LOS ANGELES — With a sculpted physique that could silhouette a Grecian urn and color the pages of pulp fiction noir, 2016 XBIZ Male Performer of the Year Ryan Driller exudes magnetic gravitas. He is the hardboiled detective, the caped crusader and the roguish swashbuckler, a veritable chameleon of dime novel characters writ grandly.
His naturally eclectic personality was influenced by pre-adult dreamboat jobs that included lifeguarding and bartending. Now, with more than 330 adult titles under his batarang-filled utility belt, Driller has become superhumanly adept at embodying all manner of Axel Braun parody and “Marriage 2.0” erotica.
With a furrowed brow and a costume change, Driller can channel Clark Kent humility or unleash a masked BDSM vigilante on ecstatic co-stars.
Driller’s previous award wins include 2014 XBIZ Best Scene — Parody Release with Kendall Karson for “Man of Steel XXX: An Axel Braun Parody” (Vivid), 2016 XBIZ Best Sex Scene — Feature Release with India Summer for “Marriage 2.0” (Lion Reach/Adam & Eve) and 2016 XBIZ Best Sex Scene — Parody Release with Kimberly Kane for “Wonder Woman XXX: An Axel Braun Parody” (Vivid).
XBIZ walked the mean streets of Gotham City with Driller, to learn what Doctor Fate has in store for the dashing star.
XBIZ: Before entering adult, you worked as a lifeguard, bartender and boat captain. Which skills or experiences helped prepare you for the demands of porn?
RYAN DRILLER: To be honest, I'd have to say all of them. I mean, just looking at my resume, those are all characters that I've had to play, and I'm sure I'll play again on screen. Joking aside, all of those various jobs and careers helped mold me into who I am. My time as a lifeguard/swim instructor taught me patience and constant awareness of my entire surroundings. Bartending kept me on my toes multi-tasking with the best of them, in the throes of stress and overwhelming situations. Bartending also kept me on point for flirting and learning how to make the person I'm talking with feel like they are the only person in the room.
My time as a boat captain in Key West, albeit in fishing and snorkeling boats, always kept me aware of how to plan my next unexpected move. I was that fresh out of high school, college age when I was there. The girls coming through on vacation, for whatever reason, were seemingly on a conveyor belt; however, my living conditions were not ideal for bringing anyone home, so we always had to get creative, not too unlike that which we depict on camera.
In all of my jobs, I always had to learn my surroundings, my co-workers and the people we were involved with, within mere seconds of being around them. I had to learn how to control an environment, and how to make the best of every situation. Most of all, I had to learn how to sell myself, the job at hand, make the product shine and tease — all on that fine line of sexuality and desire, to keep you wanting and coming back for more.
XBIZ: Tell us about your early days in adult. How did you get your foot in the door and what studios and genres were you most drawn to initially?
DRILLER: I've always admitted that I was a fan of Naughty America and they were one of the studios I aspired to work for. I had even applied, or attempted to apply, with them. I kept digging as much as I could, and found a little luck with Craigslist, finding and connecting with Porno Dan, and his “Fuck a Fan” series, where he put me in a handjob for a fan movie. He and Jim Powers shot me quite a bit, and helped connect me with the rest of the industry. I was familiar with Hustler, Vivid, Digital Playground, Wicked and Penthouse. Brazzers was definitely starting to grow in popularity more and more, so I was trying to figure out how to get in with each and every one of those companies.
XBIZ: How did you land your first gig with Axel Braun?
DRILLER: Ha! By being passed around like I had been. I was shooting a movie for Jim Powers, something along the lines of ‘Freaks of Porn,’ where everyone had some sort of deformity that was kind of overly pornographic. I was working with Ally Ann, who had a vagina for a mouth. Hate to describe this as such, but she kind of looked like a mix between "The Predator" and "The Shaggy Dog" with the prosthetic vagina they glued over her mouth, and the mouthpiece that hid her teeth; though oddly, it did really feel quite enjoyable.
Anyways, the production manager that was on set also worked for the Playboy ClubJenna productions and for Axel on his projects. So, she talked Axel into giving me a shot, where he put me in a Hustler orgy movie he was shooting. Funny enough, Ally Ann was on that set, too. Also, while we were shooting the scenes, we started getting the updates that Farrah Fawcett had passed away, and then by the time we'd wrapped, the announcement that Michael Jackson had passed away.
