With a supporting role in Alexandre Aja’s Piranha remake, Digital Playground contract star Riley Steele is about to explode onto the silver screen. At the age of 21, Riley has already become a huge success in the adult film industry. This success can largely be credited to her stunning looks, great personality, and roles in several popular adult films, including the amazing Pirates 2: Stagnetti’s Revenge. While she enjoys her career in the adult film industry, Riley has set her sights on mainstream success and appears to be well on her way towards meeting that goal. Riley recently sat down with Icon vs. Icon‘s Steve Johnson to discuss her career as an adult film star, her upcoming role in the remake of Joe Dante’s Piranha, and what the future holds for this rising star. Guys…stay focused! I give you, Riley Steele.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Escondido, CA in San Diego County.
How did you get involved in the adult film industry?
I had always loved porn. I was a very sexual girl growing up. I met Jesse Jane at the first Pirates signing down here in San Diego. She told me I should get into the industry if I wanted to. She gave me a business card, I waited a few years, and I sent them some pictures when I was about twenty when I decided I was finally ready for it. Then they signed me.
Is your family supportive of your decision to become involved in the adult film industry?
They were quite upset at first, but then Samantha, the owner of Digital Playground and Adella, my manager, talked to my dad and told him that I am safe with them. That I am not running around in the streets somewhere or anything. That I am with a good company who takes care of me and really does care about my best interests. Especially since I have gotten the mainstream role, they’re supportive of me now.
It’s been so much more. I’ve been able to travel the world. I’ve been able to go places and do things that most people only get to dream about. Digital Playground has allowed me to really make a lot of my dreams come true.
How did your signing of an exclusive contract with Digital Playground come about?
Pretty much when I met Jesse Jane down there and she gave me a business card. It kinda helped me get a foot in the door.
What are the advantages that come from working from a company like Digital Playground?
Being with Digital, I have a lot more advantages than most girls in the industry do. They allow us to have so many mainstream opportunities, so many modeling opportunities, music videos. They really take care of us and look out for us and stand behind us. We have a good strong company keeping us up here.
Many people became familiar with you from Pirates 2: Stagnetti’s Revenge, what can you tell us about your experience making what is one of the biggest adult films ever made?
It was amazing. Every one was so professional. Everyone was so great, so nice on set. They were there for about a month I believe, shooting it. I was only there for a couple of days actually for a photo shoot and during the day of my scene. It was great though. It was a great experience. It was a great way to come into the industry. You know a lot of people have such horror stories. I really got in with the right company at the right time.
You are relatively new to the adult industry, but are definitely on the rise. What have been the personal highlights for you since getting involved with the industry?
Everything since Pirates 2 has come out has just been amazing for me. I have been to Berlin. I have gone to Australia. I have been traveling the US just for promoting it. Everything from Pirates 2 has just been above and beyond anything I could have asked for.
What is the major difference between your on-screen persona and Riley in real life?
I don’t think there are any differences. I’m just me all of the time. Sometimes I feel like I am a lot more sexual than I am in my personal life and I need just to act it out and play out my fantasies on screen. You can pretend and I can do whatever I want sexually and feel empowered by it.
Are there any adult performers that you look up to or admire?
Of course. I look up to Jesse Jane. She helps me so much with my career. She’s always giving me tips, giving me pointers. If I ever have questions, I can always go to her and she helps me out with them. She is great.
If there is one thing that you would like people to know about Riley Steele, what would that be?
I love to have fun. I love to go out all of the time. Live your life and not have any regrets.
Do you think people have any major misconceptions about you? If so what?
I am shooting the movie Piranha right now and I was kind of worried that they wouldn’t be as accepting of me because I am a porn star, but they have been so great. They have been so interested and they ask me so many questions about it. I was kind of worried that they might be more stand off-ish, but people are just more interested by it. It’s much more accepted now.
Physical beauty plays important role in the adult industry, how do you keep in shape?
I love working out. I’m lucky that I am the type of person who loves to work out. I love to dance on my stripper pole too. That’s the best cardio workout ever. You cannot get me to run on a treadmill or anything, so I just use my stripper pole as my cardio.
Do you have any ambition to get behind the camera and direct someday?
Definitely. Directing, producing, directing photo shoots I think would be a lot of fun. I really want to start dancing. I really cannot wait to start feature dancing.
You are about to make the jump from the adult industry to mainstream film. Is this something that you had originally planned on doing?
I did, but not so early on in my career. I didn’t think something like this would happen so fast for me, but it’s great. I love doing mainstream movies. I have been in Havasu for three weeks now. It sucks because you’re far away from home, but it’s really fun because you get to know the people that you’re with and it’s kind of like a little family. It’s an escape from your life at home.
How did your involvement with Piranha 3-D come about?
My manager put me out on this audition for the movie. I totally thought I blew it. I didn’t think I would ever hear back from them and then they called me back for a second audition in front of Alexandre Aja the director. I was so nervous I thought I blew that one again, but then I ended up getting it.
What can you tell us about your character in the film?
I’m playing a girl named Crystal. She is a wild, wild girl. She’s just this fun loving stripper out to have a good time. She loves to party. She loves to get crazy and be a wild, wild girl. She is best friends with Kelly Brook’s character Danni.
Did you do any preparation for your role in Piranha 3-D?
We have been doing so much swim training. It’s been crazy. We are doing this whole underwater scene with these flippers on and we have to sort of make it look sexy. It’s harder than it looks. So I have been doing swim training every day since I have been in Havasu.
