Interview with Aiden Kelly
by: Mike Natale
Anyone who has read my critically acclaimed* Exxxotica 2011 coverage “Down The Rabbit Hole: How I Lost My Cynicism and Fell In Love With Lexi Belle & Belladonna” will remember Aiden Kelly, husband and business partner of adult film star Belladonna. They’ll also remember that I held Kelly in no small esteem (one reader pointed out “You spend as much time talking about the porn star’s husband as the porn star"), and that the essay vaguely teases an “inspirational figure” while providing a small paragraph with which to delve into descriptions and biographical details.
This is due to the fact that I foolishly failed to record our conversation, and to try and retell Aiden’s story wouldn’t do it justice. So below is Mr. Kelly in his own words.
Here’s to all your pre-conceptions of people in the adult industry. They’re about to be shattered.
This is due to the fact that I foolishly failed to record our conversation, and to try and retell Aiden’s story wouldn’t do it justice. So below is Mr. Kelly in his own words.
Here’s to all your pre-conceptions of people in the adult industry. They’re about to be shattered.
We'd say "Behind every great woman is a great man" here, but we know somebody would make a joke about being "behind her". And that person would likely be Aiden. (fanpix.net)
Aiden directing a pedicure scene that we can't imagine goes anywhere weird. (laist.com)
-You’re involved in
both the adult entertainment aspect of Belladonna Entertainment and the aerial
silk performances, Cirque de Bella. Now that the Exxxotica conventions have
come to a close, is Cirque de Bella on hiatus, or will it be a continuing
endeavor?
Belladonna will be performing Cirque de Bella at upcoming eXXXotica conventions and also this year at the AVN Award show, which will play on Showtime later in the year. We have no other plans as of yet to do any shows, but most likely will by mid-year.
-What kind of work do you do for Belladonna Entertainment?
Belladonna Entertainment has 3 employees. Belladonna, myself and our assistant Ashley.
I do everything from run the website, edit movies, create artwork, public relations, managing Belladonna, shooting camera, interviewing talent, roadie, researcher… you name it, I do it! To make my life a little easier, I will outsource projects when I can to have additional editors, set design, graphic work, but for the most part, It’s all me… Oh and Belladonna helps a little ;)
-You seemed to make it clear when we spoke that a significant milestone for you, both personally and professionally, was meeting Belladonna. Could you walk us through your life leading up to that?
I grew up in Westford, Massachusetts. I drop out of high school the second year of 12th grade. From 14 years old until today, I immersed myself into the internet and learned everything I could about it. I self-taught myself everything I do today at Belladonna Entertainment. I moved to Southern California when I was 21 for a job at UC, Irvine. After I was fired from breaking up with the boss’s daughter, I got a job at an advertising agency. After I quit for being paid 10% of what they were charging clients for the work I was doing myself, I got hired at Evil Angel running their internet department. Soon after, I met Belladonna. She {saw} my magic fingers and that everything I touched turned to gold, and she snatched me away and married me. Now I’m sitting in my garage topless typing this interview to you. Life is funny. I lost my front tooth on Thanksgiving and have yet to get it fixed, but that is neither here, nor there. Oh wait, I lied. I did take a B&W photography class in 1999. I didn’t learn anything that I didn’t already know. I stopped the class early and didn’t get credit.
- With your work with Belladonna, I would imagine you get a certain level of creative freedom, and get to make films in collaboration with your wife. How collaborative is it, exactly?
Okay. You would think that, wouldn’t you? It’s actually very difficult having two creative minds working together because a lot of the time you just butt heads. I have one idea, she thinks it’s stupid. She has another idea that I think won’t sell. We go back and forth quite a bit until we both agree on something and then you get a masterpiece called “My Ass is Haunted”. But to be more specific on our roles, it’s basically like this: Belladonna is the creative director and I am the technical director. She comes up with a concept for the movie, and I make it happen. I do have some of my own creative ideas, but for the most part, it’s all in her mind.
