Adam Wilcox writes on www.xxxwasteland.wordpress.com – Russian bombshell Nikita Von James has enthralled scores of fans and adult industry members in her five years as a XXX performer. The platinum-blonde actress began her journey through adult entertainment shortly after immigrating to the United States in 1998 by dancing in gentlemen’s clubs and proceeded to quickly build a strong fan legion following her transition to performing in front of the camera.
Von James’ resume is impressive and includes roles in productions for Vivid Entertainment, Penthouse, Wicked Pictures, Hustler Video and a high-profile part in Digital Playground’s 2012 blockbuster Nurses 2.
Nikita kindly spoke with XXX Wasteland recently to discuss her future career aspirations, growing up in Russia and much more.
You can visit Nikita online at her official website, NikitaVonJames.com, follow her on Twitter under the handle @NikitaVonJames, visit the starlet’s Facebook page here and check out her FreeOnes page at this link.
Nikita Von James is represented by 101 Modeling. For bookings, please contact Robert Moran at [email protected] or Bud Lee at [email protected]. Interview requests and other media inquiries may be directed to Erika Icon at [email protected].
(Special thanks to Erika Icon of The Rub PR. Photo #3 courtesy of Aziani, photo #4 courtesy of Nikita Von James’ Twitter account)
Q: Let’s start at the beginning: Can you tell us how you initially became involved in the adult business?
Well, I came to this country in 1998 and right away – like, the next year – I started dancing in strip clubs. After that, in 2008, I was interested in doing films and I started doing girl/girl only, and a few years later, I started doing boy/girl. So, kind of one after another – dancing is kind of the adult industry as well.
Q: You mentioned that you immigrated to the United States from Russia. Does the adult industry have a strong presence over there?
You know what? When I was growing up there, I did not know anything about it. (Laughs) Now, I hear they do have strip clubs, they have some shoots going on, they have productions, magazines – everything. Whatever we have here, same thing over there. Some people in Russia are reaching out to me on Twitter and asking me if I would do some shoots for them; they would come to America to do some shoots, but they want me as well – kind of like representing Russian culture. It’s kind of interesting.
Q: Yeah. Is that something you would be interested in?
Yes! Because I only know (the adult industry) from the American side, because I’ve been (performing) just here and dancing just here. So, I kind of want to see what they have to offer and how it works. So, I’m open-minded to anything. (Laughs)
Q: Very cool. You have been involved with the industry for several years now. I was wondering if you have any specific aspirations in mind pertaining to your career down the road.
Yes, I do! You know, when I started out, I was like, “I’m just going to do it part-time.” Then, I got more interested in this. I don’t know … if you love what you do, it kind of sucks you in and you just kind of enjoy it and you get more ideas for the future.
So, yes, I do want to stay for a while in this industry and maybe be behind the camera. But I still have to learn a lot more.
Q: Right. So, sort of in a directing type of capacity?
Yeah, could be directing. Honestly, I’m still not sure. But, I definitely want to stay in this business for a while and be behind the camera. Yes, directing, but it could be having my own agency or something. There are so many avenues. So, I’m kind of still thinking.
Q: Absolutely. Of course, you have an official website, NikitaVonJames.com. Can you talk a little bit about your site and what those who sign up for membership can expect?
Yes. I started my website in December of last year, so it’s pretty fresh. I’ve been working hard on it and I’m really excited. I have different types of packages – you can sign up for one day to check it out, for one month, or even yearly.
I will be doing free webcams for my members only. It will be scheduled once a week and it’s just for them. So, whoever goes on my website, they can see scheduled webcam (shows). They can talk to me straight, they can ask questions and whatever they want to see me in certain clothes because everybody’s different.
I do, actually, any type of fetish on my website. Girl/girl, I do that. POVs – usually, guys like POVs. Not necessarily that there is a guy there, but just you talking to the camera. It’s like you talking to them. So, I like that a lot. It’s kind of like one-on-one with a fan. So, that’s what I do a lot – POVs.
Some people even ask me to do custom videos, which I do in my studio and I send it to them. They ask me to say their name, they write me a scenario, clothes, what to wear and what to say even. It’s so much fun. So, I do that, but if they want to do it on the website, ask me questions – “Can you do this and this?” – I see what they want and that’s what I follow for them. (Laughs)
Q: Almost exactly one year ago, you had a role in the blockbuster film Nurses 2 from Digital Playground.
