LOS ANGELES — Romi Rain is a sunkissed Sicilian seductress, every curvaceous inch of her so richly warm and inviting, that even the most ruthless La Cosa Nostra boss would melt in her hands. And, that sultry laughter? That tigress ferocity? Mamma mia! What a sorceress.
Growing up in Dorchester, Rain was bedazzled by eccentric characters like local burlesque dancers and Busty Dusty, inspiring her to migrate from frostbitten Boston to summery Los Angeles for tattooed modeling and exotic dancing. Once she got a taste of Playboy Live (and fans got a look at Rain), her adult film career blossomed.
Rain’s carefree social media realness and perfectionist professional drive are a killer combination, netting the femme fatale 367,000 Twitter followers and 950,000 Instagram admirers. That supernova stardom has also resulted in industry accolades aplenty, like XBIZ Award nominations for Best New Starlet in 2014, Female Performer of the Year in 2015 and 2016, as well as a 2016 XBIZ Award win for Best Sex Scene in a couples-themed release, thanks to her devilish charms in “My Sinful Life” (DreamZone Entertainment).
With exemplary showcase titles like “Darkside” (Jules Jordan) and the recently released “Deadly Rain” (Brazzers), her noire mystique has reached the revelatory heights of pornographic scripture, cementing what is sure to be a lasting legacy.
XBIZ basked in Rain’s incandescence, during a one-hour exclusive interview.
XBIZ: Tell us about your early days in adult entertainment, when you dabbled in exotic dancing and Playboy Live. What have been the biggest changes, professionally and personally, since then?
ROMI RAIN: I grew up mostly around Dorchester, Boston and moved to Los Angeles at 18 — first one in my family to really leave Massachusetts, besides my mother, who lived in Florida for two years. I just wanted to explore and see the world a little bit more. I always had a very curious mind and attitude. Grew up around lots of interesting things and people, like burlesque dancers. My mother actually did some modeling herself — nothing extreme, but she’s like “stop talking about that!” and I’m like “well, it’s part of the realness, you have to be honest.” She was definitely hot. I also met people like Busty Dusty when I was a young kid, so I was definitely taught it was okay to do that.
My childhood had its ups and downs. I was the only child of a single parent, so in a way I almost had to take care of myself. But I was always very free to be curious which I think is a cool thing. My mother said she’d prefer if I was a lesbian — she’s like “I don’t care, date girls instead, men are not always that great” and I was like “okay Mom.” She would say this to me as a teenager, by the way. So I think I was lucky in that sense —things were always open and I was always in a fascinating scenario. I was interested in people and how their brains work. I also really liked tattoos and was the only person in my family to really get tattooed, so I was into slightly alternative things… alternative modeling. That’s why I wanted to branch out and leave, no offense to Dorchester. But I thought that I’d probably be more excited as a young person in Los Angeles, so I packed up and left by myself — tried to be brave.
One of the first nude-ish jobs I had, besides the tattooed modeling, was exotic dancing. I always thought it was so pretty. I mean, I was a little perverted — I knew I was bisexual, because I could sit there and watch the girls dance for hours and hours. It’s so easy. It really passes the time, because when you’re new, you work day shifts… and watching other girls strip really passes the day! I get it… I get why guys go. So, I started dancing as Rain — that was where I got my last name, but every DJ spelled it differently, so it was kind of funny to be Rayne, Reign, Rain, and I was like whatever, whatever you want. Ironically, I kind of dance to the same exact music I danced to back then, because I don’t think music has gotten much better in the past 10 years. I still dance to 90s-style Nine Inch Nails and Marilyn Manson stuff for my set. From being a 19-year-old house dancer and just running around not knowing what to do — just staring at the other girls, working primarily day shifts — to being “Romi Rain” and featuring in clubs all over the country, is something I really do appreciate. I’ve sat back and thought about that.
