Against The Grain With Sasha Grey

Sasha Grey is a woman of many titles: porn star, model, actress, musician, author- but don’t you dare call her a victim.

The 21 year old sexual circus accurately calls herself the “new breed” of porn star- a warrior antithesis of the stereotypical starry-eyed daddy-issue-laden victim, prettily-packaged fresh meat to the slaughter of an industry designed to grind. A performance artist with passion, Sasha’s in the business because she wants to be, she has a clear vision and her enthusiasm for her craft has quickly established a widespread association between her name and the raunchiest, hottest action on film.

Among her more, uh, reputable gifts is a knack for blazing into territories on-camera that make even her male co-stars do double-takes. The perfect example lies in her very first sex scene, a moment that immediately put her on the radar of the freak brigade. While getting hammered by phallic legend Rocco Siffredi, the pale, barely legal petite asked her co-star to punch her in the stomach. ‘Cause that’s just how she rolls. Needless to say, you can rest assured that if Sasha Grey’s name is on the box, a wild ride awaits the watcher.

In addition to a documentary about her life as a porn star and an “experimental music/art project” called ATelecine, Sasha’s also set to star in Steven Soderbergh’s The Girlfriend Experience, a mainstream crossover about a high-priced Manhattan call-girl that’s bound to generate a hellstorm of controversy.

Naturally, we felt an inclination to have a few words with the wild child.

Antiquiet: Hi Sasha! Thanks for taking the time to kick down a bit of wisdom. What’s the scene around you this very moment?

Sasha Grey: My sweaty head and armpits, gleaming outside of my beautiful canyon home listening to the birds as I lazily wake up.

Antiquiet: I think I saw you at the Jane’s Addiction show at the Echoplex a couple weeks ago. How fucking incredible was it to see the whole original lineup together again? Let alone at a tiny-ass club like that.

Sasha Grey: It was great- obviously I had never been to a Jane’s show so this was a big deal for me, unlike most of the lazy crowd! What is it about LA crowds, it’s like they are waiting for George Clinton to step out of his mothership and scare everyone away! Damn!

Antiquiet: We’re fans of pretty much all the bands you listed on your MySpace profile- what would be your ideal multiple headliner show?

Sasha Grey: Parliament, Black Sabbath, Ice Cube, TG, Coil (R.I.P. John Balance), Miles Davis, Talking Heads, Current 93, Pumpkins, Black Flag, and Hendrix… I can’t stop damnit!

Antiquiet: How would you describe ATelecine? Where can people hear it?

Sasha Grey: Experimental psychedelic death dub …for now: myspace.com/atelecine. We just sold out of our first EP and there is a full length album in the works.

Antiquiet: Speaking of, what the hell’s going on with your website?

Sasha Grey: I am learning to be my own webmaster so it’s taking much longer than expected. It should be up by the end of March. Trust me you will want it that way in the end (double entendre).

Antiquiet: Naturally, there’s a different mood for different kinds of sex, but what’s the best fuck music? Specifics please!

Sasha Grey: Any non kitsch metal or This Mortal Coil. Sorry, I can’t be too specific.

Antiquiet: Your Wikipedia page says you cite Bowie and Jean-Luc Godard as the bigest influences on your life and career. How do they inspire you?

Sasha Grey: Don’t you love how people put part one of something you said, but leave out the details?  They are two people who always evolved, and challenged the rules and not enough people in this day and age know how to live like that.

Antiquiet: A lot of panties are bunched and feathers ruffled over you getting into mainstream films. Care to comment on that, and break down your involvement in The Girlfriend Experience?

Sasha Grey: No, I don’t really care what people think. I could sit here all day listening and reading bullshit. I’d rather succeed while my haters live a miserable meaningless life. For me, acting in GFE is another great opportunity it is a way for me to diversify and challenge the status quo. I don’t see a division of having a porn and mainstream career like 97% of people probably do, I see this as living my life to it’s fullest potential.

Antiquiet: Where do you want to go from here in the mainstream industry? Any other projects in the works?