The film has quite a star-studded cast. Who have you gotten a chance to work with?
I’m mostly working with Jerry O’Connell, Jessica Szohr from Gossip Girl, Kelly Brook, and Steven R. McQueen [grandson of the legendary Steve McQueen].
Jerry O’Connell is a Howard Stern superfan. Would you appear on The Howard Stern Show if given a chance?
I’d love to! I used to see it on E! when I was growing up and I would watch it every night. I’ve always wanted to go on Howard Stern!
What has been the biggest challenge that you have faced while filming Piranha 3-D?
I think the challenge is still yet to come. I think it is going to be the underwater scene that were are going to shoot. I think that is going to be pretty difficult, but I think they’ll pull it off. I’ve been doing a lot of practicing. I am really nervous about it.
Renowned horror director Alexandre Aja is directing the film. What is it like taking direction from him?
He is great. He is so amazing to work with. He is very polite and very quiet. Jerry O’Connell improvises so much and he throws little things into it. He adds so much to the character and Alexandre just lets him go. He lets him do anything and it’s just making the movie so much greater. I cannot wait to see it. They are editing it and they say it is coming along really well. It’s making me really excited.
Have you had a chance to catch any of Alexandre Aja’s earlier works?
We watched Mirrors and The Hills Have Eyes. I am dying to see High Tension though. I heard it is really good.
Will this film be as blood-soaked as his previous films?
The day before we left, that’s when I saw all of the dead bodies. They are pretty gruesome looking.
You are working with several high profile actors and actresses in the film. What has that experience been like for you?
It’s been a great experience. We all go out to dinner almost every night together. We’ve been going out karaokeing. I won’t karaoke though because I cannot sing. Everyone is going to the movies. It’s great. It’s a great group, it really is.
Any interesting stories from the set?
I think you are just going to have to watch the behind the scenes on it because every day it’s a good story. There’s paparazzi out there too, like crazy. I have never seen that before, so it’s really weird to me.
Have you had any acting classes in the past or did you take any prior to getting cast in Piranha 3-D?
I haven’t taken any. I took about two when I was sixteen, but I didn’t really take any to prepare for this role because this role is pretty much very similar to me personally. I have been learning a lot from Jerry. He’s been teaching me a lot. He’s a great actor, he really is. I’m going to start taking some because it is something I am having a lot of fun with.
Are you a fan of horror films?
I am. I have to have somebody to watch them with though because I am the kind of person that scares very easily. I do enjoy getting scared from a movie.
Were you familiar with the original film before signing onto the remake?
No. I have not seen the first one. I saw the trailer for it on You Tube. It just looked really funny.
Since you are new to mainstream acting, did any of your co-stars have advice for you?
No, everyone is just kind of out there hanging out, having fun. I’m just kind of picking it up as I am watching how they act, or how they process or prepare for the day, or the way that they run lines with each other. I’m learning a lot just by watching them.
Did they have any questions for you regarding you career in the adult industry?
They were just interested about the company. Of course everyone knows about Pirates. Everyone wants to know what that was like to work on. What kind of cameras we use to shoot on. All that kind of stuff. Pretty much everything. I don’t know if anyone really knew too much about the industry. In Havasu we are out there for like 14 hours a day and that’s about one scene just to shoot. With porn, we shoot a whole movie in two days. It’s very different, it a very different world.
Is there a particular type of role you might want to try you hand at in future mainstream films?
I am interested in all genres. I am interested in the more serious roles. I love action films. Of course playing the ditzy stripper blonde is easy or whatever, but there are more things I would love to challenge myself with.
Piranha 3-D is a remake of the 1978 film, Piranha. What are your feelings on the latest trend in Hollywood of remaking films?
I think it’s great. The technology is so much greater now. Now you can really bring so many classic movies to life. You can recreate those movies and make them even better.
Are you able to reach and met your fans by going to conventions or adult expos?
Oh yeah! We have FAME Awards coming up next Saturday. There are adult conventions in Vegas, L.A. We have EroticaLA. They have EXXXOTICA in Miami. I love going out and meeting the fans and signing autographs. I love it all.
Any strange encounters or notable interaction with fans or other performers?
Not at all. The fans have been great. They’ll print out pictures of you and they’ll have me sign them. They’re just so happy to see you. It’s so cute. Sometimes they get all shaky and you’re like, “Don’t be nervous.” I love meeting fans.
Do you have any advice for anyone looking to get into the adult film industry or mainstream films?
Getting into adult, just be careful. Know the company that you are working for and make sure it’s something you really want to do. Just be with the right company and take care of yourself and make sure you’re always safe. As for mainstream, I don’t know because I am trying to get into it too.
You are definitely starting to make an impact in 2009. What can fans expect from you in the near future?
Other than my Digital movies and Piranha, my schedule is sort of wide open. I have nothing else really going on.
Any last words?
Check out my myspace, www.myspace.com/rileysteeledpgirl for all of the latest info and go see Piranha 3-D.
Thanks and best of luck!
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Want more of Riley Steele?
Check out all the latest happenings and exclusive pictures of the girls at Digital Playground by visiting the official site at www.digitalplayground.com,
Check out Riley Steele’s™ official website at www.RileySteele.com
Photo Images of Riley Steele™ Courtesy of DigitalPlayground.com. For more information on Digital Playground, visit www.digitalplayground.com, www.myspace.com/digitalplayground, or www.twitter.com/dpxxx.
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