And I think some girls need to appreciate things more. The industry is really cool and you can get a lot from it if you work hard. It can do really good things for you, if you take it seriously. That being said, you can still have fun — I’m cheesy and I take pictures of “me” on posters in the club and I’m like “hey guys, it’s me!” on social media. Or, when people cheer for me on stage I’m like “no, thank you, it’s all you guys! I’m just here, really, I’m here all weekend.” So, I think being humble is really important. Sometimes it’s like, is this real? No, you guys must be playing a trick! So, my level of success has definitely changed, but that was almost 10 years in the making when I look back on it from age 19 to 29. It’s probably because I have a fun personality — I make silly faces. That’s basically how I’ve promoted myself. Also, I was told early on that you’re selling a fantasy — you should always be a fantasy all the time, and that’s a lot of work. And you know what? I’m willing to put in the work, but I kind of want to be known for me as well, because I want people to take the industry a little more seriously — because it is a job.
It’s a hard job. If you really put in work you’re going to be tired. I’ve been in three states in the past six days, but I’m so happy that I can do that. I complain about it, but it’s like first-world problems – “oh my god, people are hiring me so much, you guys!” I just need to turn more things down, but I don’t want to be like that. You complain when you’re not busy, you complain when you are busy, but yah. It’s also hard dealing with people misjudging you — I think I tweeted this, but just because I do really aggressive dirty scenes doesn’t mean I like to be called a “cum dumpster.” I mean, some people do, there is that kind of character. I just did a 10-guy blowbang scene, so I get it, that’s part of the job. But at the same time, I want people to know I think thoughts and stuff every now and then. I like science. Space, yo!
Man, where is this going? We’re still on question one, should we move on? Let me conclude by saying I’m proud I got myself into the industry — it was something I was always curious about, but I wanted to take my time and enjoy everything. I didn’t want to act like I was a victim. Because some people are like “well, you’re in porn forever, no matter what.” And I took that seriously, no matter whether you’re in three scenes or 300, and I wanted to make it count. I didn’t just want to do random BS scenes that I wasn’t proud of and was ashamed of. I didn’t want to be in and out — if I’m going to do this, I want to be the best that I can. I want to be remembered as much as possible, I want to be as successful as possible, without sacrificing my self. So, I can look back in 20 or 30 years and when people are like “well, you were in porn” I can be like “yah, but I was awesome! I was on DVD covers and I won awards!” I feel like whatever you do, be good at it. I totally believe that.
XBIZ: You describe yourself as an East Coast girl in a West Coast world. How do you stay grounded with those Massachusetts roots while still managing to conquer the SoCal scene?
RAIN: You know what? I feel as though everybody in California is a transplant. So, I almost just see myself as a transplant of this place. I think who you are isn’t necessarily where you’re from. People are like “I’m from New York, that’s my entire identity.” It’s not my entire identity but I think there’s more of a sense of camaraderie on the East Coast, in certain cities, because a lot of people in L.A. are working or they’re trying to be somebody, figure themselves out, which is kind of the reason I’m here. I mean, there is a sense of community in L.A. with like the Lakers and stuff. And I never came out here to be a star necessarily — that wasn’t really my goal. I came out to L.A. to really explore, to check out the world a little more, have more experiences. Just be free and dabble. And I think I have a relatively good sense of self — I know who I am so I think sometimes I roll my eyes more at the L.A. scene.
I’m just really not much of a partier. Like, a lot of times when you see me out it’s because I’m one of the hosts — which I love, don’t get me wrong, I love to dance and go out — but I’m not a club hopper. I’ve worked at more clubs than I’ve gone to and I think I’ve kind of done that. So, my idea of a good time is hanging out with like, three really close friends and actually having a conversation, because obviously I like to talk. I like movies and I like wine, and I like food. I don’t like drunk people who don’t give a fuck about me. And then, like, I have sex in my professional life, and I really try to make those good scenes, so in all honesty, I’m not really perusing for dick after a 12-hour day. So, I have a good separation from the L.A. scene that keeps me grounded.
XBIZ: “Deadly Rain” was released this month! What was it like doing such an intense story-driven showcase? Will you be performing in more titles like it?
RAIN: I’m so happy with “Deadly Rain” and with everyone else involved. It’s actually something we talked about for like a year, off and on. I really believe that if you’re going to do something, go hard, do it really well, because if people are going to judge you, give them something to judge! So, we talked about the kind of scenes for a while, we wanted them to be really cool, kind of intricate and really dark. I like the slightly dark vibe because I feel like that’s almost a throwback to old school porn. I kind of miss the Jenna Jameson days with the black cat makeup. It was serious! Not like, this bullshit girl-next-door type of stuff. I’m like “what do you mean no lashes?!”