Yes! Yay! (Laughs)
Q: (Laughs) As I said, it was a little while back, but I wanted to ask about that because it was such a huge movie, probably one of the year’s biggest. Can you talk about your experience filming that?
Yes! Oh, my gosh. First of all, my dream came true: I worked with Jesse Jane. She is my favorite of them all. (Laughs) Because of her, I actually started doing porn. I saw her Pirates 2 video and I was so mesmerized: the production, the costumes, the special effects, the acting, how they had so much fun and I saw behind the scenes. I was just like, “Oh, my gosh – this is amazing. Wow!”
(Jesse Jane) is amazing. She is like the greatest person I have ever met in the industry. She has got so much energy. She is very sweet, she’s energetic, she’s hot as fuck. (Laughs)
When I was working, the whole Digital Playground crew was amazing. They are really good to the people and they are fun to work with. It was a long day, but you don’t notice because you have food, they are cooking for you. (Laughs) It’s amazing.
The girls were awesome. I met all of them and it was my pleasure. I was so nervous the day I showed up I could not even say a word. I was like, “Oh, my gosh – it’s all the girls I like so much!” (Laughs) I was almost like a fan. And Jesse was talking to me like, “Hey!” And I was staring at her and just could not say a word. I was like, “Oh, my gosh, I feel so stupid right now!” (Laughs) It was funny. She had no idea – like, “Oh, my gosh, she’s talking to me!” You know the feeling when you have a crush on somebody? (Laughs)
It was great. We had long hours, but it was so much fun. It was amazing. It’s one of my favorites yet.
Q: Yes, a lot of performers speak very highly about the entire on-set experience with Digital Playground.
Yes.
Q: Is there one misconception about the adult industry from people outside the business that you wish you could dispel?
Oh, yes – there are big misconceptions. I would say first of all, people are different. It doesn’t matter what industry you are in, people are people. Some people like being on top of the game, it doesn’t matter what you do. Some people like to party and have fun and some people make the industry look really sleazy abusing substances, I would say. But I would say not everybody and people in this industry, we are more careful about sexually transmitted diseases. We are really on top of our game – we don’t fool around. I would say that people in the bar have more. We are very clean because it’s our money if you have something. So, basically, you are really careful about what you do after work – you are really careful.
Another thing: We are responsible. We have to wake up early, we have long hours and we have to look professional. So, there is not a lot of, I would say, “play around” involved. We still have fun, go to parties, events, attend birthday parties for our friends and stuff and we let loose. But at the same time, I can speak for myself and people around me – we are very professional and some people have families. All my family knows what I do and I’m just saying they still love me and who I am.
I’m pretty straight: I go to school, I have so many responsibilities and I’m on top of my game. And some people from outside in the “civilian“ world, they think we are all just having sex all the time, we have diseases. I see them on T.V. all the time. If you are a porn star, they (say) right away, “How many diseases did you get?”
Q: Yeah.
And you’d be surprised. No, we’re not going to just spread our legs right away and start being crazy. (Laughs) No, we’re really cautious – yes.
Also, drugs – I don’t do any drugs. I’m really clean. I just have my wine at parties or whenever and that’s it. You have to keep your image. The healthier your lifestyle is, the better it is for you and how it looks on camera. It’s your money – health is your money. I know, for example, a lot of my friends, they work out hard on a daily basis to keep their bodies in shape and stuff. So, not much craziness (that) people think is involved in this.
Q: Absolutely. We touched on earlier that you were born in Russia. Can you tell us about where you were raised and how you would describe yourself growing up?
(Laughs) Back to Russia! Oh, my gosh, yes. I came from Russia when I was 21. I finished high school and college over there.
Growing up there was … you know, when you are born somewhere, you don’t know better, whether it’s a good place to be born or not. (Laughs) You kind of accept it.
(It) was very strict. We had uniforms. We had to march. People laugh in America, “Oh, you have to march like this?” Yes – it’s so true.
I’m looking right now at kids, they dress up however they want to go to school. But we had a brown dress, uniform, only black and brown hair ties allowed. So, no jewellery, no nothing. It was really, really strict at school.
