Vicki Chase

Vanessa Del Rio stole cars at 18, worked the streets of New York as a prostitute, shot her first adult film in 1974 for $150 to cover rent. Over 100 films across 12 years. Drug problems. Multiple arrests. First woman of color to break major barriers in the industry. Quit when AIDS hit and producers still didn't care about the safety of the women in front of the camera. In the video below, Vanessa looks back at a career that started with a teenage decision made lying in bed - and explains why she has zero regrets. She said she used to watch a Mexican actress named Isabelle Sarli. Pure raw sexuality on screen. Said she wanted to be exactly like that. Made the decision at 14 or 15. Never looked back. She brought her own clothes to shoots because they were just her actual everyday wardrobe. Showed up exactly as she was in real life. Said that was always the difference - she wasn't performing a character, she was just herself. She's now releasing a book. Signed copies. Nasty pictures. Polaroids. Bodybuilding photos. A lenticular cover of her licking her lips that moves as you tilt it. Said the outside is classy - white and leopard print - and the inside is filthy. She said labels don't define her. Said she'd like the word capitalized in the dictionary the way Madonna is. Said she was a bad girl. A very bad girl. But she had fun doing it. And she can't regret something she genuinely enjoyed. Is Vanessa Del Rio the most honest person to ever come out of that industry, or just the rare one who actually meant it?