And, granted, I don’t usually wear any makeup if I’m not working, but to me that’s the fantasy, and if we’re going to do some porn, let’s do some porn makeup. I want to hear a fucking guitar solo in the background. So, that was awesome and Brando has a really cool, interesting vision. He’s really amazing with cinematography —he cares about getting cool shots. Overall, I put a lot of time and effort into it. Everything I wore in “Deadly Rain” I got custom-fitted to me — I got the catsuits made for me. Thanks Trashy Lingerie! They do great stuff.
“Deadly Rain” has some of my all-time favorite scenes. I think my favorite BJ scene like, probably ever, is scene one — where I’m tied to a chair, bound the entire time. I like the dynamic and the visual. People really went for it! See, I think BJ scenes are kind of underrated, you don’t see too much of them. And if you do, they’re kind of in a slightly fetish-y way. It’s never just a straight on “giving an amazing fucking BJ,” but maybe that’s just me — because I actually like doing them. I think I actually do them pretty well! So I hope that scene gets some attention, because I’d like for BJs to be a bigger deal. And, I worked with Allie Haze and Toni Ribas in a really cool threesome scene. The director said that was probably borderline one of his favorites that he’s ever shot in terms of threeways. But, a director has to be careful when they say that kind of stuff because then someone’s like “What? You said mine was the best!”
“Deadly Rain” hasn’t really been reviewed much, because it just came out, so I’m anxious to see if people like it and I really hope so, because everybody really did put in work and not just me. I recorded the behind-the-scenes — that was just me running around with my handy cam getting BTS from people and being silly, because I love the BTS scenes and I think fans always want to know what’s going on and what we’re talking about, how we’re putting stuff together. So, “Deadly Rain” was a big deal, maybe even bigger than “Dark Side.” But “Dark Side” was amazing, because it was probably my first really big thing, my first showcase. I love Jules Jordan. I love “Dark Side,” because it was a bunch of firsts — I really jumping into hardcore. But with “Deadly Rain” there’s a lot more me in a sense, because I had a lot more control over it — I had lot more to do with it. I was so anxious when I was shooting it, probably more than anything else, because I really did want people to like it.
And I hope Brando gets even more credit, because he just works so hard, he’s one of the hardest working directors I know — in terms of just telling a story — and I think that’s something that doesn’t happen as much anymore. He’ll send me trailers of stuff that he likes. He’s also one of my favorites too because he’s really into the comic book/ sci-fi style — he’ll go there. And I love gonzo. I mean, I’m probably known more for gonzo, but I love a theme. I have a vision. I think porn is really underappreciated for “not having any creativity.” I think there are some really creative people in porn.
XBIZ: Tell us about your official website, RomiRain.com, which released on the CrushGirls.com network recently. What features are you most excited about?
RAIN: I’m excited that RomiRain.com got revamped, because one thing that I really miss — that I think the websites of yesteryear had — is more fan interaction. And I didn’t have that as much before, so now I’m able to do live shows. Fans can comment and like or dislike their favorite scenes and clips. Every scene has a little trailer now, so you see every new thing that’s coming up. I have a blog. It’s just much more fan-interactive overall and the design has changed too. So, that’s really exciting for me because I’m able to display everything that’s happening to me. It’s now a one-stop shop in a way, which is how I wanted it to be before. It has connections to all of my social media, anything that I’m doing and anything coming up. Now, it’s actually my base, which is something that I’m really excited about, because your official website should be your official base to all things.
XBIZ: You keep a very busy schedule, between feature dancing, live shows, running your site and shoots. Which revenue stream has proven most lucrative, and which do you enjoy the most?
RAIN: You know, I think nowadays you kind of have to do a little bit of everything, if you’re smart. I mean I don’t know how girls don’t. I enjoy it all to be honest. I love shooting, but I think you get tired — you’ve got to take your little breaks in between and I don’t think you should be shooting five days in a row. You’ve got to let your body rest a little bit. I love feature dancing because it’s just something that I’ve done for so long, off and on, and now it’s like a bigger deal which is really cool, as we’ve already talked about. There are also cam shows on CamSoda, on Streamate… you have DreamLover where you’re texting your fans. Honestly, you should be doing all of that — you’d be surprised at how much you can profit from every little thing. You can sell your DVDs, merchandise and worn clothing. I’ve done a little bit of everything kind of from the start. Feature dancing I’ve jumped on more in the past two years, because I wanted to wait until I had more of a name, you know? Not have people be like “who’s this bitch?” I wanted people to be more excited to see me. I definitely know that you have to build yourself up and work hard for that.
