Tina Kay On Modeling, Performing, Directing & 'What Works for Me'

A version of this feature appears in the July issue of AVN magazine. Click here for the digital edition. LOS ANGELES—Tina Kay learned that making herself happy is what matters most as she navigates through her ninth year in adult entertainment. “I stopped caring about all that stuff that people constantly worry about,” Kay says. “If you ask me who is my role model? I don’t have one. If you if you ask me who I follow? Nobody. “I'm a very free spirit. I do what I like. I do what I want. I please nobody; I please myself. And it’s proven that it works. I just carry on. I don't care what other people do. I don’t even follow them, you know, I don't even check what are they doing. I do me. I do what works for me and you should focus only on yourself. That's what I learned.” This focused approach has led Kay to success at every level of her professional modeling career. Now an international star with more than 450 adult performing credits, a directing deal with Harmony Films and almost 300,000 followers on Twitter, the London-based fan favorite says her success has been the result of a strong work ethic and not forcing anything. “I just built up my livelihood, but naturally,” Kay says. “I wouldn't say it was hard. No, it was a very natural way to success. … So I’m happy.” Kay, who was born and raised in Lithuania before moving to the UK at 18, has been modeling since she was discovered by an agent at 16. Her breadth of experience includes fashion and bridal shows as well as extensive glamour and editorial credits. After numerous mainstream magazine appearances Kay began to transition into more provocative fare. “Everything was very fast—from fashion modeling to glamour to solo erotic,” she says. “And then I quickly realized that I do want to do this. I want to take this as my career and I have more opportunities, obviously, if I move out. So I moved [to UK] and I started a solo erotic modeling career for a long time, maybe almost 10 years.” Kay says soft girl/girl shoots followed, and then harder ones. “I was getting loads of hardcore offers to start shooting here with UK companies,” she recalls. “I was hanging around with the same people that were basically the same crews, shooting softcore and hardcore. “So it was really good for me because I felt very safe. I thought I will carry on for as long as I can because there's nothing to lose. I thought I can always do harder levels. Now this is my life and I enjoy every aspect of it. “I just didn't need to jump into everything. Finally, I just felt comfortable and it was just a very natural progression, very smooth. It was no special event or anything. “I just said, ‘Yeah, I'm gonna do it now.' I was like really mature mentally and physically. I started here in the UK and then all of Europe immediately and I carry on until now and I hope I can still have many years ahead to do more.” In 2019 alone Kay performed in 70 different movies, working for every major studio in Europe. She appeared in titles for Video Marc Dorcel, Brazzers, Digital Playground, Evil Angel, 21st Sextury, Legal Porno, DDF and Harmony Films, among others. “I'm very versatile. I do absolutely everything from soft solo to the most extreme gangbangs,” Kay explains. “I do everything and I like everything. Part of the enjoyment is that I can transport myself to different styles, to different characters, and just get loose. “Whatever you throw at me, I just take it, absorb it and I just… like I have multiple personalities and then a different me comes out. So I don't have just one style. “If it's personally, I would say I like intense stuff. Like intense and really strong, rough and good connection, good energy. Like no limits, freestyle, very raw.” Most producers know that it wouldn’t be wise to limit Kay’s creativity when she’s on set. “They just tell me to ‘do your thing, just be yourself. Be free,’” she says. “Freestyle is the best. So I can just be wild.” Not unlike her modeling journey, moving behind the camera also has been a smooth progression. Some of her recent directing credits for Harmony are Tina’s Fetish Spa, Young Harlots: Classroom Special, Step Too Far and Harmony’s Extreme. “This is my second year and so that's another big step for me because I can finally do some creative things to give something back,” Kay says. “It's like my baby—I create stuff. It's another stage to get job satisfaction, doing this with other people now. It's amazing.” Kay says it was after the success of her showcase, Tina Sex Addict, for Harmony in 2017 that more doors opened for her. “Then a year after they offered me to become a brand ambassador,” Kay says. “And then they took me in Cannes Film Festival where we were meeting all the business partners that we were distributing movies to and the broadcasters. And I was just presenting the brand. And funny enough all these CEO’s of the partners’ companies were asking why I'm not directing. So basically they just like gave the Harmony Films boss a hint that they should have a female director on board like myself. … Because it’s all very male-orientated and very technical. “And then everything came out very spontaneous. And then the boss said, ‘Do you want to try and see how it goes?’ So basically, yes. And he gave me this trial and I did the first couple of movies and it was great. It was success again.” Kay adds, “It was a different perspective, a female perspective. And I was able to bring something different. And this is the second year now I get the chance to create something I want. But at the same time I direct the series that they have, like Young Harlots, all the showcases they have, so I'm part of that as well. So it’s great.” Due to the coronavirus pandemic Kay had to cancel two planned movie shoots in Barcelona in May. She says her directing style starts with sharing her vision with her crew. “It’s like I direct my vision. I'm not so great with technical, I still am still learning a lot from my crew guys and all the technical stuff,” she says. “But I have a really clear vision. I know what I want. I know what I want to create. I know what light I want. I know what special effects I want. I cover everything from styling, telling what makeup I want. I go and pick up outfits. “So my vision covers basically everything. And so my crew is about five people and the guys do all the technical stuff. And I like teamwork.” She says her and Jasmine Jae made a strong team when she was directing Jae’s showcase. “It was very much like our product together like we were partners,” Kay says. “We were discussing everything, every single scene in detail.” When Kay isn’t working, she is usually doing something active. “I'm a very energetic person. So I need to get out,” she says. “I love nature. I like freedom. For me, it's like freedom is the biggest value in life. So just to get out and just run, horse riding, hiking, skiing… All the activities are fantastic. It's for your body and for your mind. Even if I'm working, I go to the gym. If I'm staying in a hotel, I go in a hotel gym in the spa. It's just something to treat your body and your mind, but it has to be active relaxing.” She hopes to return to the US later this year if the travel restrictions permit. She came to the US twice before in 2015-16. “That was a warm-up,” Kay jokes. “But I feel now I want to come properly. Now I have more experience and I’m more established and everything. And I want to come for longer and I hope I can make it.”