Joanna Angel

{{short description|American pornographic film actress (born 1980)}}

{{Redirect|Burning Angel|the EP|Burning Angel (EP){{!}}Burning Angel (EP)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Joanna Angel

| image = Joanna Angel 2017.jpg

| caption = Angel in 2017

| birth_name = Joanna Mostov{{r|Marks 2014|JTA 2015}}

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1980}}{{r|Marks 2014}}

| birth_place = New York City, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| spouse = {{marriage|Aaron Thompson|2016}}

| height = {{height|ft=4|in=11}}

| alias =

| education = Rutgers University

| website = {{URL|joannaangel.com}}

}}

Joanna Mostov (born 1980), professionally known as Joanna Angel,{{r|Marks 2014|JTA 2015}}{{cite news |last=Friedman |first=Gabe |title=7 Jews Who Made It Big In Porn |url=https://forward.com/schmooze/310041/7-jews-who-made-it-big-in-porn/ |work=The Forward |agency=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |date=June 15, 2015}} is an American pornographic film actress, director, and writer of adult films.{{cite web |url=https://www.haaretz.com/1.4952019 |title='Each time it's more fun' |access-date=July 23, 2007 |first=Shahar |last=Smooha |date=July 12, 2007 |work=Haaretz}} She founded the website BurningAngel.com in April 2002 with her roommate Mitch Fontaine, and has been credited with helping the growth of the alt porn genre.{{Cite book |title=Performance Studies: An Introduction |edition=3rd |last=Schechner |first=Richard |date=2013 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-203-12516-8 |page=36}} Launched as a response to websites such as SuicideGirls, the website featured alternative performers acting in exclusively hardcore scenes with a stronger focus on a punk aesthetic.

Early life

Angel was born in Brooklyn, New York, to an Israeli mother and an American father. She was raised in River Edge in Bergen County, New Jersey, where she attended Cherry Hill Elementary School and graduated from River Dell Regional High School in 1998. After graduating, she enrolled in Rutgers University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature with a minor in Film Studies.{{cite journal |last=Levin |first=Eric |date=December 19, 2007 |url=http://njmonthly.com/articles/lifestyle/people/a-woman-on-top.html |title=A Woman on Top |journal=New Jersey Monthly |issue=January 2008 |access-date=December 31, 2012 |quote=Possibly the world's first Jewish punk porn star with a BA from Rutgers, Oradell native Joanna Angel calls the shots on both sides of the camera and minds the bottom line. ... Joanna (real name) Angel (stage name) grew up in an orthodox Jewish family, graduated from Riverdell High School in Oradell, and earned a BA in English from Rutgers in 2003.}}

According to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Angel is believed to be the first person in the pornography industry to have been raised in Orthodox Judaism.{{cite news |author1= |title=Porn star Joanna Angel says Orthodox parents accept her |url=https://www.jta.org/2015/11/06/united-states/porn-star-joanna-angel-says-orthodox-parents-accept-her |publisher=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |date=6 November 2015}} She worked in a kosher fast food restaurant in Teaneck during high school, then at an Applebee's and another restaurant called Happy's Health Grille during college.{{cite web |url=http://xcitement.com/April1504/ |title=Joanna Angel |access-date=June 23, 2007 |first=Cindi |last=Loftus |date=April 2007 |work=Xcitement Magazine |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929022145/http://xcitement.com/April1504/ |archive-date=September 29, 2007}} She eventually returned to Brooklyn and, with Mitch Fontaine, created the website BurningAngel.com.

Pornography career

File:Joanna Angel AVN Adult Entertainment Expo 2013.jpg, January 18, 2013.]]

