Belladonna (actress)

Belladonna (born Michelle Anne Sinclair;[3] May 21, 1981[2]) is an American actress, director, producer, and model. She was a pornographic actress until she announced her retirement from the industry in 2008.[4][5] Since retiring from pornography, she has acted in several films, including Inherent Vice and The Ladies of the House.

Belladonna
Belladonna attending Exxxotica at the Los Angeles Convention Center in 2010
Born
Michelle Anne Sinclair

(1981-05-21) May 21, 1981
Biloxi, Mississippi, U.S.
Other namesBelladonna, Bella
OccupationPornographic actress, Actress, Director, Producer, Model
Height5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)[1]
Spouse(s)Aiden Kelly[2]
Children1

Personal life
Belladonna at a bowling event in 2005

Michelle Anne Sinclair was born in Biloxi, Mississippi,[1] the second of eight children.[6] She grew up in a traditional conservative Mormon family.[7][8] Her father, a retired Air Force officer, was a Mormon bishop. The family has German, Scottish, and Cherokee Indian roots.[6] Sinclair dropped out of high school and moved out of her parents' house at 15.[9] Prior to her pornography career, she held jobs at 7-11, Victoria's Secret, Sears and Subway.[10]

She married Aiden Kelly, an actor, in Las Vegas, Nevada,[2] with whom she has a daughter.[11][12][13]

Career

Her introduction to the adult industry came about when an agent came to Utah to see one of her friends, who introduced him to her.[9] The next day she flew to Los Angeles with the intention of joining the industry.[1] Immediately prior to starting her porn career she was dancing in a club in Utah.[1] The pseudonym "Belladonna" came in part from a friend in Utah named Bella; later, an early agent suggested Bella Donna as it means "beautiful woman" in Italian.[14] Her motivation to join the adult industry was mainly financial.[10]

Her career began in 2000 when she was 18.[9] Her first film was Real Sex Magazine.[9] One of her early films featured Sinclair in a rough group sex scene with twelve men, staged in a prison. In this scene she was choked, slapped and verbally abused and often appeared to be on the verge of tears.[3] She has since appeared in over 300 adult films, including titles such as Service Animals 6 & 7, She-Male Domination Nation, Bella Loves Jenna, Back 2 Evil, Weapons of Ass Destruction, and Fashionistas Safado: The Challenge.[15] In 2002 she featured in the multi award-winning BDSM themed Fashionistas; its director John Stagliano described her as "a woman with the most incredible sexual abilities I’ve ever seen."[15] As well as Stagliano she has often been directed by Nacho Vidal, Jules Jordan and Rocco Siffredi.[15] In 2003 she signed a contract with Sineplex, for whom she also directed.[1]

Appearances

She has appeared several times in the reality television series Family Business, which focuses on the life of porn director Adam Glasser a.k.a. "Seymore Butts". In 2004 she was one of a number of porn stars photographed by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders for a "coffee table book" on the adult industry, XXX: 30 Porn-Star Portraits; she also appears in the HBO documentary Thinking XXX about the making of the book.

Belladonna was featured on the cover of metalcore band Asking Alexandria's sophomore album titled Reckless & Relentless.[16] She is also later featured in their short film Through Sin + Self Destruction.

In a 2007 interview with the Salt Lake City Weekly,[3] Sinclair expressed some regret about aspects of her career in pornography, particularly her early notoriety for performing acts and scenes that many other performers regarded as extreme or taboo. Lamenting the lack of guidance from more experienced actresses, Sinclair described an extended period of clinical depression. Sinclair stressed in this same interview, however, that she took responsibility for all her decisions and that she was never forced to perform.

In June 2010 it was announced that she would be part of the cast of the upcoming horror movie Stripped.[17]

In 2011, she was named by CNBC as one of the 12 most popular stars in porn.[18] CNBC noted that while she had stepped back from acting to pursue directing and producing, she has maintained a loyal fan base, and has been nominated for 42 AVN awards and won 10 in the course of her career.

Primetime special
Belladonna attending the Los Angeles Erotica 2009

Her career in the pornography business was followed for two years by a crew from ABC Television, culminating in a January 2003 interview with Diane Sawyer as part of a Primetime Thursday segment on pornography.[15] At one point in the interview Belladonna broke down in tears, when Sawyer asked her, "You keep describing these awful things that happened to you. Yet, you keep smiling. Why?" Belladonna's smile wavered and her eyes watered up. "It's so I don't start crying," she said.[15]

The publicity provided by the interview boosted Belladonna's career.[15] The interview has since been used by a number of anti-pornography groups to support their case that pornography is exploitative of the women who appear in it; nevertheless, Sinclair remained an active performer in the industry. In later interviews, Sinclair claimed that she had never intended to make "anti-porn" statements.[1] In one interview, when she was asked if she were happy with how the interview came out, her reply was, "I am not happy about Primetime but I would love to see the whole story air one day so everyone can see how much I had to say that was FOR the porn industry. If you know me you know that I loved shooting!"[19] ABC contacted her once to do a follow-up to the interview; she refused saying, "No thank you. I don't want to be embarrassed again."[14] Several figures in the porn industry objected to her comments on the program.[1] In an interview with Vice, Sinclair admitted that despite being depressed at the time, the interview was embarrassing, and that when she watched it, there were instances in the piece that were untrue.[7]

