Yurizan Beltran

{{short description|American pornographic actress and model (1986-2017)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Yurizan Beltran

| image = Yurizan Beltran 2013.jpg

| caption = Beltran in 2013

| other_names = Yuri Luv

| birth_name = Yurizan Beltrán

| birth_date = {{birth date|1986|11|02}}

| birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2017|12|13|1986|11|02}}

| death_place = Bellflower, California, U.S.

| death_cause = Drug overdose

| occupation = {{hlist|Pornographic film actress|model|actress}}

| years_active = 2005–2017

}}

Yurizan Beltrán (November 2, 1986 – December 13, 2017) was an American pornographic actress, model, and mainstream actress.{{Cite web|title=Why porn stars are dying at an alarming rate|url=https://nypost.com/2018/01/23/why-porn-stars-are-dying-at-an-alarming-rate/|last=Massarella|first=Linda|date=2018-01-24|website=New York Post|language=en|access-date=2020-05-12}} In addition to her successful pornographic and modeling career, Beltran also starred in the 2006 horror film Werewolf in a Women's Prison and the 2017 romantic comedy Rice on White.

During her pornographic career, Beltran received positive attention from her critics and peers. Over the course of her career, Beltran received multiple high industry award nominations from AVN, NMA, XBIZ, and the XRCO.{{Cite web|title=Sex, Death, and Social Media at the Annual Porn Awards|url=https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/7xe5mq/sex-death-and-social-media-at-the-annual-porn-awards|last=Perry|first=Kevin EG|date=2018-02-01|website=Vice|language=en|access-date=2020-05-12}}

On December 13, 2017, she was found dead in her California apartment of an apparent drug overdose.{{Cite web|title=After August Ames, Yurizan Beltran accidentally overdosed on prescription pills, friend says|url=https://www.newsweek.com/yurizan-beltran-yuri-luv-dead-overdose-pills-751574|last=EST|first=Maria Vultaggio On 12/18/17 at 2:23 PM|date=2017-12-18|website=Newsweek|language=en|access-date=2024-01-20}}{{Cite web|title=New Details About The Mysterious Death Of Adult Film Star Olivia Nova — And Three Other Porn Stars Who Died The Past Two Months|url=https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/details-mysterious-death-adult-film-032247206.html|website=www.yahoo.com|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-12|archive-date=2019-06-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190614120702/https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/details-mysterious-death-adult-film-032247206.html|url-status=dead}}

Career

Beginning in 2003, Beltran began doing feature modeling and appearances in Southern California as a Hooters girl. In 2005, she began adult modeling when she decided to launch her first website, SweetYurizan.com. In 2006, she appeared in her first mainstream film a low budget horror film Werewolf in a Women's Prison.

In 2005, Beltran was featured in her first adult film, a non-sex solo performance for JB Video titled Yurizan. In 2006 and 2007, Beltran only modeled, she was featured by Hustler, Playboy, and Penthouse.{{Cite web|title=Yurizan Beltran - Penthouse Galleries|url=http://www.penthouse-galleries.net/yurizan_beltran.html|website=www.penthouse-galleries.net|access-date=2020-05-12}} She was also a covergirl for Lowrider, posing in a gold bikini with a Chevrolet convertible in the magazine's December issue.{{Cite web|title=IN MEMORY OF YURIZAN BELTRAN|url=https://www.lowrider.com/girls/memory-yurizan-beltran/|last=Mendoza|first=Beto|date=18 December 2017|website=lowrider.com|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-05-11}}{{Cite web|title=LOWRIDER MODEL – YURIZAN BELTRAN – DEC 2005|url=https://www.lowrider.com/girls/0512lrm-yurizan-beltran-lowrider-girl/|last=Lowrider|first=Staff|date=30 November 2005|website=lowrider.com|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-05-11}} In 2009, she returned to porn only shooting lesbian, solo or non-sex films. She shot with New Sensations, Reality Kings, Digital Playground, and Twistys.com.

In the 2010 film Big Tits Round Asses 20 by Bang Bros, Beltran made her boy/girl scene debut. In 2011, she was nominated for Best Web Star 28th AVN Awards. Also in 2011, Beltran began working with Brazzers, and shot six films with them that year. In 2012, she continued her success and was nominated for Unsung Starlet of the Year at the 29th AVN Awards as well as Best Latina Performer from NightMoves Awards.

At the 30th AVN Awards, Beltran was nominated for Best All-Girl Group Sex Scene for her work in Training Day: a XXX Parody with her co-stars Chanel Preston and Nyomi Banxxx.{{Cite web|title=Internet Adult Film Database|url=http://www.iafd.com/person.asp?perfid=yurizan&gender=f&yurizan-beltran.htm|website=www.iafd.com|language=en|access-date=2020-05-12}}

In 2017, she played Jade in the romantic comedy film Rice on White directed by Talun Hsu.{{cite web|title=Rice on White|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6014442/|website=IMDb|access-date=2024-01-20}}

Death

Beltran died of a drug overdose at her apartment in Bellflower, California on December 13, 2017. She was found by her landlord, lying in her bed, beside a spilled pill bottle.{{Cite web|title=Yurizan Beltran Passes Away AVN|url=https://avn.com/business/articles/video/yurizan-beltran-passes-away-753540.html|last=AVN|first=Dan Miller and Peter Warren|website=AVN|access-date=2020-05-12}} On April 17, 2018 the LA Medical Examiner revealed her official cause of death was bronchopneumonia, or inflammation of the lungs, which was caused by an overdose of the prescription opioid hydrocodone.{{Cite web|title=Adult Film Actress Yurizan Beltran Died from Opioid Overdose|url=https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2018/04/adult-film-actress-yurizan-beltran-died-from-opioid-overdose|website=Complex|language=en|access-date=2020-05-12}}{{Cite web|title=California porn star Yurizan Beltran died primarily of drug overdose, says LA coroner|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/04/17/porn-star-yurizan-beltran-died-primarily-of-drug-overdose-says-la-coroner/|date=2018-04-17|website=The Mercury News|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-12}}

There were a number of other high-profile deaths in the porn industry around the same time: Shyla Stylez died in November 2017; August Ames committed suicide eight days prior to Beltran's death; and in January 2018, Olivia Lua and Olivia Nova died.{{Cite web|title=5 young female porn stars dead in 3 months: What is behind recent spate of deaths?|url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/5-young-female-porn-stars-dead-in-3-months-what-is-behind-recent-spate-of-deaths|last=Miles|first=Frank|date=2018-01-21|website=Fox News|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-12}} Their deaths generated discussion regarding whether the adult industry was doing enough for performers' physical and mental health, in light of the demands the industry places on its performers, particularly female ones.{{Cite magazine|title=Is the Porn Industry Doing Enough for Performers' Mental Health?|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/is-the-porn-industry-doing-enough-for-performers-mental-health-200072/|last=Swann|first=Jennifer|date=2018-01-18|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US|access-date=2024-01-20}}