Hazel Heart
Interview and Photos by Jorge Lara
Vim Magazine returns in 2025 with our interview with Adult film actress Hazel Heart where we also got to cover for the first time the AVN Adult Film Convention in Las Vegas.
We discuss about how she became involved in the adult film industry, navigating the balance between their professional persona and personal life, how the industry addresses issues like consent, safety, and mental health for performers, the future of pornography and more.
It was also Hazel’s first time attending the convention and she was enthusiastic about getting to experience the event and getting to interact with her fans.
1. Personal Journey and Career
VIM: How did you first become involved in the adult entertainment industry, and what inspired you to pursue this path?
HAZEL HEART: I first became a part of the adult entertainment industry by getting a sugar daddy! I've always been a pretty sexual person so before I got into the industry I had done a lot of hookups however they weren't fulfilling to me so I decided to go get a sugar daddy off of my friend’s suggestion and I really enjoyed it! I was treated as a princess and got comfortable in my body which later lead me down to mainstream porn.
VIM: What has been the most rewarding aspect of your career in this industry?
HAZEL HEART: The most rewarding aspect of my career would be the fact that it's so flexible! I'm a pretty spontaneous person and this career allows me to do anything I want whenever I want! It's also helped me a lot in hitting goals that I've set for myself like buying a house at 21! I feel like without my career i definitely wouldn’t be as blessed as i am now and a definitely owe it to my fans!~
“‘I’m a pretty spontaneous person and this career allows me to do anything I want whenever I want! It’s also helped me a lot in hitting goals that I’ve set for myself like buying a house at 21! ”
VIM: Have there been any significant challenges you've faced along the way, and how have you overcome them?
HAZEL HEART: I personally feel like I haven't had any significant challenges, at least anything big enough to note but if I had to choose one it would be sitting down and talking to my wife to figure out if this is what I wanted to do as a career. It's a lot of work to choose this as a career and requires you to be online a lot which I'm horrible at but it's getting better little by little!
VIM: How do you navigate the balance between your professional persona and your personal life?
HAZEL HEART: Funny enough my professional persona is pretty much how I am as a person. I don't usually post every day on social media so I feel like that in itself helps balance my professional and my personal life! But I do pride myself in not putting a professional persona up so that fans can see me at my true self!~
2. Industry Insight and Work Environment
VIM: How do you view the current state of the adult entertainment industry, especially in terms of changes in technology and audience expectations?
HAZEL HEART: I feel like the current state of the adult entertainment industry is in the works like it's changing but we're in the middle of it changing. It's expanded so much in the last couple years in both technology to where it's really easy to upload your work to a site and directly to fans. As for audience expectations there's a market for everything now you've just got to find your niche! So in my brain if you don't like the expectations you can go find someone else that will like what you put out.
VIM: How has the rise of platforms like OnlyFans or subscription-based content affected your career or the industry as a whole?
HAZEL HEART: In my eyes the rise of OnlyFans / subscription based content has changed the industry by giving others more direct control over their careers! For me personally and I’m sure many others, these platforms have given us the opportunity for financial freedom and a way to talk directly with our fans!~ They’ve also allowed for more creative freedom on what we shoot and the ability to not have to be somewhere in person you can film a video or take a picture anywhere and upload it directly to fans!
VIM: How does the industry address issues like consent, safety, and mental health for performers?
HAZEL HEART: They’re actually really good with that stuff! Consent is a huge deal! Nothing happens unless everyone’s 100% on the same page and communication is super open! We always have a talk about yes’s and no’s! We also go over what is going to happen on set beforehand so that makes me more assured! Safety is a big priority too, with lots of talks and safe words to make sure everything stays professional and comfortable. Mental health might be the area that needs the most improvement, but honestly, it’s not something that’s widely talked about in society as a whole, even today. That said, I know the people around me would absolutely support me if I were facing any mental health challenges, and I think many others in the industry could say the same.
“The biggest misconception I’d love to clear up is that the adult industry is just an easy way to make money or that it’s not a ‘real’ job. It’s definitely a legit profession that takes so much emotional labor, effort, creativity, consistency, and business smarts! ”
VIM: Are there any common misconceptions about working in adult entertainment that you'd like to clear up?
HAZEL HEART: The biggest misconception I’d love to clear up is that the adult industry is just an easy way to make money or that it’s not a ‘real’ job. It’s definitely a legit profession that takes so much emotional labor, effort, creativity, consistency, and business smarts! Most performers are out here managing their own branding, marketing, and finances—basically running their own business, just like any other entrepreneur.
And honestly, that’s just the starting point! To actually be successful, you’ve got to create content consistently and juggle relationships with tens to hundreds (sometimes thousands!) of fans. It’s a lot more work than people realize!
3. Representation and Diversity
VIM: How do you see the industry evolving in terms of diversity and inclusion? Are there positive changes happening in this regard?
HAZEL HEART: I think the industry is already evolving in terms of diversity and inclusion! When I first started they said girls with tattoos wouldn't be able to be successful in the industry but now we have some huge names that are pretty tatted! So it’s definitely evolving in my eyes slowly but surely. We are also getting a lot more people from different cultures joining but I think a little more representation for roles outside of the standard teen, milf, and sexy would be nice!
VIM: Do you feel that performers are given enough control over their own narrative and image, or do you think the industry can improve in this area?