Angel is a former model for SuicideGirls, a softcore pornography website. In her early 20s she founded the "indie-punk-porn" site BurningAngel.com, featuring interviews and stories of sex with band members, along with nude photographs. Drawing inspiration from a live sex performance by porn actress Nina Hartley, Angel later began making hardcore movies for the site.{{cite book |last=Marks |first=Laura Helen |editor1-last=Pulliam |editor1-first=June M. |editor2-last=Fonseca |editor2-first=Anthony J. |title=Encyclopedia of the Zombie: The Walking Dead in Popular Culture and Myth |date=2014 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-1-4408-0389-5 |pages=2–3 |chapter=Angel, Joanna}}

According to Encyclopedia of the Zombie, Angel is "regarded as a major influence in the mainstreaming of alt porn", and is credited with making the genre financially viable.{{r|Marks 2014}} She has produced and performed in several zombie-themed hardcore films: Re-Penetrator (2005), Dong of the Dead (2009), Evil Head (2012), and The Walking Dead: A Hardcore Parody (2013).{{r|Marks 2014}} She said in a 2006 interview, "I think [alt porn is] a movement. I think I've started something."{{cite web |url=http://www.hustlerworld.com/news/2006/03/hustlerworld_interview_joanna.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20090310000257/http://www.hustlerworld.com/news/2006/03/hustlerworld_interview_joanna.html |url-status=live |archive-date=March 10, 2009 |title=Hustlerworld Interview: Joanna Angel |work=Hustler World}}

Angel has written, produced, directed and starred in films available exclusively through BurningAngel, as well as appearing in more traditionally distributed adult films. She was under an exclusive contract with VCA Pictures, which expired in March 2007, and was, at one time, represented by the adult talent agency Bad Ass Models.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}

=Appearances=

Following the success of BurningAngel, Angel has been featured in numerous magazines and newspapers, including The New York Times.{{cite web |url=http://www.robertlanham.com/burningangel.html |title=Wearing Nothing but Attitude |first=Robert |last=Lanham |work=The New York Times |date=May 1, 2005 |via=RobertLanham.com}}

Angel briefly wrote a monthly sex advice column for Spin. She also contributed a chapter to the book Naked Ambition, edited by Carly Milne.{{cite book |last=Angel |first=Joanna |editor-last=Milne |editor-first=Carly |title=Naked Ambition: Women Who Are Changing Pornography |publisher=Carroll & Graf |location=New York |year=2005 |isbn=978-0-7867-1590-9 |chapter=... On Being a Feminist with a Porn Site |pages=233–244}}

In 2010, Angel appeared in a public service announcement for the Free Speech Coalition on the topic of Internet copyright infringement of adult content, directed by Michael Whiteacre.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/04/pornstar-piracy-video/ |title=Porn Stars Decry Piracy in New Video (SFW) |magazine=Wired.com |date=April 29, 2010 |first=David |last=Kravets}}{{cite web |url=http://www.digitaltrends.com/entertainment/adult-film-stars-plea-please-pay-for-porn/ |title=Adult Film Stars' Plea: Please Pay for Porn |work=Digital Trends |date=April 30, 2010 |first=Nick |last=Mokey}} The spot, entitled the "FSC All-Star Anti-Piracy PSA",{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xNzsTHA1nI |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/4xNzsTHA1nI |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live |title=FSC All-Star Anti-Piracy PSA (texted version) |work=YouTube |date=April 20, 2010 |author=FSCAPAP}}{{cbignore}} found her in the company of adult performers such as Lisa Ann, Julie Meadows, Kimberly Kane, Ron Jeremy and Wicked Pictures contract stars, Alektra Blue and Kaylani Lei.