Retirement from pornography and acting career

In August 2007, Sinclair decided to semi-retire from performing with other people over concerns of STDs, specifically herpes. She thought she had contracted herpes in 2002 and was worried the disease had spread; however it was later discovered that it was a skin rash rather than herpes. Regardless, she still decided to semi-retire.[20][21][22]

In 2008, she came out of retirement, and filmed a number of hardcore scenes.[23] She appeared in Digital Playground's Pirates II, the sequel to their top-selling DVD, Pirates.[24] She has also appeared recurringly in James Gunn's PG Porn. Her last adult film was Odd Jobs 4 in 2008.[25] In July 2012, she announced via Twitter that she was "no longer interested in having sex on camera" and would be pursuing her other interests.[4] In 2014, she made her non-pornographic feature film debut in John Wildman's The Ladies of the House, a horror film about a group of female cannibals.[26] She appeared in Paul Thomas Anderson's film Inherent Vice as Clancy Charlock in 2014 and in a short film titled Dream Murder Machine in 2018.

Awards

AVN Awards
Belladonna at the 2007 AVN Adult Entertainment Expo

The AVN Awards are sponsored and presented by the American adult video industry trade magazine AVN (Adult Video News). Belladona has been nominated for 43 AVN Awards, of which she has won 10. In 2011, she was inducted into the AVN Hall of Fame.

Year Result Award[27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34] Film Co-winners/co-nominees
2011 Won Hall of Fame[35] N/A N/A
2009 Won Best All-Girl 3-Way Sex Scene Belladonna's Girl Train Aiden Starr & Kimberly Kane
Won Best Supporting Actress Pirates II
Won Best All-Girl Couples Sex Scene Jesse Jane
Nominated Best All-Girl 3-Way Sex Scene Katsuni & Stoya
Nominated Best Threeway Sex Scene Sasha Grey & Evan Stone
Nominated Cock Pigs Brianna Love & Mr. Pete
Nominated Best All-Girl Couples Sex Scene Belladonna's Fucking Girls 6 Lexi Belle
Nominated Best Anal Sex Scene Butthole Whores 2 Steve Holmes
Nominated Best Director (Non-Feature) Discovering Alexis Texas N/A
Nominated Best Oral Sex Scene Belladonna's Odd Jobs 3 N/A
Nominated Director of the Year N/A N/A
Nominated Female Performer of the Year N/A N/A
2008 Won Best Director (Non-Feature) Belladonna: Manhandled 2 N/A
Nominated Best Couples Sex Scene (Video) Tony T.
Nominated Director of the Year (Body of Work) N/A N/A
Nominated Best All-Girl Sex Scene (Video) Belladonna's Fucking Girls 4 Naomi
Nominated Best Group Sex Scene (Video) I Dream of Jenna 2 Jenna Jameson, Nikita Denise, Aurora Snow, Cindy Crawford, Alaura Eden, Courtney & T.T. Boy
Nominated Best Oral Sex Scene (Video) N/A
Nominated Fashionistas Safado: Berlin N/A
Nominated Best Solo Sex Scene Butthole Whores N/A
Nominated Most Outrageous Sex Scene Belladonna Fetish Fanatic 5 Claire Adams
2007 Won Best Group Sex Scene (Video) Fashionistas Safado: The Challenge Melissa Lauren, Jenna Haze, Gianna Michaels, Sandra Romain, Adrianna Nicole, Flower Tucci, Sasha Grey, Nicole Sheridan, Marie Luv, Caroline Pierce, Lia Baren, Jewell Marceau, Jean Val Jean, Christian XXX, Voodoo, Chris Charming, Erik Everhard, Mr. Pete & Rocco Siffredi
Nominated Best Actress (Video) N/A
Nominated Director of the Year (Body of Work) N/A N/A
Nominated Best All-Girl Sex Scene (Video) Belladonna: No Warning Chloe Dior
2005 Nominated The Connasseur Catalina
Nominated Bella Loves Jenna Jenna Jameson
Nominated Best Anal Sex Scene Nacho Vidal
2004 Won Best Sex Scene Coupling (Video) Back 2 Evil Nacho Vidal
Nominated Best Oral Sex Scene (Video)
Nominated Female Performer of the Year N/A N/A
Nominated Best Anal Sex Scene (Video) Anal Trainer 4 Manuel Ferrara
Nominated Best Three-Way Sex Scene (Video) Latin Amore Dee & Billy Glide
Nominated Best Three-Way Sex Scene (Video) New Wave Hookers 7 Tyce Bune & Joel Lawrence
Nominated Best Sex Scene in a Foreign-Shot Production Rocco: Animal Trainer 10 Daniella, Sara & Nacho Vidal
Nominated Most Outrageous Sex Scene She-Male Domination Nation Nacho Vidal & Carol
2003 Won Best Supporting Actress (Film) The Fashionistas N/A
Won Best Tease Performance N/A
Won Best All-Girl Sex Scene (Film) Taylor St. Claire
Won Best Oral Sex Scene (Film) Rocco Siffredi
Nominated Mark Ashley & Billy Glide
Nominated Female Performer of the Year N/A N/A
Nominated Best Anal Sex Scene (Video) Up Your Ass 19 Lexington Steele