We didn’t have much stuff. My first Barbie I had at 16 years old when the borders started allowing export/import. So, sneakers – my first sneakers I tried at 16 years old, too.
It’s kind of funny to say, “I can eat whatever I want now.” (Laughs) But yeah, it was very strict. And I grew up in Siberia, which is really cold – it’s like minus 50 Celsius. And we had fun when we had such cold days – you’re not allowed to go to school because it’s so cold you can freeze parts of your body. (Laughs) So, we stayed home for weeks sometimes, usually in February. You stay two weeks at home because school is off. So, it was fun for those times
I liked to ice skate. That’s what we did – we didn’t have much T.V. going on. We always had a black and white T.V. and two channels. Nothing for kids. I grew up pretty much doing all kinds of sports – I love sports.
It was fun for me, but I see the difference. When I came to this country, I’m like, “Oh … my … gosh. You guys have no idea what you have.” Freedom, you can still work, freedom of speech, I love it. You can choose for yourself what you want to do. Not in Russia. (Laughs)
Q: What are some of your interests and hobbies away from work?
I love working out and I like activities like hiking – I do a lot of hiking. Ice skating, I still do, usually when I go to New York – I have some family there – in Central Park, I ice skate. Oh, my gosh – I can go in there forever. (Laughs)
Of course, I love traveling, going to different places with my friends just visiting. Even, for example, going to San Diego – it’s so close to us, so sometimes it feels good to just take two days off and go see sceneries and relax.
I would say I have a strange hobby: it’s school. I found it out later on in my life. (Laughs) I love taking one or two classes on a constant basis. It kind of keeps me focused, you know?
I do love sewing, actually. I love sewing cute outfits for when I dance; I make all my outfits myself.
Q: Oh, wow – very cool. In regard to school, I understand you hold an economics degree and are now working toward a degree in business, is that right?
Yes, that is correct. I got my bachelor’s in economics in Russia, but at that time I was too young to understand why you were doing this. I only wanted to party, have fun with my friends. I did an okay job – not great. I don’t remember anything I studied (Laughs). I was not like an “A” student.
I was having fun in the popular-type group at school. But now, I’m taking this really seriously. Now, I’m really enjoying it. Yes, I can put in my résumé, for example, to get a job and they still accept it because it’s equivalent to a U.S.A. bachelor’s degree, but for myself, for my own sake, I’m going back to school to do it again from scratch. I want to study history because I don’t remember. I’m doing that right now, studying history. I’m like, “Oh … how come I don’t remember that?” (Laughs)
Q: Is there one thing about yourself that you feel would surprise a lot of people?
(Laughs) I don’t know. It’s so funny, I haven’t thought of it. It’s a funny thing, but I love apples and can eat seven apples a day. Everybody knows about me and whoever’s house I visit, they always have so many apples. Yes – I eat so many damn apples. (Laughs) All the time – I’m like a rabbit or something.
Q:(Laughs) Cool. Are there any current or upcoming projects in the works that you would like to mention?
Upcoming stuff, I’ve been working on some videos. Like yesterday, I just finished shooting for Mile High Club and new releases have come out for Evil Angel and Devil’s Film.
I am working right now to start my feature dancing. In late-August, I’m going to hit the road to different states and I will be Tweeting about where I go and my schedule. I’m very excited about feature dancing. I like to have different avenues to do with the business, not just filming. I like doing filming, feature dancing, website, interviews. On the radio stations, we show up and we talk about some sex stuff, people call and that. So, I like doing everything.
Q: Awesome. To finish up, is there anything you wish to say to folks who will be reading?
Well, I really, really love my fans and I love what I’m doing. When you love what you’re doing and for who you’re doing it, it’s so much fun. I enjoy hearing feedback from my fans on my website or on Twitter, what they want to see. I like to hear that. Of course, everybody says on Twitter, “Oh, thank you. Great job!” and stuff, but I want to ask my fans, “What do you want to see? What do you like?” Because I hear them and I try to perform their way, too.
Q: Great. Thank you for taking some time out today to speak with me, I appreciate it. It was lovely to chat with you and I wish you continued success with your career, school and everything else. Have a terrific day.
Thank you so much. It was so much fun!