HAZEL HEART: I do think that performers are given control over their own narrative however starting out in the industry can be very intimidating so I've noticed a lot of these girls that come in don't know what's going to sell so they look to their agent for advice. Then over time they don't want to be that specific image anymore but they feel like they have to because that's what’s going to sell the most. So they kind of create this box and keep themselves in the box but they're more than welcome to leave the box whenever they want if that makes sense. So what I'm getting at is you can do whatever you want but there are certain things that will sell better. So it's up to the person if they want to stay true to themselves or if they want to fit a role to sell better.
“I think that sexuality is something of self discovery and it’s a big responsibility to expect the adult industry to be the main source of helping individuals find their sexuality! ”
VIM: What role do you think adult entertainment should play in promoting positive, realistic depictions of sexuality?
HAZEL HEART: I think that sexuality is something of self discovery and it's a big responsibility to expect the adult industry to be the main source of helping individuals find their sexuality! I definitely think it would help if there were more realistic depictions of what sexuality can look like but at the end of the day what we do is all fantasy! Most of our positions are very uncomfortable and would not be as enjoyable if done in personal lives. Some people mostly act for their scenes, others enjoy the act and our shoot days are an average of six hours of intercourse which is obviously not the standard. So I don't think in its current state it does a good job but I do think If the industry provided a couple videos where it was more realistic than people would understand that what we're doing right now is a fantasy and to not expect that in their personal sex lives.
4. Public Perception and Stigma
VIM: How do you handle the public perception and stigma that often surrounds the adult entertainment industry?
HAZEL HEART: I'm a pretty unique case in the way that those things have never really affected me yet. My family was very accepting when they found out and I keep a pretty small circle that also accepts me. As for the people that may recognize me in public they're always excited to see me and as for the rest of the population no one knows what I do so I fly under the radar really well. If I do get some attention online negatively I usually tell the person that they hurt my feelings if they did and then they usually stop commenting negative things or apologize.
VIM: Do you think the industry is becoming more accepted in mainstream culture, or is there still a lot of judgment to overcome?
HAZEL HEART: I think the industry is definitely becoming more accepted especially with the rise of OnlyFans. It's become I dare I say normalized and something that I'm praised for quite a bit. I can't speak on anyone else's experience but mine have always been positive.
VIM: How do you respond to critics who argue that the porn industry exploits its performers?
HAZEL HEART: I would say that it's not true! Everyone knows what they sign up for beforehand, like what you need to bring to a shoot, how much you're getting paid and there's always talks about consent in everything beforehand so I feel like it's very open. However and this is just my personal opinion, I think that performers should get paid a little more because there are so many hidden costs to do a shoot (nails, wardrobe, testing, etc.)! However that's coming from a performer's perspective without knowing the inner workings of what goes on with budgeting and whatnot! Ohh but I totally forgot you could also negotiate for pay too but the industry is very competitive so it’s completely up to the person!
5. The Future of Pornography
VIM: Where do you see the adult entertainment industry heading in the next 5 to 10 years?
HAZEL HEART: I definitely think it's gonna balance out in the future. I don’t think it will ever be as big as it was in the 80’s to early 2000’s but I think it will find a way to adapt. I don't think subscription based websites are gonna go anywhere. They are going to stay and be a lot more prevalent in the next couple years in my opinion! Oh and I think VR is going to be very big as well! If you haven’t seen a VR scene or trailer it’s crazy how realistic it feels!
VIM: How do you feel about the potential of virtual reality, AI, and other new technologies in the industry?
HAZEL HEART: As I said in my previous question I think virtual reality is going to explode in the next five years just because I've seen a couple of the scenes with the headset and it feels so real I genuinely jumped back while watching a video before. I'm not too educated on the AI scene so I can't speak on that but I've definitely seen a lot more AI ads lately so I think that will also come into the space but how it will affect the industry I'm not sure.
VIM: Do you think the conversation around pornography and its impact on society is shifting, and if so, in what ways?
HAZEL HEART: It feels like people are moving past the simple "porn is good" or "porn is bad" debate and diving into a deeper discussion about how it affects society, personal lives, and culture. This shift is getting people to think more about ethical practices, encouraging a healthier relationship with their sexuality and to be mindful of media use. I think if people continue to look at our industry with an open mind it will continue to impact our industry in a positive way but I still think there are a couple things we need to tackle to keep moving in a positive direction!
6. Personal Reflections and Advice
VIM: What advice would you give to someone who is considering entering the adult entertainment industry?
HAZEL HEART: My main piece of advice is make sure it's something you want to do and understand that everyone including your family will find out eventually. There's no avoiding it so before you join just make sure you're completely okay with that and maybe falling out with people who find out because you can never predict how someone will react.
VIM: How do you stay mentally and emotionally healthy in an industry that can sometimes be draining or stigmatized?
HAZEL HEART: I am very blessed because I have my wife! She is a main factor in keeping me mentally and emotionally happy while having a career like this. Since she was also in the industry, she truly understands what I do each day. If I have a particularly mentally or emotionally draining day I know I'm always supported by her to the fullest extent and at the end of the day this is work. Anything that happened that day doesn't have to follow me home, I can leave it all behind when I’m with her to just be me.
VIM: What would you want your legacy in the industry to be, both for your career and for the broader community of performers?
HAZEL HEART: I want my legacy to be that I was a great performer that loved her job especially when it came to the oral department!~ Who was always nice, bubbly, on time, well prepared and overall a joy to be around or have on set. If I accomplished that then I would be satisfied but if I wanted a little bit more I would like to be nominated for an award next year!~ As for the community I would like the legacy to be that yes although we have intercourse on camera that we're just people who are doing our jobs like anyone else and that we try to help society in a different way. I know it seems unconventional but when you do want to explore new things I think our industry and proper research help thousands of people explore in a safe way.