For Superman, though, Axel was in search of someone who'd best fit the part and could parody Christopher Reeve. He'd actually kind of forgotten about me, but that producer had reminded him of me, and had even photoshopped my head onto Christopher Reeve’s pic. So, he called me in to read for the role. I showed up in a child's Superman pajama t-shirt, under a blazer. He laughed, and offered me the role almost immediately; I just had to prove I could actually read lines.
XBIZ: Considering the extent of your experiences in comic book parodies, what type of characters do you enjoy playing most? Any parody-themed film ideas that haven’t been explored yet, which you’d love to do?
DRILLER: Playing Superman has been a childhood dream come true; and an adolescent dream come true, too. I've loved playing and parodying every character I've had the opportunity to. I did have a lot of fun playing Triangle Man in the Wonder Woman parody, where Axel kind of just let me go to town and let loose. I can play the stoic, serious Superman, but I did love being a bit mischievous and comedic. I think that there are a couple ideas in the works that could be and are going to be a lot of fun. I love the comedies, but I think there are a couple thrillers that can be spun into something that everyone will enjoy.
XBIZ: Tell us about “Marriage 2.0,” which earned you a 2016 XBIZ Award for Best Sex Scene in a feature release. What unique challenges distinguish these more dramatic performances from other types of productions?
DRILLER: "Marriage 2.0" was a whole new beast of a project and concept, I feel, more than anything else I'd done before. The beauty and the best part of that production (outside of the crew that came together and bonded over our week-long day in, day out shoot), was that the time we had and we spent making sure that we could best depict and present the story, also built that chemistry between India and I for those scenes. The story itself kept us from going into that kind of parody of sex and situations that we often play in many other productions, such as in the gonzo plumber scene or the comic parodies.
XBIZ: Are you interested in eventually trying your hand at directing? What types of genres would you like to shoot?
DRILLER: I am starting to get intrigued and interested in trying my hand at directing. I have one idea starting to develop in my head, that I'm starting to put down on paper that I think could be really good. Genre-wise, I think that I'd keep with the style and scenes that you see me in. Those are the ones I'm most familiar and comfortable with.
XBIZ: Tell us about your kinkier roles in titles like “The Submission of Emma Marx” (New Sensations), “Bound By Desire” (Smash Pictures) and “Foot Worship” (Kink). Does BDSM come naturally or does it require stepping out your comfort zone?
DRILLER: BDSM does require me to step out of my comfort zone. I had started to pursue some of that to see if it was in my realm, and in the right situations and with the right people, I've been able to. “Bound By Desire” was actually “Fifty Shades Darker,” the sequel to our “Fifty Shades of Grey,” but after the lawsuit, Smash had to recut and rework the scenes that Allie and I had shot for the parody. Allie and I already knew each other pretty well before we shot those movies, so when we got into those characters, and the scenes necessary, we were able to guide each other, and she was able to make me comfortable out of my comfort zone.
That was the same thing with “The Submission of Emma Marx: Exposed.” Penny and I knew each other and her experience with that world and with the character, under Jacky St. James’ guidance — we were able to parlay that into the scenes you see there. As for “Foot Worship,” that did kind of come naturally and easy to me, I think. I have been trained and know how to show and sell an item. Just in those scenes, the product is feet. Maitresse Madeline was great in guiding me for those as well.
XBIZ: To date, which of your roles have you enjoyed the most?
DRILLER: I've loved them all, but differently. I mean, my Superman role is so totally different from the one with Ally Ann in the prosthetic vagina-mouth, which is totally different from Ken in “Magic Mike XXXL,” who is nothing like any of the guys I've played for Digital Playground. Each one has been a totally different experience and joy to play.
XBIZ: What are your plans for 2016?
DRILLER: Right now, my plans are to keep doing and going the way everything has been. I have a few scripts that have been thrown my way, that are going to be a lot of fun to play. One is as "Doc" in the first of the Baumgartners series, “Babysitting the Baumgartners.” If I keep hearing correctly, too, I may be giving Hugh Jackman a run for the record in portraying the same comic book character in a movie. Who knows, maybe that idea I keep playing with, we turn into my first directing job.
XBIZ: What are your long-term goals?
DRILLER: I don’t really have a “Long-Term Plan.” I mean, I’m always pushing myself, and spreading myself in a few different directions, inside and outside the industry, so that I’m never left high and dry. I’ll keep doing this for as long as I can and the industry will have me, be it on camera or behind.
