Such is the case with fast-rising adult star Mallory Rae Murphy, an 18- year-old from Dallas, who lost her virginity in her first scene.
Let me repeat that, not for effect, but so that it sinks in. Murphy was a virgin who had not had vaginal intercourse until Evan Stone popped her proverbial cherry in July on camera roughly five weeks after she turned 18.
In an age where the economic fundamentals of this industry are on shaky ground, the entrepreneurial Murphy approached losing her virginity as an economic proposition. "Invisible hand" economist Adam Smith would be proud.
It's rare to meet a performer who before even entering the industry had business and marketing plans in place. Murphy is a new breed of porn star.
In the business, we've all heard about starlets holding out on performing certain sex acts for the first time for a fatter paycheck. Do you think Sunny Lane got paid the standard anal rate for her first anal scene in Elegant Angel's "Big Wet Asses 13"? Murphy proposes that she simply took advantage of the realities of this arrangement.
While the MILF craze continues unabated, the industry has always revolved around the newest, freshest talent. And now, who could claim to be fresher than Murphy?
So how did this smart and sassy star who only recently graduated from Plano East Senior High in Texas make the transition from awkward high schooler to in-demand adult performer who's shot for many of the major companies including Digital Playground, Wicked Pictures, Jules Jordan Video and Diabolic Video?
According to Murphy, who had done some mainstream modeling as a teen, a chance encounter with a patron at a topless saloon she worked at had revealed his industry connections.
"I lasted a total of two weeks [at the job] before I punched a customer square in the face for trying to finger me during some lame Warrant song," Murphy said. "Before I started at the club I was working two jobs, taking a full course load at school and struggling pretty bad. It's hard to be on you own at 18. I did it for the money initially and justified it because it was just 'topless dancing.'"
In this day and age it's pretty rare to meet a virgin at 18, much less one that sought to profit from losing it. In recent years, similar stories have surfaced — there was the story about a girl auctioning off her virginity to the highest bidder on Craigslist and the girl who was selling her virginity at the Bunny Ranch in Nevada.
"Truth be told, the only reason I kept my virginity was for manipulative purposes — I am a woman after all," Murphy said. "I always told myself that I wanted to be the prom date and not the girl in the backseat or passed out at a party. In high school a girl can get a lot further by being the flirty-but-off-limits kind of chick; it gives you insane power over the hormone-crazed jocks and makes girls hate you at the same time."
The fiercely independent Murphy left home at 16 and supported herself. She credits her Jewish background for her ambitious, business-minded nature. So, Murphy made it out to Los Angeles and shot her first scene for Michael Raven's production company. The as-yet-untitled movie is a documentary-style look at Murphy coming to L.A. to lose her virginity on-camera. The movie is tentatively scheduled to be released over the summer, a calculated move in order for Murphy to build up her name and hence increase the demand.
So how was her first time?
"I remember literally shaking in makeup and trying to calm my nerves by listening to Tom Petty," Murphy attested. "For b-reel stuff I literally scrolled down my contacts and called some of my closest friends to tell them what I was about to do; the reactions were priceless. I wore a black dress and thought that was painfully ironic because I had always envisioned losing my virginity in white.
"Once I walked onto set and it all started I got into it. Everything felt like a surreal, out-of-body experience. I couldn't see the cameras, people or anything other than Evan and my body on his. In that very moment I knew that this is what I wanted to do. It's an indescribable high that I feel every time I shoot a scene."
In a business where it's easy to go for the quick cash grab, Murphy approaches things like a more seasoned professional; she takes the long view, and while she might be hot now, she knows fame and popularity can be fleeting. Murphy has a long term plan and is very conscious about her image and how she's represented.
"I already view my name as my own personal brand; I'm my own product and I'm very focused on longevity," Murphy stated. "I am looking forward to a successful career, arms full of awards and a gazillion fans who can cheer me up and tell me I'm pretty when I'm having one of those off days.
"Career-wise I look up to Jenna Jameson for her drive and dedication — she's a force that still crushes the competition. I'm also a huge fan of Jessica Drake, Hillary Scott and Jenna Haze."
For a girl who said she'd never watched porn prior to doing it — nor masturbated — Murphy has turned into quite the studious porn star, studying adult DVDs like she was cramming for finals.
"I watch DVD after DVD with a notebook in hand studying it like it's a quadratic equation. I try to soak it all in. The positions, the expressions, the sounds," Murphy said. "I try to understand what makes or breaks a scene, the difference between success and failure."
It's been a charmed beginning to Murphy's career, but it just goes to show, that with the right combination of beauty and brains coupled with a stroke of good fortune — kismet, even — dreams can be forged from the most unlikely of circumstances.