But seriously, you can make so much money dancing — probably just as much as you could shooting, to be honest, but dancing is exhausting, so you can’t dance all the time and you should break up shooting. So gosh, I don’t know? I dabble pretty evenly. I’m currently feature dancing once a month or so, maybe twice a month — it’s been a very busy year. But shooting and featuring is going to make you the most money, obviously, although I know girls who make a killing off Chatstar and DreamLover. I mean you can make that much with just camming too. It’s up to you. The sky’s the limit girls! So, that’s why it’s funny when girls say they’re broke, it’s like I get it — it is temporary money and “quick money spends quick” as my mother used to say. But you have so many options if you’re smart. Save your money, don’t develop a habit, and you should be fine. You really can save up for your future in this industry. That’s why it’s worth it to work hard.
XBIZ: Are you interested in exploring directing or producing?
RAIN: Sure! I feel like I already kind of experimented a little bit just with my website. A lot of the themes have been my own ideas — like the costume design, the set design and the overall vibe of a movie. So, I think I could. I don’t know exactly what I’d go with, what my first project would be. I feel like I already kind of do record my own footage with “home movie” style scenes, but I don’t know, for a studio? I’d love to try. I feel like it would be a waste not to, before I’m through. It doesn’t necessarily matter to me if it’s a girl/girl or if it’s a boy/girl scene, it’s more about the energy or the theme I’m trying to capture. I said I wouldn’t ever do it if I can’t have complete control. Because, I think someone mentioned it to me before already, and they were like “well would you like to direct? But so-and-so is in charge of wardrobe and so-and-so is in charge of this and that,” you know what I mean? I want as much control as possible.
Granted I can’t do everything on my own. I’d love people working with me and helping me but I get to choose what everything looks like in terms of makeup, outfits and lighting. If it fails, then it’s my fault, but I’d love to at least try. I like everything to be really pretty — I believe in the girls looking like a sex goddess, but at the same time, some of my favorite photos of myself are like, with smeared makeup and a wet tank top. It depends on the attitude and how crisp, or crispy everything looks. That’s what I say, “crispy.” It’d have to be really good lighting, really beautiful. I wouldn’t want to sacrifice any of the fantasy or just shoot straight gonzo, because I do have a creative mind. I give myself a little credit! Basically, I’d love to collaborate on a project — that would be more my style, because I wouldn’t want to be frustrated.
XBIZ: 2015 was a landmark year for you. You won the 2016 XBIZ Best Scene — Couples-Themed Release trophy for your work in “My Sinful Life” (DreamZone Entertainment) and CNBC named you to their Dirty Dozen list. What are your plans for making 2016 an even bigger success?
RAIN: You know I got really lucky, I think the Inked Awards named me performer of the year, and the Alt Awards named me performer of the year. I’m not trying to gloat or anything! I was really surprised — I didn’t expect awards in general. Because this is the first year I really won any awards. And you know, it can take time — some people win them right away, some people win them never! It doesn’t mean you’re a bad performer. And that’s something I’ve always been told too, that “well, awards don’t necessarily mean you’re great or not great.” But, it’s very flattering when you actually do win. It’s a great feeling! So I was really really appreciative. The Inked Awards and Alt Awards were fan voted, so that was a really big deal for me. I always appreciate when the fans are a big part of it. No offense XBIZ!
But no, you guys were my first truly major award, Best Couples-Themed Release was a really big compliment because “My Sinful Life” was a feature that I actually was the star of, and I played the Devil in that threeway sex scene — which was really cool and I’m like best couples-themed release? Really guys? Thanks! Like “what cool couples” I thought, these couples are really neat. So, that was a really big compliment too, because I worked really hard on that movie. I had like three out of four sex scenes. Yah, that was my first major award, super excited about it. Didn’t get to accept it on stage but I was still jumping up and down. I was still like “oh my god!” — I yelled at my agent — and was like “did you see my name on the screen?!” and he’s like “yes!” and we were yelling at each other across the auditorium, it was really funny, but hell yeah I was excited. Because, I really do appreciate that stuff.