In 2011, Angel was named by CNBC as one of the 12 most popular stars in porn. CNBC noted that she owns her own studio and that the "punk look" that she and her other actors share has created a new genre in the porn industry, called alt porn.{{cite web |last=Morris |first=Chris |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2011/01/06/The-Dirty-Dozen:-Porns-Most-Popular-Stars.html |title=The Dirty Dozen: Porn's Most Popular Stars |work=CNBC |date=January 5, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141014034417/http://www.cnbc.com/id/40909215/The_Dirty_Dozen_Porn_s_Most_Popular_Stars |archive-date=October 14, 2014}} Also, in 2011, Angel made a cameo on the Adult Swim show Childrens Hospital, in the season three episode "Night Shift." She played herself as a porn star and family friend of Rob Corddry's character Dr. Blake.{{cite web |url=http://xoxojoannaangel.com/2011/01/me-on-adult-swims-childrens-hospital/ |title=Joanna Angel on Adult Swim's Childrens Hospital! |work=Joanna Angel Official Blog |date=January 26, 2011 |access-date=October 4, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022194156/http://xoxojoannaangel.com/2011/01/me-on-adult-swims-childrens-hospital/ |archive-date=October 22, 2012}}{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1854442/ |title=Childrens Hospital "The Night Shift" (TV Episode 2011) |work=IMDb |date=August 11, 2011 |access-date=July 10, 2015}}

Angel sometimes appears on Cracked.com as a friend of the columnists and appears in the music video for "Sound Wave Superior" by Emmure.{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=2505572&vid=250890 |title=Sound Wave Superior | Emmure | Music Video | MTV |date=June 20, 2008 |work=MTV Networks |access-date=April 1, 2012}}{{dead link|date=June 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

In 2013, Angel appeared in the independent film Scrapper, starring Michael Beach and Aidan Gillen,{{cite web |last=Staff |title=Scrapper (2013) |website=IMDb |date=May 21, 2013 |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2502518/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_10 |access-date=April 2, 2014}} along with the ensemble cast musical comedy Skum Rocks! {{cite web |last=Staff |title=Skum Rocks! (2013) 77 min |date=September 26, 2013 |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2434688/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_3 |publisher=IMDb |access-date=April 2, 2014}} In 2014, she had roles in the crime drama The Owl in Echo Park{{cite web |last=Staff |title=The Owl in Echo Park (2014) |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2393212/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_2 |publisher=IMDb |access-date=April 2, 2014}} and the Kevin Nealon comedy series Racquetball.{{cite web |last=Staff |title=Racquetball (2014– ) Full Cast & Crew |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3229022/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast |publisher=IMDb |access-date=April 2, 2014}} She also appeared in the documentary film Doc of the Dead, which features Interviews with Max Brooks, Stuart Gordon, Jacqui Holland, Robert Kirkman, Greg Nicotero and Judith O'Dea.{{cite web |title=Doc of the Dead |url=http://www.dreadcentral.com/reviews/94230/doc-of-the-dead-uk-dvd/ |website=dreadcentral.com |access-date=April 2, 2014 |date=March 24, 2015}}

Personal life

Angel dated fellow porn star James Deen for six years, between 2005 and 2011.{{cite web |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andy-campbell/how-to-date-a-porn-star-joanna-angel_b_2504908.html |title=How To Date A Porn Star: My Night Out With Joanna Angel In Las Vegas |website=HuffPost |access-date=October 10, 2013 |date=January 18, 2013}}{{cite news |last1=Yamato |first1=Jen |title=Joanna Angel Opens Up About James Deen's Alleged Abuse: 'He Really Is a Scary Person' |journal=The Daily Beast |date=2015-12-02 |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/joanna-angel-opens-up-about-james-deens-alleged-abuse-he-really-is-a-scary-person |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111190152/https://www.thedailybeast.com/joanna-angel-opens-up-about-james-deens-alleged-abuse-he-really-is-a-scary-person |archive-date=2020-11-11 |access-date=2020-12-17 |url-status=live}} On December 2, 2015, she appeared on The Jason Ellis Show to give more details about her "violent and scary" six-year relationship with Deen.

