Call it a comeback if you like—Kaylani Lei’s got the 2008 Comeback hardware from Adam Film World and the XRCO to back it up. AVN tossed its hat in too, handing her a Best Actress nod for the soulful lead in "Candelabra" and tagging Brad Armstrong’s "Kaylani Unleashed" for Best High-End All-Sex Release. Steam keeps rising in 2009: Michael Raven’s shadowy sex-horror flick "The Wicked" earns her another Best Actress mention, and she and Wicked sister Mikayla Mendez snag a Best Group Sex Scene nod with the whole cast. Critics make it look easy, but the climb’s been pure grit. Born in Singapore to Filipino parents, she bounced around Massachusetts, Virginia, Ohio, Maine, then took a year trotting stallions in Ireland. From there came the stripper poles of Vegas and a quick pivot to porn. Los Angeles snapped her up; Raven’s guidance sharpened the edge. Titles like "Angel X" and "Wicked Auditions 2" put her on the map. Impressed, Wicked owner Steve Orenstein locked her into an exclusive deal. First release, "Blue Rain," landed an AVN Editor’s Choice and even MTV airtime. Follow-up "Eye of the Beholder" was another critical slam-dunk. Between shoots she hosted "Me So Horny with Kaylani Lei" on KSEXRadio, hobnobbed on Playboy TV, and popped up in 50 Cent’s interactive DVD "Groupie Love," which grabbed two AVN trophies. By 2004 she’d racked up Best Actress and Best New Starlet nods. Later credits—"One Night in Vegas," "Sweatshop," "Between the Sheets," "Erotik," "Candelabra," "Porn Valley"—showcased range and heat, topping off with a 2007 Best Supporting Actress nod for "Curse Eternal." Red-carpet appearances and extra roles in "The Accidental Hooker," "Bad Girls," "Next," "Operation Desert Stormy," "The Oracle," and "Fame" kept her face in the mix. Right now, riding "The Wicked," she’s sitting at the top. Catch the show at www.kaylanixxx.com.
Call it a comeback if you like—Kaylani Lei’s got the 2008 Comeback hardware from Adam Film World and the XRCO to back it up. AVN tossed its hat in too, handing her a Best Actress nod for the soulful lead in "Candelabra" and tagging Brad Armstrong’s "Kaylani Unleashed" for Best High-End All-Sex Release. Steam keeps rising in 2009: Michael Raven’s shadowy sex-horror flick "The Wicked" earns her another Best Actress mention, and she and Wicked sister Mikayla Mendez snag a Best Group Sex Scene nod with the whole cast. Critics make it look easy, but the climb’s been pure grit. Born in Singapore to Filipino parents, she bounced around Massachusetts, Virginia, Ohio, Maine, then took a year trotting stallions in Ireland. From there came the stripper poles of Vegas and a quick pivot to porn. Los Angeles snapped her up; Raven’s guidance sharpened the edge. Titles like "Angel X" and "Wicked Auditions 2" put her on the map. Impressed, Wicked owner Steve Orenstein locked her into an exclusive deal. First release, "Blue Rain," landed an AVN Editor’s Choice and even MTV airtime. Follow-up "Eye of the Beholder" was another critical slam-dunk. Between shoots she hosted "Me So Horny with Kaylani Lei" on KSEXRadio, hobnobbed on Playboy TV, and popped up in 50 Cent’s interactive DVD "Groupie Love," which grabbed two AVN trophies. By 2004 she’d racked up Best Actress and Best New Starlet nods. Later credits—"One Night in Vegas," "Sweatshop," "Between the Sheets," "Erotik," "Candelabra," "Porn Valley"—showcased range and heat, topping off with a 2007 Best Supporting Actress nod for "Curse Eternal." Red-carpet appearances and extra roles in "The Accidental Hooker," "Bad Girls," "Next," "Operation Desert Stormy," "The Oracle," and "Fame" kept her face in the mix. Right now, riding "The Wicked," she’s sitting at the top. Catch the show at www.kaylanixxx.com.