I know people also say “awards don’t mean anything, blah blah blah” but at the same time it does matter. I always say if you don’t care, you wouldn’t have shown up. You wouldn’t have gotten your makeup done, you wouldn’t put on this suit. And it’s okay to care! That’s my whole point. I’ve said this over and over — I’m here because I want to be. I’m here because I want to be successful and work hard. It’s the best feeling when you’re appreciated for really working hard, to be acknowledged and know people like what you do. Of course it’s the whole “you like me, you really like me” bullshit. But, it feels really nice. This is the industry I’ve tried hard to do proud and cement my name in it. I don’t want to make a mockery of the industry or make people look down upon me. I love what I do, and I love to be dirty and crazy, and I’m kind of a fan of the aggressive scenes.
It’s great to have more people know who I am every year. Like, I signed for a Brazzers booth this year and the line got longer, which is a huge compliment. And, I was nominated Performer of the Year for the last two years in a row! That’s huge! To be acknowledged as one of the top performers, isn’t that crazy? I was never even nominated for Best New Starlet… well, actually… XBIZ nominated me for Best New Starlet. You guys were even nicer to me than some other awards shows. To go from starting from fucking nowhere, from stripping and cam shows, to being nominated for Performer of the Year two years in a row. And who knows? You knock on wood, who knows what’s going to happen next year. I’ve had showcases and series and I don’t take that for granted, even though a lot of people are like “ah it’s porn, who gives a fuck, tralalala, I’m just a silly little cum dumpster” I’m like “no, I’m an adult performer, I take this seriously.” I want people to care. Like, why be here at all if you don’t give a fuck? Why put shame on yourself? I’m sorry, I’m getting emotional, but this matters to me! I’m a crazy Italian, I feel things.
Even if I don’t win Performer of the Year ever in my career —which I don’t expect, it’s an honor just to be nominated —I’m not going to feel bad about myself If I don’t get absolutely everything there is to get, because I know I worked hard, and I’d like to think that it kind of shows. And I feel grateful that I’ve gotten so much back and I feel like there’s greater things to come, I have some really exciting news that I can’t even tell you. Isn’t that awesome? If you actually feel like you have some news? So, knock on wood. Maybe by the time this comes out, you’ll know what I was talking about, and if you don’t, forget I said anything, because that’s really embarrassing, because you never know right? It’s always like, that possibility where you never know if things are going to work out as they should, but yes, knock on wood, I have some more things happening this year and hopefully this is an even bigger year. As long as I’m getting better, that’s all that matters. If I start feeling like I’m getting worse, then I’ll start considering other options.
But, that’s a smart way to look at it — it’s better to be better. I’m hoping this is a cap off year, because I feel like I’m not quite new anymore, but I’m not like a super veteran. I’m in that middle ground cusp. I still feel weird about calling myself a porn star. So I hope this is my overflowing year. I’m like upper “middle class” status — can I get into that one percent? That two percent, even? Can I be, like, top 10? Even if temporarily, this industry is very cyclical, just like any other industry. As long as I’m still climbing, I want to see how high I can go. Knock on wood! But seriously, I appreciate what I have so far — I never want to be one of those people that says “I want more, more, more more.” More would be great, but I’ve always been taught to appreciate what I’ve got. I’m an only child of a single parent — we had free lunch, food stamps. I had my first job at 14, I was bussing tables. I believe in hard work, but it’s a struggle and if you actually are lucky — because everything’s at least a little bit of luck — then you get success in whatever you do. Milk it for all it’s worth. Make it worthwhile. Make your goddamn money — don’t be ashamed, fuck that — but be able to say “I was good in porn”…hairflip… you see my face on a lot of covers, bitch!
XBIZ: Tell us about your social media strategy. How have you acquired over 945,000 followers on Instagram and more than 367,000 on Twitter?