Sasha Grey: I would like the opportunity to play an ugly character- someone who people think I can’t become. My website SashaGrey.com, a graphic novel, a documentary called 9 to 5 days in porn which is touring festivals right now, another doc just about my adventure and experience from 18 to 21… plenty of fabulous print editorial work, and working on the smutful mind that is SG, and a bounty of other projects I can’t talk about just yet…

Antiquiet: Fair enough. Belladona’s an amazing performer- the queen of extreme. You’ve said the following about her: “She is an inspiration to me and an electric energy that this universe is lucky to have.” What makes her so, and how has she influenced you in your work?

Sasha Grey: She loves what she does, and that can be hard to come across in the adult business; she really is a porn star not a porn chick. She was a great counselor for me in the beginning of my career and I will always thank her for that, she has a lot to offer to new girls in the business.

Antiquiet: In addition to your clear confidence and physical beauty, you’re packing two secret weapons that set you apart from most others- your ability to deep-throat and your enthusiasm for anal (for which we enthusiastically applaud you). How do you prepare your mind and body before a scene? Most people seem to think you just show up at work, do a line and get to it- but that seems like a pretty shitty cliché.

Sasha Grey: I start my preparation the evening before. I get my shit ready, and I even write dialogue at times to fuck with my partner in the scene. On set, after makeup, and before the sex… I do an affirmation and psych myself up to mentally prepare for the scene. I think a lot of people take this for granted, and you give so much energy during a scene, I think it’s vital that you stay grounded and aware.

Antiquiet: When asked to describe your physical self, you’ve pointed other interviewers to the Google search feature. What about films? What are the best three films to introduce new fans to your work?

Sasha Grey: That’s really hard to answer, because everyone likes something different. Some people may enjoy the hardcore scenes I’ve done, and others will enjoy the softer, romantic scenes I’ve done. It’s safe to say, that if you like a certain company, I’d look for scenes I’ve done for them!

Antiquiet: What’s the worst thing a girl getting into the industry could do?

Sasha Grey: That’s a pretty broad question, and I think it would be unfair to answer it in an interview because it could be sorely misinterpreted. But I’ll give you one: Don’t be a crack head and think this is a rock and roll lifestyle.

Antiquiet: Besides real tits and black metal, what turns you on?

Sasha Grey: People who think for themselves.

Antiquiet: What gets you off the most?

Sasha Grey: Walt Disney’s boner… honestly Space Mountain, Thunder Mountain- you see were I’m going with this- and Janeane Garofalo, I think she’s brilliant.

Antiquiet: How does that answer differ with men, women and by yourself?

Sasha Grey: Oh it don’t!!!

Antiquiet: Do you spell it cum or come? I can never decide.

Sasha Grey: Come, cum just looks lame and pathetic.

Antiquiet: Do you support condom-only porn, and if so, how do you reconcile that with the obvious visual buzzkill?

Sasha Grey: I always say, if non porn performers (i.e. civilians) were having the type of sex us filth mongrels are, you would most likely be wearing condoms.

Antiquiet: How has porn affected your sexual reality off-camera?

Sasha Grey: It’s made me appreciate foreplay and oral sex a lot more; when you have a busy week you can’t fuck like a bunny at home (you don’t want to be too sore to perform). Clemens can’t play back yard catch with his kid any ol’ day of the week… if you follow me.

Antiquiet: We certainly do. What advice do you have for guys who want to bring out the inner freak in their girl?

Sasha Grey: Talk to her, but don’t be condescending. If you want to come on her face, don’t say, “Hey let me drop this load on you,” Say something softer like, “Can I do it somewhere else this time?” Try talking to her when you know you won’t be having sex in the next hour, or directly after sex so not to kill the mood!

Antiquiet: What’s up with LA Factory Girls?

Sasha Grey: I’ll give you the short version; it was really a way to establish myself as independent of my old agent… Whether we bring in more girls… I will know more in the next six months. It’s a busy year for SG.

Antiquiet: What’s the coolest shit you’ve discovered in the past week?

Sasha Grey: This new Canon 5D that records some sick ass video as well. And new to me the ARP 2600… modular synth.

Antiquiet: You’ve got 48 hours to live. What do you do?

Sasha Grey: Screen an original print of Shadows… Rip off and drink the rarest single malt scotch in the world and then my lover and I sail off in our 1963 Bermudan Sloop 30ft. yacht.