Veronica Hart
Hart in 2002
Born
Jane Esther Hamilton[1]

(1956-10-27) October 27, 1956 (age 67)
Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Other namesVeronica Heart, Randee Styles, Jane Hamilton, V. Hart, Victoria Holt, Veronica
Height5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Spouse
Michael Hunt
​
​
(m. 1982, divorced)​
Children2
WebsiteVeronicahart.biz

Jane Esther Hamilton (born October 27, 1956) is an American former pornographic actress and current adult film director who performed under the stage name Veronica Hart[1] during the 1980s. She is sometimes credited as Jane Hamilton, V. Hart, Veronica Heart, Victoria Holt, Randee Styles or just Veronica. Hart is a member of the AVN Hall of Fame.[2][3] Director Paul Thomas Anderson has called her "the Meryl Streep of porn."[4]

Early life

Hart was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada.[5] She graduated from high school at age 16 and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas at age 19 in 1976 with a degree in theatrical arts.[6][7] After school she worked in England before returning to the United States and moving to New York City.[5][8]

Career

Hart appeared in pornographic films from 1980 until 1982[5][9] and is best known for her performances in Amanda by Night, Wanda Whips Wall Street, Roommates and A Scent of Heather.[5] She would often portray "stylish native New Yorker" characters in her films.[10] Around 1984, she began directing segments on the Playboy TV series Electric Blue, appearing in B-Movies and working as a stripper.[6][9] During the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s she directed, edited, and produced pornographic films, while making occasional (non-sexual) cameos in both mainstream and adult productions.[6]

With the sale of VCA, her primary production company, to Hustler in 2003, and the direction of the company moving from feature, storyline-driven films to gonzo, she left the company when her existing contract expired.[11] Afterwards, Hart moved on to other work, including working as a tour guide at the Erotic Heritage Museum in Las Vegas.[12]

Hart has acted in off-Broadway theater productions such as The House of Bernarda Alba,[6][7] A Thurber Carnival,[7] The Dyke And The Porn Star,[13][14] and The Deep Throat Sex Scandal.[15][16]

Hart portrays a judge in the film Boogie Nights[7] and also appears in another Paul Thomas Anderson movie, Magnolia.[6]

As of 2014 Hart had become a sex educator in China. An article in AVN magazine stated that she has been instructing women through an arrangement with a chain of adult retail stores and clubs called Sediva Maison.[12]

Personal life

Hart married adult industry sound technician Michael Hunt in 1982, although they have since divorced. She has two sons, Chris and Max,[17] who attended magnet schools for highly gifted students. Hart's career had a negative impact on her sons, with her saying "It's horrible for them... I'm their loving mommy and nobody likes to think of their parents having sex and being famous for it. I'm not ashamed of what I do. I take responsibility for who I am. I chose. From the time they were kids, my stripping gear was washed and hanging in my bathtub. At the same time I apologize to my kids for how the choices in my life have affected them. They're well adjusted and can joke with me about it: I know I'm going to spend the rest of my life on the couch".[17]

Selected TV appearances

Awards

Wins

AFAA for Best Actress – Amanda by Night[18]

AFAA Award for Best Actress – Roommates[19]

AFAA Award for Best Supporting Actress – Foxtrot[18]

AVN Award for Best Non-Sex Performance – Nylon[20]

XRCO Award for Best Video - Torn (directed and produced by Hart)[21]

XRCO Award for Best Comedy or Parody - Misty Beethoven: The Musical (directed, edited and produced by Hart)[22]

Nominations

AVN Best Director – Video for White Lightning[24]

AVN Best Director – Film for Taken[25]

AVN Best Director – Video for Crime and Passion[26]

AVN Best Director – Film for Barbara Broadcast Too[27]

AVN Best Director – Film for Misty Beethoven: The Musical[28]

AVN Best Non-Sex Performance for Eternity[29]

AVN Best Non-Sex Performance for Sex Pix[30]

AVN Best Non-Sex Performance for Delilah[31]