RAIN: I want my fans to buy my movies. I want my fans to join my website. I want them to come and meet me. I don’t want them to think I’m an untouchable bitch — I almost think it’s valuable to be somewhat human. Don’t be too accessible, but at the same time, you want people to like you. Being a little “bougie” is cute and all, but some stars who feel like they have to be drunk before they feature dance, that’s kind of sad to me! What a waste of the opportunity. You should appreciate that a little more. It’s paying your bills. Sometimes you’re making it a little harder than it needs to be. I’m lucky. And then some people complain about their following, like “why do you have more followers than I do?” And it’s like “oh I only have this many on Instagram and Twitter” and I’m like “well it’s cause you’re kind of rude.” You’ve got to be nicer and interact a little more.
Honestly, I’m surprised I have 900,000 followers on Instagram, but I’ve had the account a lot longer than most people think. I’ve had it since I was doing Playboy Live, so more than four years ago, and I was interacting even then. I was like “hey Instagram people, I’m going to be online during the day.” I have like 2,000 posts on there and I don’t delete them. I keep everything up. People like to see the timeline — I think people appreciate that more than people who just delete everything and have only 10 photos all the time. Like, no! We want to see who you really are. I think it’s cool there’s a real evolution of Romi Rain. But I also have a large following because I follow the rules! A lot of girls get deleted for not following the rules and they get mad. And I’m like “dude, I can see your vagina! You can’t post bush on Instagram!” You really do have to keep it PG-13 — keep the dirty on Twitter, clean on Instagram — they’re serious. But yah, I’m close to a million followers on Instagram, which is kind of unheard of, in a way. Like, only a few other girls have that apparently. And I don’t want to sound retarded like “I’m one of the most followed girls.” I don’t post stuff like that. Like when people post “look how many followers I have!” I’m like “no, you look stupid, shush!”
So, I don’t promote them that much, because the followers are right there for everyone to see and it’s kind of embarrassing to see how many, because it is real. Because I’m not necessarily a social media hog, like I’m on it, but there are people on there a lot more. I just try to talk real to my fans, offer them quality updates, promote something I’m doing, hype up scenes I’m doing so they’re anticipating — I think that’s really valuable. I think the social media age is a really great time to be in this industry, because I think even in the Jenna Jameson days, she didn’t have access to people. You were lucky if you sent fan mail to her mailbox and she actually opened it and maybe she sent you back a pair of panties sprayed with perfume, that she never actually wore. You know what I’m saying? I know how this works. But nowadays, you can actually interact with your fans and everybody knows where you are and what you’re doing, because people are making so much money off their fans now. So, I think if you’re using it correctly and you’re actually promoting yourself it’s amazing. It’s probably helped my career that I’ve been on social media and have such a following. So yah, follow me on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat — everybody else does! I’m kidding, I’m kidding, I swear. But no, again, I’m very lucky and very grateful, and I appreciate that my fans appreciate me. And I feel like I’ve got to keep this shit up now!
XBIZ: There’s been lots of buzz about Brazzers’ “Ghostbusters” porn parody “Nutbusters.” What can you tell us about this hilarious upcoming flick?
RAIN: Well, we’ve been able to tweet some of the photos. It’s going to be really cool, I’m excited. It’s almost like a feature — it’s a series, but a series is like a feature to Brazzers. It’s going to be girls vs. boys in a way. I wonder who wins, right? You’ll have to watch and see. But it’s me, Nikki Benz, Monique Alexander and Ana Foxxx as the female “Nutbusters,” and also Veronica Avluv is in it and Abigail Mac is in it. And we are trying to prove that ladies do it better in terms of busting your nut. Haha. And as you can tell, there’s a little bit of humor in it, which is great — I love when porn has a little bit of humor. Don’t get me wrong, I love the dark stuff, but I love when shit’s kind of funny, making fun of ourselves. I love comedy — think comedy is great. And I think it’s probably going to be funnier than the remake. It’s getting more buzz!
There are some really big scenes in it, too. We all work together in different ways and shit goes down, and many nuts are busted and I think it’s going to be a big series for Brazzers and I love Brazzers. I think it’s another company that’s treated me very well. Jules Jordan and Brazzers have gotten some of my biggest scenes, major firsts. I love anybody that loves me. I mean, I’m not a contract girl because I like playing the field, that’s why I’m a little slutty. But I think I’ve just gelled really well with Brazzers and I’ve had a lot of conversations with people in and around and the directors, everybody just kind of involved with Brazzers. I have friends in Brazzers, like makeup artists. What I like about that company is they really do appreciate when you care and work hard. Like Brando, he’s been so awesome to me.