On October 31, 2016, Angel married Aaron "Small Hands" Thompson, another adult film actor.{{cite web |last1=Dickson |first1=EJ |last2=Thomas |first2=Sophie Saint |title=3 Porn Star Couples Reveal How They Make It Work |date=2018-01-26 |work=Men's Health |url=https://www.menshealth.com/sex-women/a19546953/3-porn-star-couples-reveal-how-they-make-it-work/ |access-date=2020-12-17}}

Angel identifies as a Democrat. In 2015, she endorsed Bernie Sanders for President of the United States in the Democratic primaries for 2016 U.S. presidential election.{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/susannahbreslin/2015/07/24/porn-hillary-clinton/ |title=Porn Stars Endorse Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, and Marco Rubio for President in 2016 |work=Forbes |date=July 24, 2015 |first=Susannah |last=Breslin}}

Publications

{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/comingoutlikepor0000unse/page/209/mode/1up?view=theater |url-access=registration |title=Porn Made Me Like My Parents|date=February 14, 2024 |isbn=978-0-9905571-6-6 |last1=Lee |first1=Jiz |publisher=ThreeL Media }} (2015). In {{cite book |editor1-last=Lee |editor1-first=Jiz |title=Coming Out Like a Porn Star: Essays on Pornography, Protection, and Privacy |publisher=ThreeL Media |location=Berkeley, Calif. |isbn=978-0-9905571-6-6 |pages=209–215 }}

