Vanessa del Rio

Vanessa del Rio Biography

Raised by strict parents, in a Catholic environment and as an only child, Vanessa del Rio left home as soon as she could. From there, it was a quick progression from working as a keypunch operator to a computer programmer to a waitress to a barmaid to a go-go dancer to a call girl to a porn star, the actress has said. Which is unsurprising, given the personal description after her first sexual experience: "From that time on, it was fuck, fuck, fuck; whenever and wherever I could." Vanessa describes her early 70s loop start almost as a stroke of luck: "A friend of mine called me up and asked me if I wanted to go to Sweden on short notice. He said I'd make fuck films at fifty dollars per film and three films a day. I was so excited and I needed money. I didn't know anything about acting but I sure knew how to fuck. Before I knew it, I was in the movies and I went nuts. I fucked everyone on the set, including the cameraman."

Top Rated Porn Movies

She appeared on the big screen in 1974's Cherry Hustlers, though her first big role wasn't until Midnight Desires in which she sucks down two cocks at once. From there, Vanessa became known for doing fairly anything: in one magazine shoot she sucked milk out of a cow's udders; she also starred in several loops with Luis Short-Studd—a dwarf—and "let the little fellow slip his fist up her elasticized bunghole."

Quirky Facts

A self-described rebellious free spirit, she spent two years traveling around with a guy in his VW bus.

Life After Porn

After doing hundreds of adult films, Vanessa began working with hip hop stars. She contributes this success to her previous life in XXX: "I was the first 'woman of color' to become famous in the porn biz, often referred to as the 'Black Marilyn,' so it was natural for me to be noticed. I was surprised when I first heard my name in a rap song. Since then, I've been name-checked in lots of rap songs," as well as make appearances in music videos (like in Junior M.A.F.I.A.'s Get Money).

Porn Awards

• Member AVN Hall of Fame