And they really appreciate that I’ve put my own time and effort and money into my costumes and makeup, and I’ve spent time talking with him about what’s going on and what I’m doing. So, I think I just work well with a company that cares if you care. Where they appreciate hard work and it’s not just about “we don’t care about the product.” I care about the product! If we’re just going to have a crazy sex scene in like, 20 minutes, and walk out, I’m going to make sure that’s really good — it’s going to be a good 20 minutes of footage. They don’t like to waste film and I appreciate that. They’ll take many takes and they consider themselves high up there with quality porn. That’s what I want to be associated with, quality pornography. I think it’s been really good for me in terms of social media following, working with them a lot — not even as a contract girl. I’m not necessarily a brand ambassador —I don’t want anybody to not consider me for them. I work for everybody! I’m not loyal to a fault. I appreciate who appreciates me and will continue to work hard for anybody who appreciates hard work.
XBIZ: Speaking of parodies, there’s no shortage of genres in adult films, ranging from gonzo to fauxcest and beyond. Which genre comes to you naturally? Which challenges you the most?
RAIN: I think I’m probably known more for gonzo, which I actually kind of like being known for at least. That’s a good default! I’ve joked with my friends that, well, that’s porn! I want to be good at porn first, the real shit. So, I want to be known for doing a really good sex scene, I think that’s the biggest compliment you can get. I’ve done a few features, like “Open Relationship” for New Sensations. I was nominated once for an acting role and that was really cool — I think I might actually be underrated when it comes to features. I haven’t done a ton of them, I’ve done a lot of series and stuff — I mean working for Brazzers too, they always have a script, so I’m always doing something. I like dialogue — I can read, I swear you guys, I can totally read! And I like characters, especially if it’s dark, if you’re actually being a character. I’ve been a naughty nurse and a bad teacher — I’ve got that down to a tee. I’d like to try a bit more with features and I think sometimes not everybody likes doing features, so a lot of people get set in their ways, doing the same things.
Which I understand, just like I get hired a lot for gonzo, it’s meat and potatoes, you go with what you know, so I get it and thank you! But I’d like to, as time goes on, dabble — I don’t think I’d want to give up any gonzo in that sense, but I’d love to dabble more in features and in characters. Because I can do more and I love to challenge myself. I don’t think that there’s anything I couldn’t do if I tried. There’s a lot I can tolerate. I mean, I’ve done features where I’ve been like hoisted out of a pool at one in the morning, that wasn’t heated — that was great, in the winter. So, I’m down for physicality, more of an exploration of self. Even in terms of crazy scenes, I’ve gone more hardcore than I thought I was going to go, and I’ve been excited by it. So there’s not much I wouldn’t try exploring. I’m not into certain things. People ask me about some kink. I don’t know if I’d ever do certain things for companies like Kink. But I am into darker things, the play on passion and the play on control. But something about those kind of genres — the public disgrace kind of thing — is just not necessarily me. The door is open, though, you might see me in a gangbang, but not a Kink-style gangbang. I don’t want to be in a box!
XBIZ: What are your long-term career goals 5-10 years down the road?
RAIN: I think the last time I was asked this, I said I wasn’t quite sure, and I think I’m sticking to that. There’s some kind of power in being able to say I don’t know where I’m going to be 5-10 years from now. That’s a big leap, dude! I don’t know if I’ll necessarily be performing in 5-10 years. I think that’s a bit of a jump because I’ve been in this industry what, four years? So I think 10 years would be like 14 years total, and that’s a lot to be like “hell yah, I’m still going to be performing!” Hopefully in 5-10 years I’ll just be happy with where my career is and how it developed. You’ll still always know me as “Romi Rain.” I’m going to be “Romi Rain” forever. But that’s the whole point. So, hopefully Romi Rain is just known still in a good light and hey, hopefully my site still gets traffic — that would be awesome. I think you should have a site that just stays forever. And I hear you make more money after you’ve retired, in terms of websites-wise, you get more traffic. So, who knows? Hopefully my website will be up another 10 years! I don’t want to lie to you. I don’t know where I’m going to be. There’s no wrong answers right? It’s not like “what do you mean, you’re not going to be investing in commercial real estate?” That’s what I should’ve said. Real estate! Haha.