AVN Best Non-Sex Performance for Roller Dollz[32]

Literature

References

  1. ^ a b "The Actress, the Producer and Their Porn Revolution". Los Angeles Times. January 6, 2002. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
  2. ^ a b "AVN Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on October 2, 2008. Retrieved November 29, 2007.
  3. ^ a b "AVN Awards". Archived from the original on April 15, 2009.
  4. ^ Bona, Damien (2002). Inside Oscar 2. Random House Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-345-44800-2. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d Smith, Kent; Moore, Darrell W.; Reagle, Merl (1983). Adult Movies. Pocket Books (Mm). p. 120. ISBN 9780671468446. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Veronica Hart interview at kaos2000.net". Retrieved December 2, 2007.
  7. ^ a b c d "Movie sparks memories for porn star". Las Vegas-Review Journal. November 2, 1997. Archived from the original on September 17, 2000. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  8. ^ "Veronica Hart: Hart to HeartPodcast 60". The Rialto Report. April 10, 2016. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
  9. ^ a b Rich, Frank (May 20, 2001). "Naked Capitalists". The New York Times. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
  10. ^ Kleinhans, Chuck (2006). "Chapter 8: Implications for analysis - The change from film to video pornography". In Lehman, Peter (ed.). Pornography: Film and Culture. Rutgers University Press. pp. 154–167. ISBN 9780857728883.
  11. ^ Anthony, Andrew (August 1, 2004). "Risky Business". The Observer. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  12. ^ a b Kernes, Mark. "So ... What's Veronica Hart Up To These Days?". AVN.com. Adult Video News. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  13. ^ Monji, Jana J. (August 27, 1999). "New Steps in Dance Toward Romance". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
  14. ^ "HOT! Gay/Bi Thespian Action!". Paper. March 1, 2000. Archived from the original on June 1, 2019. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
  15. ^ Ng, David (December 10, 2012). "'Deep Throat' play set for L.A. with porn star Veronica Hart". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
  16. ^ Morris, Steven Leigh (February 7, 2013). "The Deep Throat Sex Scandal Celebrates a Famous First Amendment Victory But Ignores the Bigger Issue". laweekly.com. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
  17. ^ a b Dines, Gail; Humez, Jean M. (2003). Gender, Race, and Class in Media: A Text-Read. Sage. p. 57. ISBN 978-0761922612.
  18. ^ a b "Rame awards list". Retrieved December 27, 2007.
  19. ^ "Rame awards list". Retrieved November 29, 2007.
  20. ^ "Past AVN Award Winners". Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved November 29, 2007.
  21. ^ "PREVIOUS WINNERS and NOMS - 2002 & Before)". Retrieved March 8, 2014.
  22. ^ "XRCO 2004 Winners". Retrieved April 17, 2014.
  23. ^ "XRCO Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on July 20, 2011. Retrieved November 29, 2007.
  24. ^ "AVN 2001 Nominations". Archived from the original on March 9, 2001. Retrieved December 2, 2007.
  25. ^ "AVN 2002 Nominations". Archived from the original on December 8, 2001. Retrieved December 2, 2007.
  26. ^ "AVN 2003 Nominations". Archived from the original on November 27, 2002. Retrieved December 2, 2007.
  27. ^ "AVN 2004 Nominations" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 3, 2003. Retrieved December 2, 2007.
  28. ^ "AVN 2005 Nominations". Archived from the original on December 10, 2004. Retrieved December 2, 2007.
  29. ^ "AVN 2006 Nominations" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 29, 2005. Retrieved December 2, 2007.
  30. ^ "AVN 2007 Nominations". Archived from the original on December 20, 2006. Retrieved December 2, 2007.
  31. ^ "AVN 2008 Nominations" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on February 27, 2008. Retrieved December 2, 2007.
  32. ^ "Nominations 2009 AVN Adult Movie Awards" (PDF). AVNAwards.com. November 25, 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 3, 2008. Retrieved November 26, 2008.

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