Chanel Preston
Chanel Preston (born Rachel Ann Taylor; December 1, 1985) is an American pornographic actress and director.[1] She entered the adult film industry in 2010 at age 24, following prior work as an esthetician and at a gentlemen's club, and has since performed in over 500 scenes while also directing since 2015.[2][1][3] Preston received nine nominations at the 2014 AVN Awards, including for Female Performer of the Year, and co-hosted the ceremony that year.[4] Earlier accolades include Best New Starlet wins from XRCO, NightMoves, XCritic, CAVR, and Galaxy in 2011, marking her rapid rise in the industry.[4]Early Life
Upbringing and Family Background
Chanel Preston was born on December 1, 1985, in Fairbanks, Alaska.[5] She grew up in the state as the youngest of three daughters, with two older sisters, in a family whose parents remained married as of 2013.[6] Her parents proved supportive of her later professional pursuits in the adult industry.[6] Preston's childhood involved typical adolescent phases, including a persistent interest in performance from an early age, such as reciting lines from William Shakespeare in community theater and entertaining her family with magic tricks.[7] [8] She did not participate in common Alaskan outdoor activities like hunting or fishing.[6] Of English, German, and Spanish descent, she relocated to Hawaii at age 19, living there for six years before entering the adult entertainment field.[9][3]Education and Pre-Industry Work
Preston was born on December 1, 1985, in Fairbanks, Alaska, where she spent her early years and completed secondary education amid a school system noted for its comprehensive sex education curriculum spanning elementary through high school levels.[10] At age 19, she relocated to Hawaii, residing there for six years while pursuing postsecondary options.[3] During this period, she attended college intermittently for roughly three years, opting out of loans and self-funding her studies without completing a degree.[11] In Hawaii, Preston obtained certification as an esthetician and took on a managerial role for a skincare product line, marking her initial professional engagements in the beauty sector.[1] Following this, she transitioned to employment as a stripper at a gentlemen's club, working in that capacity for approximately 18 months before entering the adult entertainment industry in early 2010 at age 24.[1][3] These roles reflected her early interest in performance and client-facing professions, though no formal higher education credentials beyond the esthetician license are documented.[1]Career
Entry into Adult Entertainment
Preston transitioned into adult entertainment after working as a stripper for over a year in Hawaii, where she had relocated at age 19 and resided for six years.[1] She held an esthetician's license and managed a skin care product line prior to stripping, but sought higher earnings, leading her to contact an adult industry agent during travels across U.S. states.[1] At 24 years old, she debuted in January 2010, filming her initial scene with male performer Nick Manning for Vivid Entertainment's Brand New Faces series, a platform introducing newcomers through audition-style content.[12][13] Her entry aligned with a period of rapid industry expansion in gonzo and feature productions; by March 2010, she had relocated to Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley, known as Porn Valley, to pursue full-time performing for major studios including Vivid, Hustler Video, and Wicked Pictures.[7][13] Preston emphasized fan interaction from the outset, spending hours daily on online platforms to build visibility, which facilitated her website launch later that year.[14] This early networking contributed to her swift acclaim, earning XRCO and NightMoves Best New Starlet awards in 2010 despite limited prior scenes.[2]Film Performances and Studio Work
Chanel Preston debuted in the adult film industry in January 2010 at age 24, performing her first scene with Nick Manning for Vivid Entertainment. [12] [2] By December 2010, she signed a four-picture deal with Exquisite Films, marking an early milestone in her studio collaborations. [15] Over her career spanning 2010 to 2024, Preston appeared in approximately 1,399 videos and webscenes, working with over 197 studios and networks. [2] [16] Major studios include Sweet Sinner, Evil Angel, Digital Playground, Brazzers, Reality Kings, Kink.com, Jules Jordan Video, Elegant Angel, Hard X, Girlfriends Films, Pure Taboo, Naughty America, and Wicked Pictures, among others like Hustler Video and Zero Tolerance. [2] [7] Her work features prominently on networks such as MYLF, Team Skeet, Blacked.com, and Tushy.com. [17] Preston's performances cover diverse genres, including heterosexual encounters, anal sex, double penetration, group scenes, all-girl interactions, interracial content, and fetish elements via Kink.com. [2] [18] Notable scenes include her first anal, double penetration, and gangbang appearances, as documented in specialized compilations. [18] Early highlights encompass Breast in Class 2 (2011, nominated for Best Double Penetration Sex Scene) and Sexual Messiah 2 (2012, nominated for Best Anal Sex Scene). [2] In 2012, she starred in Chanel Preston: No Limits for Zero Tolerance, showcasing varied heterosexual and all-girl content. [19] A 2013 interracial anal performance in Ass to Mouth Mandingo's 14 Cock highlighted her willingness to engage in extreme acts, including ass-to-mouth and facials. [20] Later works extended to virtual reality and POV formats across platforms like Digital Playground and Brazzers. [2] [21] No long-term exclusive contracts were reported, allowing broad studio affiliations. [2]
Directing, Production, and Other Ventures