Awards

{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|

2006 AVN Award – Most Outrageous Sex Scene (with Tommy Pistol) – Re-Penetrator{{cite web |url=http://business.avn.com/articles/2006-AVN-Award-Winners-Announced-47237.html |title=2006 AVN Award Winners Announced |access-date=July 22, 2007 |date=January 9, 2006 |work=AVN |archive-date=December 25, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225231423/https://avn.com/business/articles/2006-avn-award-winners-announced-47237.html%20 |url-status=dead }}
2007 XBIZ Award – Crossover Move of the Year[http://www.xbizawards.com/winners.php "XBIZ Award Winners"]. XBIZ. February 2011.
2008 XRCO Award – Best On-Screen Chemistry (with James Deen){{cite web |title=XRCO |url=http://xrco.com |access-date=February 23, 2008}}
2009 XRCO Award – Best On-Screen Chemistry (with James Deen){{cite web | url=https://avn.com/business/articles/video/2009-xrco-award-winners-announced-312639.html | title=2009 XRCO Award Winners Announced AVN }}
2011 AVN Award – Best Porn Star Website – JoannaAngel.com{{cite web |title=AVN Announces the Winners of the 2011 AVN Awards |work=AVN |url=http://business.avn.com/articles/video/AVN-Announces-the-Winners-of-the-2011-AVN-Awards-421782.html |date=January 9, 2011 |access-date=January 9, 2011 |archive-date=July 7, 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120707163600/http://business.avn.com/articles/video/AVN-Announces-the-Winners-of-the-2011-AVN-Awards-421782.html |url-status=dead }}
2011 AVN Award – Best Solo Sex Scene – Rebel Girl
2011 NightMoves Award – Best Director (Editor's Choice){{cite web |url=http://www.nightmovesonline.com/21st-annual-nightmoves-awards-show/past-winner-history/ |title=NightMoves Online – Past Winner History |access-date=July 10, 2015}}
2012 NightMoves Award – Best Individual Website (Editor's Choice) – JoannaAngel.com
2012 NightMoves Triple Play Award (Dancing/Performing/Directing){{cite web |url=http://www.nightmovesusa.com/awards-show/past-winner-history.html |title=Past Winner History |access-date=January 14, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130722133601/http://www.nightmovesusa.com/awards-show/past-winner-history.html |archive-date=July 22, 2013}}
2013 AVN Award – Best Porn Star Website – JoannaAngel.com{{cite web |title=And Now... The 2013 AVN Award Winners! |publisher=AVN.com |url=http://business.avn.com/articles/video/And-Now-The-2013-AVN-Award-Winners-503520.html |date=January 20, 2013 |access-date=January 20, 2013 |archive-date=February 15, 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130215142432/http://business.avn.com/articles/video/And-Now-The-2013-AVN-Award-Winners-503520.html |url-status=dead }}
2013 AVN Award – Best Solo Sex Scene – Joanna Angel: Filthy Whore
2013 NightMoves Award – Best Ink (Editor's Choice)
2013 NightMoves Hall of Fame inductee{{cite web |url=http://business.avn.com/company-news/Bonnie-Rotten-Snags-Best-Female-Performer-Nom-from-NightMoves-523403.html |title=Bonnie Rotten Snags Best Female Performer Nom from NightMoves |access-date=July 30, 2013 |date=July 15, 2013 |publisher=AVN |archive-date=October 15, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015012429/http://business.avn.com/company-news/Bonnie-Rotten-Snags-Best-Female-Performer-Nom-from-NightMoves-523403.html |url-status=dead }}
2013 Inked Award – Achievement Award{{cite web | url=https://avn.com/business/articles/video/Inked-Angels-Announces-Winners-of-2013-Inked-Awards-535323.html | title=Inked Angels Announces Winners of 2013 Inked Awards AVN }}
2014 AVN Award – Best Porn Star Website – JoannaAngel.com (tied with AsaAkira.com){{cite web |url=http://business.avn.com/articles/video/AVN-Announces-the-Winners-of-the-2014-AVN-Awards-544448.html |title=AVN Announces the Winners of the 2014 AVN Awards |work=avn.com |access-date=July 10, 2015 |archive-date=February 1, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20160201103626/http://business.avn.com/articles/video/AVN-Announces-the-Winners-of-the-2014-AVN-Awards-544448.html |url-status=dead }}
2014 Inked Award – Director of the Year{{cite web | url=https://avn.com/business/articles/video/inked-awards-2014-winners-announced-580128.html | title=Inked Awards 2014 Winners Announced AVN }}
2015 AVN Award – Best Porn Star Website – JoannaAngel.com{{cite web |url=http://business.avn.com/articles/video/AVN-Announces-the-Winners-of-the-2015-AVN-Awards-585973.html |title=AVN Announces the Winners of the 2015 AVN Awards |access-date=January 25, 2015 |date=January 24, 2015 |publisher=AVN |archive-date=February 6, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150206165744/http://business.avn.com/articles/video/AVN-Announces-the-Winners-of-the-2015-AVN-Awards-585973.html |url-status=dead }}
