Sean Michaels (actor)

Sean Michaels (born February 20, 1958) is an American pornographic actor, model, director and trade union leader. In 2002, AVN ranked him 14th on their list of The Top 50 Porn Stars of All Time.[1] Michaels has also been inducted into the AVN, NightMoves, and XRCO Halls of Fame.

For the wrestler, see Shawn Michaels.
Sean Michaels
Michaels in Los Angeles, California in 2011
Born (1958-02-20) February 20, 1958
New York City, New York, US
Years active1989–present

Early life

Michaels was born Andre Allen and raised in Brooklyn, New York.[2] He attended Boys and Girls High School, the oldest public high school in Brooklyn.[2][3] After moving to the West Coast, he worked as a nurse for an urgent care facility in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles. He also did runway and print modeling prior to entering the industry.

Career

Michaels started out in the adult industry as a nude model. Dissatisfied with the portrayal of black men in porn, he began performing in adult films in 1989. He chose his porn name by combining the names from two celebrities he admired: his last name refers to Michael Jordan and "Sean" is a reference to Sean Connery (whom Michaels described in an interview as "a man's man, on and off camera"). Michaels gained recognition after appearing in John Leslie's 1990 film Oh What A Night. In 1996, he started Sean Michaels Productions, which was changed to Sean Michaels International the following year when Anabolic Video began handling its distribution.

In 2003, Michaels was issued a cease and desist order by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) on the use of his name due to the similarity it had to WWE wrestler Shawn Michaels. Michaels name was already registered as a trademark, while Shawn Michaels had not registered his moniker.[4]

Along with Lisa Ann and Nikki Benz, Michaels hosted the XRCO Awards in April 2010.[5] In 2018, he performed in his first bisexual scene for Kick Ass Pictures. In regards to the scene, Michaels commented, "I feel strongly about doing the things you want to do in life. Cuckold fans have been asking me for years to do bi scenes, and I'm happy to be making this move. I believe it's important for people to grow sexually in any way they choose."

Advocacy and impact

In 2016, Michaels was elected President of the Adult Performance Artists Guild, then the Adult Performers Actors Guild (APAG).[6][7] As President, he announced the APAG would push to raise the legal age to perform in adult films from 18 to 21, commenting that "it's 21 years old to drink, so you should have to be 21 to do porn."[7] In 2018, drawing criticism from APAG members who saw him as reducing his participation in the union, Michaels was replaced in the role by Alana Evans, who said that Michaels had been "blackballed" in the pornographic industry due to his guild participation.[8]

In the May 1997 issue of Vibe magazine, he was called "the preeminent force in interracial erotic entertainment."[9] In her book A Taste for Brown Sugar: Black Women in Pornography, women's studies scholar Mireille Miller-Young notes how Michaels's portrayal of "suave and professional" characters in his films has challenged the stereotyping of black men as "sexual beasts" in pornography and expanded opportunities for black performers.[10] Violet Blue shares a similar sentiment in The Ultimate Guide to Adult Videos, calling Michaels a "major force in changing the face and attitudes of the adult industry towards black performers."[3] Blue concluded by dubbing him "the most famous black man to ever appear in porn."[3]

Select appearances
Title Year Role Notes Ref.
Simon & Simon 1982 Boy Episode: "Double Entry"
Thinking XXX 2004 Himself Documentary
Dave's Old Porn 2012 Episode: "Retro Orgy Night"

Awards and nominations
AVN Awards
Year Nominated work and artist Category Result Ref.
1991 Nasty Girls Best Video Group Sex Scene Nominated [11]
1994 Anus and Andy Best Sex Scene, Video (Group) Nominated [12]
Sean Michaels Male Performer of the Year Nominated
1995 In the Bush Best Actor—Video Nominated
Sean Michaels Hall of Fame Won [13]
Sean Michaels Male Performer of the Year Nominated
1996 Visions Best Couples Sex Scene—Video Nominated [14]
World Sex Tour, Vol. 1 Best Group Sex Scene—Video Won [15]
The Passion Most Outrageous Sex Scene Nominated [14]
1998 Butt Banged Naughty Nurses Best Anal Sex Scene—Video Won [16]
Dinner Party 2 Best Couples Sex Scene—Film Nominated [17]
Face Jam Best Supporting Actor—Video Nominated
Sean Michaels Male Performer of the Year Nominated
1999 Sean Michaels' Up Your Ass 7 Best Anal Sex Scene—Video Nominated [18]
Tushy Heaven Won [19]
Fresh Meat 5 Best Group Sex Scene—Video Nominated [18]
Tushy Heaven Won [19]
Sean Michaels Male Performer of the Year Nominated [18]
2000 We Go Deep Best Couples Sex Scene—Video Nominated [20]
Sean Michaels Male Performer of the Year Nominated
2006 Sean Michaels Male Performer of the Year Nominated [21]
2007 Elastic Assholes 4 Best Anal Sex Scene – Video Nominated [22]
Racial Tension Best Sex Scene Coupling – Video Nominated
2010 Bobbi Starr & Dana DeArmond's Insatiable Voyage Best Double Penetration Sex Scene Won [23]
2018 Anal Warriors 3 Best Anal Sex Scene Nominated
2020 Hot for Transexuals 9 Best Transgender Group Sex Scene Nominated [24]
Urban X Awards
Year Nominated work and artist Category Result Ref.
2009 Sean Michaels Urban X Hall of Fame Won
2012 Anal Buffet 7 Best 3-Way Sex Scene Nominated [25]
Best Anal Sex Scene Nominated
Black Diamonds Best Couples Sex Scene Nominated
Daddy Knows Best Nominated
XBIZ Awards
Year Nominated work and artist Category Result Ref.
2010 L.A. Pink Acting Performance of the Year — Male Nominated [26]
Sean Michaels Male Performer of the Year Nominated
2014 Diesel Dongs 28 Best Scene — Non-Feature Release Nominated [27]
2017 This Ain't American Horror Story XXX Best Supporting Actor Nominated [28]
2018 Anal Warriors 3 Best Sex Scene — Gonzo Release Nominated [29]
Sun-Lit Best Sex Scene — Vignette Release Nominated
2019 Carnal Best Sex Scene — All-Sex Release Nominated [30]
2021 The TransAngels Motorcycle Club Best Sex Scene — Trans Nominated
XRCO Awards
Year Nominated work and artist Category Result Ref.
1994 Arabian Nights Best Anal Sex Scene Won
Slave to Love Group Sex Scene Won
Sean Michaels Woodsman of the Year Won
1999 Tushy Heaven Best Anal or D.P. Scene Won [31]
2000 Sean Michaels XRCO Hall of Fame Won [32]

