avi comes out, she is just so wild. She is a crazy woman in the bedroom, and she gets crazy in front of the camera.

Don Juan DeMarko: That is awesome and not to derail you from the subject, I tell this to so many people because when you are a person who does work in the “mainstream” world and the adult world, or even just going home to private life after doing anything in both industries you are different people. Don Juan DeMarko is a way different person than the man behind the alter ego. My family had a hard time understanding that in the beginning, especially my close friends. Don Juan DeMarko is the asshole editor, who is always on time, who gets pushy and turns into a jerkoff to get things done in all forms of business. I think he was there before I even got in the adult world. The first time I said that to my family, they looked at me like I just told them I was a serial killer but there is a truth to this. You said it better then I did with what you feel and do. You know, I will touch on this in a later question, but I think that is one of the beauties of understanding one’s sexuality, you see the other side to who you are.

Avi Love: Yeah, you are right, sexuality is a very important part of who we are. I don’t know how to perfectly explain it but what I can tell you Don, is that the industry has opened my eyes and my mind to the fact that it is OK to be attracted to another woman. When I was growing up, because of all these things that are around you in society, I think people right from the start are taught that something like that is weird and unnatural. That is what I experienced when I was growing up. I am sure many people did out there. People grow up with these “family” believes that you have to marry a man. I am bi-sexual now and I do not want to say it is because I am in the industry but more that sexuality changes over time.

Don Juan DeMarko: Wow, that is so fucking cool. So, you are telling me that you discovered another part of yourself in this business. Wow, just wow! That is beyond words.

Avi Love: I just truly came to terms with that very recently. I remember the day so well. I had to tell everyone. I had to tell the world and I remember getting up, making up my mind after some deep thought that I was going to post on Twitter, that “I am one hundred percent bi-sexual.” When I see a woman, I just think that she is gorgeous you know. (The best part of this conversation is that you can feel her smile, you can hear the warmth, the laughter in her voice. It is something I can not describe but to say it is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen in an interview.)

Don Juan DeMarko: Well then, you are going to like this little sliver of knowledge and side story. When I was in college, I got an academic and athletic scholarship and once upon a time, I was a very virile young man. I grew up poor, so in order to make money, yes, I indeed sold my flesh in order to pay the bills and it is not something I regret. (She laughs this accepting sweet way, which made me comfortable because I had never told another soul this ever.) This is truly the way that my eyes were opened to the world for the first time. It went beyond the higher education that I was learning and paying for. Sex and sexuality are something that truly open doors within you. I was very lucky to have been born with a gay brother as well and seeing all sides of sexuality and myself tapping into what makes me who I am.

Avi Love: Yeah! That is cool.

Don Juan DeMarko: I have so many family members and friend who have come to me over the years and told me their darkest secrets, like, “I like to watch trans porn and I always have, does that make me weird, gay, or something?” I must always tell them, “no, that makes you normal.”

Avi Love: Yes, yes, yes! It just means that a person is curious and that is the most natural, wonderful thing.

Don Juan DeMarko: Yes! You know, I told my friend this the other day, we were having some beers and I said, “dude, even if you discovered that you had this type of desire within you and after indulging in what your heart wants and you want to go out and play with some penis, then you go right out and do that and that does not make you weird, evil or sick. It means you are as normal as the sun rising. It is what a human being does and that is what I told him.

Avi Love: Oh, my goodness, I feel you. Being that this is the time that I came out with who I was not too long ago, I think that the world still frowns upon it in a way. It is still frowned upon in our industry.

Don Juan DeMarko: Yes, it does. You know darlin’ if you were to meet these guys that I speak of, you would see that these guys are all your typical “Macho Men” who believe that you can not be one bit in touch with your feelings, as if that is some type of weakness as a man. The type of guys who take another guy outside of the bar and beat his ass for spilling his drink. I guess I did get lucky having a gay brother and the fact that I a hypersexual person. That honestly allowed my mind to become free at a very young age. Being that I discovered that at a young age, I felt very blessed. It honestly makes my heart sing that you found an intimate relationship with another woman while being in this business. That is such a beautiful thing. OK, so to get back to Mrs. Hyde because we will speak more on this, I am dying to know if you know the full background of that script and film? Did you know that Axel’s Dad was the man who began the script, the story, the idea for the film?

Avi Love: Yes, I did. Now Don, did you know that Axel and his son were the ones who completed that script?

Don Juan DeMarko: No, I did not.