Preston entered directing in the adult film industry with her debut project for James Deen Productions, announced on December 10, 2014, which was an all-girl production.[22][23] The resulting film, All In Your Head, was released in 2015 under James Deen Productions and categorized as all-sex content.[24] Industry databases credit Preston with directing seven pornographic movies overall, featuring performers including Dana DeArmond, Aidra Fox, AJ Applegate, and Aria Alexander.[25] In a 2015 interview, she described directing as embracing unexpected outcomes inherent to the role, reflecting on challenges in production logistics and creative execution.[26] No verified records indicate Preston's ownership or executive production of adult content studios, though her directing work involved scene oversight and performer coordination typical of entry-level production roles in the sector.[2] Beyond on-set directing, her ventures include feature dancing appearances, a common extension for adult performers to diversify income through live events.[27]Sex Education Initiatives
In March 2014, Preston initiated "Naked with Chanel," a web series dedicated to sex education, examining the influence of pornography and media on perceptions of sexuality and intimacy.[28] The program featured discussions on topics such as consent, body image, and realistic sexual expectations, positioning pornography as a tool for exploring sexuality rather than a substitute for comprehensive sex education.[10] Preston, drawing from her industry experience, argued that relying on adult films for practical sex education is misguided, as they prioritize fantasy over anatomical accuracy or emotional dynamics, potentially leading viewers to unrealistic standards.[10] Preston has advocated for performer education on safe sex within the adult industry through her role as president of the Adult Performer's Advocacy Committee (APAC), co-founded in 2014 with James Deen to promote workplace safety protocols.[29] APAC emphasized mandatory STI testing—typically weekly or bi-weekly—over condom mandates, claiming rigorous screening and scene non-performances during positive tests minimized transmission risks more effectively than barriers alone.[29] In February 2016, she testified before California's Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board against a proposed condom requirement for adult productions, highlighting data from industry clinics showing low HIV positivity rates (under 0.1% in tested performers) under existing voluntary testing regimes.[30][31] These efforts reflect Preston's broader stance that education on sexual health should prioritize evidence-based prevention, such as frequent testing and hygiene, tailored to high-exposure environments like adult filming, rather than one-size-fits-all regulations that could drive production underground and erode oversight.[29] No formal public workshops or school-based programs have been documented in association with her initiatives.Awards and Recognition
Major Industry Awards
Chanel Preston garnered recognition for her debut performances with multiple Best New Starlet awards in 2011, including the XBIZ New Starlet of the Year.[32] She also shared the XRCO Best New Starlet award that year with Allie Haze, as announced by the X-Rated Critics Organization.[33] Subsequent wins highlighted specific scenes: in 2013, Preston received the XBIZ Award for Best Scene in a Gonzo/Non-Feature Release for her work with Nacho Vidal.[34] The following year, at the 2014 AVN Awards, she won Most Outrageous Sex Scene for "Get My Belt," directed by Jules Jordan Video.[35] In 2015, the Free Speech Coalition awarded her Performer of the Year, acknowledging her contributions amid industry advocacy efforts.[36] These accolades, from peer- and critic-voted organizations like AVN, XBIZ, and XRCO, underscore her rapid ascent but remain limited compared to sustained performer-of-the-year honors in top categories.Nominations and Notable Appearances
Chanel Preston has received numerous nominations from prominent adult industry award bodies, particularly from the AVN Awards and XBIZ Awards, reflecting her consistent recognition for performances across various genres. For the 2014 AVN Awards, she earned nine nominations, including Female Performer of the Year, Best Actress for The Sexual Liberation of Anna Lee, and Best All-Girl Group Sex Scene for These Are My Confessions.[37] In the 2013 AVN Awards, she was nominated for Best Actress in a group scene from Chanel Preston: No Limits and other categories tied to ensemble works.[19] Additional AVN nominations include Best Group Sex Scene in 2013 for a scene featuring multiple performers in Chanel Preston: No Limits.[19] In XBIZ Awards, Preston secured four nominations for the 2013 ceremony, encompassing Female Performer of the Year, Best Scene - Vignette Release for These Are My Confessions, and Best Supporting Actress.[38] She also received a Female Performer of the Year nomination for the 2012 XBIZ Awards, highlighting her early career momentum.[39] Other organizations provided further nods; for instance, the X-Rated Critics Organization (XRCO) nominated her in two categories for the 2012 awards, including recognition for her rising prominence.[40] The NightMoves Awards honored her with three nominations in one year, such as Best Female Performer.[41] Spank Bank Awards, a fan-voted accolade tracked by industry databases, nominated her in categories like Baroness of Licking Lady Ass in 2017 and multiple humorous or skill-based entries in subsequent years.[42]| Year | Award Body | Key Nominations |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | AVN | Female Performer of the Year; Best Actress (The Sexual Liberation of Anna Lee); Best All-Girl Group Sex Scene (These Are My Confessions)[37] |
| 2013 | XBIZ | Female Performer of the Year; Best Scene - Vignette Release (These Are My Confessions); Best Supporting Actress[38] |
| 2012 | XBIZ | Female Performer of the Year[39] |
| 2012 | XRCO | Unspecified rising star and performance categories[40] |