XRCO Awards

The XRCO Awards are given by the X-Rated Critics Organization annually to people working in adult entertainment.

Year Result Award[36] Film Co-winners/co-nominees
2013 Won Hall of Fame N/A N/A
2010 Nominated Superslut N/A N/A
Nominated Best Director (Non-Features) N/A N/A
2009 Won Orgasmic Oralist N/A N/A
Won Orgasmic Analist N/A N/A
Nominated Superslut N/A N/A
Nominated Best On-Screen Chemistry N/A Jesse Jane
Nominated Best Director (Non-Features) N/A N/A
2008 Nominated Orgasmic Oralist N/A N/A
Nominated Best Director (Non-Features) N/A N/A
2007 Nominated Best Single Performance (Actress) Fashionistas Safado: The Challenge N/A
2005 Nominated Best Sex Scene (Couple) Bella Loves Jenna Nacho Vidal
Nominated Best Girl/Girl Scene Jenna Jameson
Nominated Orgasmic Oralist N/A N/A
2004 Nominated Female Performer of the Year N/A N/A
Nominated Mainstream's Adult Media Favorite N/A N/A
Nominated Best Sex Scene (Couple) Back 2 Evil Nacho Vidal
Nominated Orgasmic Oralist N/A N/A
Nominated Orgasmic Analist N/A N/A
2003 Won Female Performer of the Year[37] N/A N/A
Won Best Single Performance (Actress)[37] The Fashionistas N/A
Won Best Girl-Girl Sex Scene[37] Taylor St. Clair
Won Orgasmic Analist[37] N/A N/A

F.A.M.E. Awards

The Fans of Adult Media and Entertainment Awards (F.A.M.E.) were created in 2006 by Genesis magazine, Adam & Eve Sex Toys, WantedList.com and AVN as a means for the public to vote for their favorites.

Year Result Award[38][39][40][41]
2010 Finalist Favorite Oral Starlet
Finalist Favorite Anal Starlet
Finalist Favorite Director
Nominated Favorite Female Starlet
Nominated Dirtiest Girl in Porn
Nominated Favorite Ass
2009 Won Favorite Anal Starlet
Won Favorite Director
Finalist Favorite Female Starlet
Finalist Favorite Oral Starlet
Finalist Dirtiest Girl in Porn
Finalist Favorite Star Website
Nominated Favorite Ass
2008 Finalist Favorite Female Starlet
Finalist Favorite Ass
Finalist Favorite Director
2007 Won Dirtiest Girl in Porn
Finalist Favorite Female Starlet
Finalist Favorite Anal Starlet
Finalist Favorite Ass
2006 Nominated Favorite Adult Actress
Nominated Favorite Butt

Ninfa Prize

Ninfa Prizes are awarded at the annual Spanish pornographic film festival, the Festival Internacional de Cine Erótico de Barcelona.

Year Result Award Film
2007 Won Special Jury Award[42][43] N/A
Won Most Original Sex Scene[42] Fashionistas Safado
2003 Won Best Actress The Fashionistas

XBIZ Awards
Year Result Award[44]
2009 Won Director (Body of Work)

AFWG Awards
Year Result Award[45][46] Film Co-winners/co-nominees
2008 Won Directrix Of The Year Iodine Girl N/A
2003 Won American Female Performer of the Year N/A N/A
Won Best Supporting Actress (Film) The Fashionistas N/A
Won Best All-Girl Sex Scene (Film) Taylor St. Claire
Won Best Anal Sex Scene (Video) Up Your Ass 19 Lexington Steele

NightMoves Awards
Year Result Award[47][48]
2012 Won Best Director – Non-Parody (Fan's Choice)
2008 Won Hall of Fame
Won Triple Play Award (Dancing/Performing/Directing)
2003 Won Best Actress (Editor's Choice)
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See also

References
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  3. Stephen Dark (April 12, 2007). "Sex Machine". Salt Lake City Weekly. Retrieved December 5, 2008.
  4. Warren, Peter (July 2, 2012). "Belladonna: No More Sex on Camera". AVN. Archived from the original on January 17, 2013.
  5. "Richardson Magazine A6 - The Love Issue". Highsnobiety. May 29, 2012. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
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  7. "Catching Up with the Actress Formerly Known as Belladonna". VICE.
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  10. Exclusive Interview at Freeones on September 11, 2007
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