Emma Rose Captures Top Honor as TEAs Return to Hollywood in Style

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — With a scene count approaching triple digits, Emma Rose has grown accustomed to being the center of attention on set.But on Sunday the second-year performer found herself under a new type of spotlight—and in a foreign place.An awards show stage.A Florida native, Rose was named Hardcore Performer of the Year at the 2022 Transgender Erotica Awards. Rose’s win came in what was easily the most prestigious category of the gala ceremony, which returned to Avalon nightclub after a two-year hiatus because of COVID.“I was so excited that I didn’t know what to do,” Rose told AVN after the ceremony. “I love performing and I love to have sex. I’m very expressive. This is what I was meant to do.”The victory marked the first awards show win for Rose—but it hardly came as a surprise. Within months of entering the industry in the winter of 2020, Rose was already being discussed in the same breath as trans icons such as Aubrey Kate, Casey Kisses, Domino Presley, Natalie Mars and Natassia Dreams—all of whom were in attendance Sunday.After the show, Kate predicted Rose would soon ascend to the “Mount Rushmore of trans porn.”“She’s going to be a legend,” Kate told AVN. “She always has this smile on her face that glows up the room. She’s so silly and fun and authentic. I love everything about her.”Although she’s only two years into her career with studio porn, Rose already had a following when she entered the industry, achieving fame by posting amateur content on OnlyFans and ManyVids. Rose said her success on those platforms helped propel her when she began shooting for companies.“I have a degree in marketing,” Rose said. “ With all of my businesses, like OnlyFans and ManyVids … I just know how to connect with my fans. I love my fans so much. I feel like I have a special bond with them and I connect with them on every scene I do.”Rose’s victory was the cherry on top of a fantastic ceremony hosted by Steven Grooby and his crew. Three hours before the 10 p.m. show, performers began lining up on Vine St. to walk the red carpet, where they were interviewed on camera by longtime performer Dreams. Once inside, attendees took advantage of three cash bars, sipping cocktails while hobnobbing and people-watching as a “who’s-who” of the porn community mingled in the foyer.Along with the aforementioned talent, big-name performers such as Foxxy, Natalie Mars, Lena Moon, Jane Marie, Jessica Fox, Jade Venus and Ariel Demure were in attendance along with fresh faces like Izzy Wilde, Tori Easton, Janie Blade, Serena Bubbles, Ava Holt, Cloudy Vi, Nicole Korsakova and Pixi Lust.Evie Envy—who was named Best Non-U.S. Performer—flew in from Canada along with camming megastar Bailey Archer.Lilly Bell, Charlotte Sins, Sheena Ryder, Haley Reed and Lena Paul were among the cis performers in attendance along with directors such as Bree Mills, Ricky Greenwood, Joanna Angel, Jim Powers and Adam Christopher.“It’s just so good to see everyone again,” said Grooby, who put on a virtual ceremony the past two years. “We needed something like this. We needed everyone to be together again.”Grooby was certainly pleased that the voting for “Best Solo Model” resulted in a victory for Venus, a performer his company has shot numerous times during the past year while featuring her in a showcase. Much like Rose, Venus catapulted toward the top of the industry at warp speed, having already landed scenes with almost every major company while capturing the Trans Newcomer of the Year trophy at the AVN awards in January.“Things have been moving really fast, but I’m loving it,” Venus told AVN. “I’m from Montana. There’s not a big trans community there and my parents weren’t very accepting. That’s why I feel so good here. The porn community is like a big family.”Speaking of good vibes, the energetic Wilde was full of them, both before the show and even more so after it following her win in the “Fan Choice Award” category. The honor is even more impressive considering Wilde, a former gas station clerk, has been in the industry for less than a year.“I love my fans,” the Michigan native cooed as she skipped out the door. “I love my fans.”Other notable awards included the legendary Foxxy nabbing “Best Internet Personality” honors and Cloudy Vi winning “Black T-Girls Model of the Year.” Veteran performer Jamie French was presented with the “Transcendence Award” while Domino Presley, Tom Moore and Jessica Fox earned Lifetime Achievement honors. During a particularly touching speech, Fox asked the crowd for a moment of silence to honor the trans lives that were lost during the past year.Erica Cherry won for Best Cam Performer, Jasmine Lotus was named Best Self-Producer and Alexa Scout became the first winner of new Producer’s Award, which honors a performer who embodies professionalism on- and off-set.Another performer who drew a loud round of applause was Pixi Lust, a first-year talent with short black hair who was named “Miss Unique.”“It’s wild, to be honest,” Lust told AVN. “I never thought I would be here. All these people I jacked off to … now I’m cuddling with them and calling them my friends. It’s very surreal. I love it.“Part of my brand is to be entirely myself. I don’t want to force myself to grow out my hair. I hate having long hair. I’m very proud of that. I take pride in expressing myself however I want.”No one embodies that quality more than Kisses, who was all smiles when her biopic Casey: A True Story tied with Aubrey Kate’s I Am Aubrey for the Best DVD award. Kisses expressed gratitude on stage and said later that she felt fulfilled that her life story has inspired people.“Initially I hoped it would inspire trans women,” Kisses says. “But I’ve heard from such a wide rage of people. Men and cis women are saying, ‘I love this. This is fantastic. This inspired me. It inspired me to be my happier self.’”Directed by Angel, the film chronicles the inward and outward struggles Kisses encountered in her early 20s when trying to decide whether to transition. Along with coming out to her father shortly after his release from federal prison—where he served 12 years for attempted murder—Kisses was devastated when her motorcycle gang alienated after she revealed her true self.Instead of wallowing in self pity, Kisses fought back.Seeking a fresh start, she fled her poverty-stricken Miami neighborhood in 2016 and moved to Las Vegas, where she found an identity in the adult industry. Nearly six years later, she has more than one million social media followers, a six-figure income and a fiance in fellow performer Kylie LeBeau.Casey: A True Story also won Grand Reel honors at the AVN Awards in January.“I never want to hear the word ‘crossover’ again,” Angel told the audience Sunday while accepting the award alongside Kisses. “There is nowhere to cross to. There is nowhere to cross from.“We are all one.”