Sasha Grey

An enigmatic and alluring adult film star, Sasha Grey achieved mainstream crossover, thanks to her intelligence and one-of-a-kind mystique. Born March 14, 1988 in North Highlands, CA, Marina Ann Hantzis was attending college and waiting tables when she decided to break into the adult film industry, adopting the name "Sasha Grey." Blessed with a mysterious quality and a piercing intelligence, Grey set herself apart from her contemporaries for her adventurous, controversial onscreen persona and her cerebral, eloquent analysis of adult film stars, sex and self-empowerment. Quickly gaining traction in the overall entertainment industry, Grey won a slew of awards for her adult films, but, perhaps more importantly, sparked multiple profiles, interviews and appearances in mainstream outlets. She became one of the few adult film stars to cross the divide when Steven Soderbergh cast her as the star of "The Girlfriend Experience" (2009), a low-key but powerful big-screen drama. After her success with the film, Grey landed a recurring role as a fictionalized version of herself on "Entourage" (HBO, 2004-2011), a supporting role in the downbeat "I Melt with You" (2011) and retired from the adult film industry. A sometime model, Grey also formed a band, aTelecine, and published a book of her photography. She caused a minor controversy when, in 2011, she read to elementary school children as part of an outreach program and several parents complained after the fact, sending Grey on the interview trail once more.

By Jonathan Riggs