Page 42 - AVN January 2018

WHO’S WHO
ANGEL’S FLIGHT
Kendra Sunderland discusses her rapid rise
“When I look back to my first scene—even though it won Best Boy/Girl—I feel like such a baby and that was
only a year ago,” Sunderland says. “It’s just crazy to me how I’ve evolved. I feel like I’ve opened up more in my
scenes. I feel like I was a little bit reserved in my first few because I had no idea what I was doing.
“Nowadays I know how to shoot for Greg to a tee—I’ve got it down.”
She says now the question she gets most often is why she got into porn.
“I like to be filmed. I like to be photographed,” Sunderland said. “My mom said I always used to beg to have
my picture taken. I’ve always loved being in front of the camera. I love being able to explore my sexuality and
being a part of a project.”
Before Sunderland logged onto cam for the first time, she remembers how hard it was to find a job in
Oregon. When one of her friends suggested webcamming, she decided to try it, making a couple hundred
bucks on her first night on MyFreeCams. Three years later, Sunderland is a porn A-lister with only high-profile
credits on her résumé.
IT’S JUST CRAZY HOW LUCKY I AM.
—KENDRA SUNDERLAND
A year ago this month, Blacked unveiled Sunderland’s first star showcase, Kendra’s Obsession. She plays an
adventurous college student turned model who is exploring her sexuality with her photographer boyfriend
(Tucker Eli).
“That’s my baby. That means so much to me,” Sunderland says. “The guy that plays my boyfriend in it is my
actual boyfriend and we do live the open lifestyle where he joins.
“He’s actually the first white guy to fuck on Blacked because there’s like little inserts of us and our
relationship. The whole thing is just special to me because it’s my first showcase. It actually portrays the
lifestyle that we live. Kendra’s Obsession will always mean the most to me out of anything that I’ve done. That’s
my favorite project.”
Tucker tells AVN that making his performing debut in Kendra’s Obsession was an intense experience.
“My heart was racing, it was beating out of my chest,” Tucker says. “I had already been to one AVN and
started learning about the industry and looked up to Greg—like man, this guy’s doing it big. So being on
set with him was really intimidating. He just worked everything out with me really well. He took me out to
dinner. It was really cool; he really helped work me through it.”
Kendra’s foray into porn marked a transition in their relationship, according to Tucker.
“Originally her and I were going to shoot for different companies together,” Tucker explains. “I was always
super into the idea of her being in the adult industry. Then when Greg reached out I experienced a lot of
insecurities and jealousies but I knew it was such a good experience and opportunity for her that we just
worked through it together with a lot of communication. (Continued on page 46)
INTERVIEW | By Dan Miller
is nothing typical about her
porn career.
“It’s just crazy how lucky I
Kendra Sunderland knows there
am,” Sunderland says.
Three years ago she was
a student at Oregon State
University who wasn’t sure she
wanted to continue her studies.
She was also a live-cam beginner whose decision to do
a topless show in the campus library led to national
notoriety when the clip went viral.
Fast-forward to January 21, 2017, at Hard Rock
Hotel in Las Vegas. That night Sunderland secured her
place in porn history, winning the trophy for Best Boy/
Girl Sex Scene with three-time AVN Male Performer of
the Year Mick Blue at the 34th annual AVN Awards.
Her performance, which was directed by Greg
Lansky for Vixen’s Natural Beauties, was the first
professional scene Sunderland had ever done.
Just a few days before she stepped onto the biggest
stage in porn to accept the award, Lansky named her
the first-ever Vixen Angel of the Year at the AVN Adult
Entertainment Expo, giving her a one-year exclusive
performance contract and a diamond necklace worth
$20,000. She also landed a signature Fleshlight toy
deal with the title.
“It just blows my mind,” Sunderland says.
“Everything moves so fast. That’s why I don’t really
plan things. I just kind of go with the flow because
everything in my life has been a crazy turn of events.”
At press time Sunderland still had less than 20 sex
scenes on her résumé—half of which are for Vixen and
the other half for Lansky’s Blacked—but it’s safe to say
quality, not quantity is what has defined her body of
work.
42 | AVN.com | 1.18