References
  1. "AVN: The 50 Top Porn Stars of All Time". Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved January 14, 2010.
  2. Mark Kernes (August 10, 2012). "Sean Michaels Is at Work on 1st Volume of Autobiography". AVN. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  3. Blue, Violet (October 1, 2003). The Ultimate Guide to Adult Videos: How to Watch Adult Videos and Make Your Sex Life Sizzle. Cleis Press Start. p. 168. ISBN 1573447056.
  4. Steve Nelson. "Sean Michaels Sues Sean Michaels". Adult Industry News, January 23, 2003. Accessed 8 September 2008.
  5. Wade Garrett (2010-02-17). "Nikki Benz, Lisa Ann and Sean Michaels to Host XRCO Awards". AVN. Retrieved 2010-02-19.
  6. Warren, Peter (August 11, 2016). "Union Chapters Issue Statement on Court's False Endorsement Decision". AVN. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
  7. Snow, Aurora (May 27, 2016). "Porn's First Union President: Performers Should Be 21+ Only". The Daily Beast. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
  8. Rodrigo, Chris Mills (September 14, 2021). "President of newly recognized union for adult performers boosts membership". The Hill. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
  9. Morales, Robert. "Sexy Motherfuckers". Vibe.com. Archived from the original on 15 July 1997. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  10. Miller-Young, Mireille (October 30, 2014). A Taste for Brown Sugar: Black Women in Pornography. Duke University Press. p. 219. ISBN 978-0-8223-7591-3.
  11. "The 1991 Adult Video News Awards Show". Official Program. Upper Darby, Pennsylvania: AVN Publications, Inc. January 12, 1991.
  12. "The 1994 AVN Awards Show". Official Program. Upper Darby, Pennsylvania: AVN Publications, Inc. January 8, 1994.
  13. "Adult Video News Award Winners - 1994". RAME. July 18, 1995. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
  14. Stone, Mark (Director) (1996). The 1996 AVN Awards (videotape). VCA Pictures.
  15. "Adult Video News Award Winners - 1995". RAME. January 8, 1996. Archived from the original on December 6, 1998. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
  16. "AVN Awards - 1997". RAME. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
  17. "History: The 1998 AVN Awards Show". Official Program. Van Nuys, California: AVN Publications, Inc. January 9, 1998.
  18. "Choices". 1999 AVN Awards Show Program. Van Nuys, CA: AVN Publications, Inc. January 9, 1999.
  19. "Last Year's Winner's". AVN. Archived from the original on October 13, 1999. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
  20. "AVN 2000 Nominations". March 2, 2000. Archived from the original on March 2, 2000. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
  21. "2006 Nominations" (PDF). November 25, 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 26, 2005. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
  22. "AVN Awards 2007 Nominees". 2006. Archived from the original on December 20, 2006. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  23. "2010 AVN Award Winners Announced". AVN. January 13, 2010. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
  24. "2020 Nominees". AVN. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
  25. Johnson, Bob (June 27, 2012). "Urban X Awards Nominations Announced". XBIZ. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  26. Javors, Steve (December 16, 2009). "XBIZ Announces Finalist Nominees for 2010 XBIZ Awards". XBIZ. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
  27. "2014 XBIZ Award Nominees". XBIZ. Archived from the original on 9 February 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  28. Pardon, Rhett (November 17, 2016). "XBIZ Announces Finalist Nominees for 2017 XBIZ Awards". XBIZ. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
  29. Freixes, Alejandro (November 16, 2017). "XBIZ Announces Finalist Nominees for 2018 XBIZ Awards". XBIZ. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
  30. Freixes, Alejandro (November 15, 2018). "XBIZ Announces Finalist Nominees for 2019 XBIZ Awards". XBIZ. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
  31. Jared Rutter (May 1999). "Another Constituency Heard From". AVN. Archived from the original on October 20, 2000. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
  32. "XRCO Awards Not Stolen - The Show Goes On Anyway". AVN. March 20, 2000. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
  33. "Past Winner History". NightMoves. Archived from the original on December 19, 2013. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
  34. Dirty Bob (September 16, 2003). "11th Annual Nightmoves Entertainment Awards Announced". AVN. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
  35. Peter Warren (October 11, 2007). "2007 NightMoves Award Winners Announced". AVN. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
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