Avi Love: Yes, they all wrote it together and I think it is just beyond crazy that I got to be a part of it. Can you imagine Don Juan, three generations of the Braun Family wrote that script? I can not even imagine. When Axel told me how much was behind this film, when we first spoke about what is going to be my part, what his vision was, all I could think in my head repeatedly is that this is amazing!

Don Juan DeMarko: OK, with what you just shared, I must try and inflate your head with even more wonder because honestly, you deserve it after accomplishing what you did this last year with this film and so much more. I am going to inflate that head of yours to the size of a blimp. In my opinion, I think Axel has been sitting on that script for many, many, many years and he has been waiting for the perfect actors to come along. He just needed to cast the right people. So, in this writer’s opinion, that means you not only beat out a lot of people for this role, you have outdone generations of performers with who Avi Love is as a performer to get this role. That is something so amazing. You know his Dad, Lasse Braun, he was one of the pioneers of this business who brought film and erotica to the shores of this country in many, many ways. That says so much about you. You really complete that film dude. That is impressive.

Avi Love: Thank you so much. (Avi is so humble when it comes to accolades and praise of her work. It was something so unique to see in a woman who is honestly taking the industry by storm.)

Don Juan DeMarko: So, I have to know, how were you tapped for the role of this film? Did Axel hold an open audition like he does for many of his films? How did you fall into this role?

Avi Love: He reached out to my agents. We had put together an audition tape and it was one of the most exciting things I have ever done so far in my time in the industry. We had actually got a piece of the script and I actually acted it out in front of the camera and my agents edited it and they sent it in and Axel loved it!

Don Juan DeMarko: Damn, that is gangster dude!

Avi Love: I could not believe it when I got that phone call and I was cast as the lead I just could not believe it.

Don Juan DeMarko: Darlin’ those are the moments life is made up of. I shit you not, ten years from now, we are going to look back and see the cover of that film and it is just so epic what they did all the way around with everything that they did for it, from start to finish, it will still be one of your calling cards and I am so glad it is you who got to take part in something like this.

Avi Love: You know Don, what the best part of that film was? I just loved being on set with everybody. The whole cast and crew and each day we were working it did not seem like work at all. It was just like being around family. The last day of shooting Mrs. Hyde we shot the “dinner scene” and my castmate was Seth Gamble and right after that, at that same location, after we had completed our work, they started shooting Deadpool. I was so enamored that I said to myself, “I do not care if I am in this movie or not, I just want to hang out here on set and just watch this magic happen right before my very eyes.

Don Juan DeMarko: Oh, how fucking cool is that? So you are saying that you got to kick it on set and you got to see Seth get into costume and see them shoot Deadpool? How fucking cool is that? I am so jealous.

Avi Love: Well, did you see Deadpool yet? Don Juan if you haven’t you need to. There is a little Easter egg of Valerie and I have a little one-liner.

Don Juan DeMarko: Yes, I did see that it was soooooo fucking badass! I loved that part!

Avi Love: I was actually going to do a bit more and mix in a blow job into that film I was sick, so alas.

Don Juan DeMarko: Dude, I am telling you, the Easter egg was such a great topper to that film. It made it capture some magic even more so. That is what makes a great film. Wicked did such a great job by allowing that to happen in a production we need more of that in the industry. You know this far better then I do, there are good fans and there are bad fans in the industry but something like the “porn Easter egg.” It creates such a buzz that no matter what side of the fence your fan base is on, it gives them something to take part in. That is always a good thing, for business and for giving fans something cool. So, staying on the subject of directors, I saw that you are working with Sweet Sinner coming up, is there anything that you can tell us about that project coming up?

To find out what she has coming up, you will have to tune into part two ladies and gentlemen. Besides becoming part of porn lore and history Avi Love is also one of the next generations of performers who brings such positive mindsets to the world of adult entertainment. Sitting down to interview Avi was one of the most intricate fun interviews I have ever been a part of and I have sat down and interviewed some of the biggest stars past and present in this business. Avi not only showed wisdom beyond her years but also an understanding, that perhaps we are not looking in the right place when we try and figure out what is it that truly defines, makes and creates a porn star. It is not this tell-tale story of tragedy or lack of guidance, more so it is a true passion for life. Avi showed me that she is a person who at a very young age has realized what one of the secrets of life is and now that she has discovered it, she tries to maximize its usage every day. In part two, Avi reveals more about who she is and how much the creation of Avi Love helped her to discover who she really is. Stay tuned for that one dear readers.