2015 Inked Award – Group Scene of the Year (with Skin Diamond, Kleio Valentien, Natalia Marie, James Deen, Mr. Pete, & Mick Blue) – All About That Orgy{{cite web | url=https://avn.com/business/press-release/video/winners-of-2015-inked-awards-announced-613259.html | title=Winners of 2015 Inked Awards Announced AVN }}
2015 Inked Award – Hall of Fame inductee
2016 AVN Award – Best Porn Star Website – JoannaAngel.com{{cite web | url=https://avn.com/business/articles/video/avn-announces-the-winners-of-the-2016-avn-awards-620416.html | title=AVN Announces the Winners of the 2016 AVN Awards AVN }}
2016 AVN Hall of Fame inductee{{cite web |title=Class of 2016: The AVN Hall of Fame Inductees |url=http://business.avn.com/articles/video/Class-of-2016-The-AVN-Hall-of-Fame-Inductees-615710.html |access-date=December 19, 2015 |archive-date=February 10, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160210090726/http://business.avn.com/articles/video/Class-of-2016-The-AVN-Hall-of-Fame-Inductees-615710.html |url-status=dead }}
2016 XRCO Hall of Fame inductee{{cite web |url=http://business.avn.com/articles/video/2016-XRCO-Award-Winners-Announced-678517.html |title=2016 XRCO Award Winners Announced |work=AVN |date=June 22, 2016 |access-date=June 25, 2016 |archive-date=June 25, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625045224/http://business.avn.com/articles/video/2016-XRCO-Award-Winners-Announced-678517.html |url-status=dead }}
2017 AVN Award – Best Supporting Actress – Cindy Queen of Hell{{cite web | url=https://avn.com/business/articles/video/2017-avn-award-winners-announced-712151.html | title=2017 AVN Award Winners Announced AVN }}
2017 AVN Award – Best Virtual Reality Sex Scene (with Abella Danger & Manuel Ferrara) – Angel 'n Danger
2017 NightMoves Award – Best Director, Parody (Editor's Choice){{cite web | url=https://avn.com/business/articles/video/winners-of-25th-annual-nightmoves-awards-winners-announced-746375.html | title=Winners of 25th Annual NightMoves Awards Winners Announced AVN }}
2018 XBIZ Award – Best Actress, Comedy Release – Jews Love Black Cock[http://www.xbizawards.com/winners.php XBIZ Award Winners], XBIZ, January 2018
2018 XBIZ Award – Best Sex Scene, Comedy Release (with Abella Danger & Isiah Maxwell) – Jews Love Black Cock
2018 XRCO Award – Mainstream Adult Media Favorite{{cite web | url=https://avn.com/business/articles/video/xrco-award-winners-announced-784224.html | title=2018 XRCO Award Winners Announced AVN }}
2019 AVN Award – Best Supporting Actress – A Trailer Park Taboo{{cite web | url=https://avn.com/business/articles/video/2019-avn-813648.html | title=2019 AVN Award Winners Announced AVN }}
2019 XBIZ Award – Best Actress, Comedy Release – Dirty Grandpa[http://www.xbizawards.com/winners.php XBIZ Award Winners], XBIZ, January 2019
2019 XBIZ Award – Best Supporting Actress – Talk Derby to Me
2019 XBIZ Award – Best Sex Scene, All-Sex Release (with Ricky Johnson, Isiah Maxwell, & Prince Yahshua) – Joanna Angel Gangbang: As Above, So Below
2019 NightMoves Award – Best Director, Non-Feature (Editor's Choice){{cite web | url=https://avn.com/business/articles/video/winners-announced-of-27th-annual-nightmoves-awards-849603.html | title=Winners Announced of 27th Annual NightMoves Awards AVN }}
2019 Inked Award – Group Scene of the Year (with Karma Rx & Small Hands) – All Access POV 2{{cite web | url=https://www.xbiz.com/news/247847/2019-inked-awards-reveal-new-group-of-winners | title=2019 Inked Awards Reveal New Group of Winners | date=October 26, 2019 }}
2020 XRCO Award – Best Director, Parody{{cite web | url=https://avn.com/business/articles/video/xrco-announces-2020-winners-via-avn-stars-video-892426.html | title=XRCO Announces 2020 Winners Via AVN Stars Video AVN }}
2021 AVN Award – Best Screenplay, Comedy (with Shawn Alff) – Evil Tiki Babes{{cite web | url=https://avn.com/business/articles/video/2021-avn-award-winners-announced-895732.html | title=2021 AVN Award Winners Announced AVN }}
2022 XCritic Award – Best Director, Feature – Casey: A True Story{{cite web | url=https://fleshbot.com/8780726/xcritic-award-winners-2021 | title=XCritic Award Winners - 2021 | date=January 2022 }}
2022 AVN Award – Best Screenplay (with Casey Kisses & Shawn Alff) – Casey: A True Story{{Cite web |last=AVN |first=AVN Staff |title=2022 AVN Award Winners Announced AVN |url=https://avn.com/business/articles/video/2022-avn-award-winners-announced-905527.html |access-date=2022-03-24 |website=AVN}}
2023 Urban X Hall of Fame inductee{{cite web | url=https://avn.com/business/articles/video/urban-x-awards-announces-2023-hall-of-fame-inductees-916862.html | title=Urban X Awards Announces 2023 Hall of Fame Inductees AVN }}}}