Brad Knight, a veteran adult performer and 2016 AVN Best Male Newcomer, died early this morning at age 36 following an extended battle with cancer, according to his longtime friend and collaborator Dan Leal, also known as “Porno Dan.”

Brad Knight passed away in hospice care in Los Angeles, ten days after arriving from Florida, where doctors had informed him that his stomach cancer had metastasized to his spine. He had been diagnosed in August 2023 while living in Budapest, Hungary, and had returned to the United States in April seeking medical treatment and to complete filming commitments.

A native of San Diego, Knight began his adult entertainment career in 2014 after earning a degree in Criminal Justice in Tampa and working as a bartender. Initially performing for Florida-based studios, he quickly built a reputation for reliability and versatility, averaging more than 20 scenes per month in his early years.

Knight’s career included collaborations with major studios such as Brazzers, Digital Playground, Evil Angel, Reality Kings, and Wicked Pictures. In addition to his AVN award win, he received multiple XMA Europa nominations and was a 2025 XMA Creator Award nominee for Group/Orgy Collab Clip of the Year.

In 2016, he moved to Los Angeles and signed with OC Modeling, continuing to expand his work with high-profile studios. He later launched his own production label, Brad Knight Productions.

“Brandon, aka Brad Knight, was among the most thoughtful and caring people I have ever known,” Dan Leal said in a statement from Budapest. “He fought cancer until the very end, going to the gym and laughing around others to try to mask the pain.”

Knight briefly left the adult industry in 2019 and moved to China to teach, but he returned to performing in Europe in 2022 with support from Leal. Despite increasing pain from his illness, Knight continued to work and remained active on social media until late March, sharing moments with friends, co-stars, and fans.

“He was much more than just the person you saw on camera,” Leal said. “He was funny, intelligent, and very kind. Brad and I shared a common love of football and became friends many years ago when we were members of the LA Galaxy supporters group, ‘The Riot Squad.’”

Knight’s former agent and friend, Sandra McCarthy of OC Modeling, remembered him as a resilient figure in the industry. “When he told me he was diagnosed with cancer, I thought, ‘Yeah, this kid can beat this.’ I hope he did everything off his bucket list. Wherever you are, Brandon, I hope you’re at peace—I miss you and love you.”

Brad Knight is survived by his mother, extended family, friends, and colleagues. A celebration of life is being planned in Budapest, in accordance with his wishes, to remember “the good times and fun” shared with those who knew him.