- Did you always see yourself working in, if not adult entertainment, in a creative field in general? Have you always thought of yourself as a creative person, or was it a passion you discovered as you started working with Belladonna?
Honestly, I never saw myself working in adult. When I got hired at Evil Angel, in my mind I was getting an IT job that just happened to be in adult entertainment. I was offered an opportunity to direct movies while there, but I had no desire to do it so I turned it down. Even when Belladonna approached me to work with her, I said okay, but I just looked at it as a job I was doing, nothing more. I have NEVER viewed myself as a creative person, even to this day. I just don’t see what I do as being creative, I don’t know why. I don’t necessarily have a passion for making adult entertainment, or making movies. I have a job and do my best at it. The flaw that I suffer from is that I like to take on TOO many jobs at once to do my best at each of them.
Belladonna will be performing Cirque de Bella at upcoming eXXXotica conventions and also this year at the AVN Award show, which will play on Showtime later in the year. We have no other plans as of yet to do any shows, but most likely will by mid-year.
-What kind of work do you do for Belladonna Entertainment?
Belladonna Entertainment has 3 employees. Belladonna, myself and our assistant Ashley.
I do everything from run the website, edit movies, create artwork, public relations, managing Belladonna, shooting camera, interviewing talent, roadie, researcher… you name it, I do it! To make my life a little easier, I will outsource projects when I can to have additional editors, set design, graphic work, but for the most part, It’s all me… Oh and Belladonna helps a little ;)
-You seemed to make it clear when we spoke that a significant milestone for you, both personally and professionally, was meeting Belladonna. Could you walk us through your life leading up to that?
I grew up in Westford, Massachusetts. I drop out of high school the second year of 12th grade. From 14 years old until today, I immersed myself into the internet and learned everything I could about it. I self-taught myself everything I do today at Belladonna Entertainment. I moved to Southern California when I was 21 for a job at UC, Irvine. After I was fired from breaking up with the boss’s daughter, I got a job at an advertising agency. After I quit for being paid 10% of what they were charging clients for the work I was doing myself, I got hired at Evil Angel running their internet department. Soon after, I met Belladonna. She {saw} my magic fingers and that everything I touched turned to gold, and she snatched me away and married me. Now I’m sitting in my garage topless typing this interview to you. Life is funny. I lost my front tooth on Thanksgiving and have yet to get it fixed, but that is neither here, nor there. Oh wait, I lied. I did take a B&W photography class in 1999. I didn’t learn anything that I didn’t already know. I stopped the class early and didn’t get credit.
- With your work with Belladonna, I would imagine you get a certain level of creative freedom, and get to make films in collaboration with your wife. How collaborative is it, exactly?
Okay. You would think that, wouldn’t you? It’s actually very difficult having two creative minds working together because a lot of the time you just butt heads. I have one idea, she thinks it’s stupid. She has another idea that I think won’t sell. We go back and forth quite a bit until we both agree on something and then you get a masterpiece called “My Ass is Haunted”. But to be more specific on our roles, it’s basically like this: Belladonna is the creative director and I am the technical director. She comes up with a concept for the movie, and I make it happen. I do have some of my own creative ideas, but for the most part, it’s all in her mind.
- Did you always see yourself working in, if not adult entertainment, in a creative field in general? Have you always thought of yourself as a creative person, or was it a passion you discovered as you started working with Belladonna?
Honestly, I never saw myself working in adult. When I got hired at Evil Angel, in my mind I was getting an IT job that just happened to be in adult entertainment. I was offered an opportunity to direct movies while there, but I had no desire to do it so I turned it down. Even when Belladonna approached me to work with her, I said okay, but I just looked at it as a job I was doing, nothing more. I have NEVER viewed myself as a creative person, even to this day. I just don’t see what I do as being creative, I don’t know why. I don’t necessarily have a passion for making adult entertainment, or making movies. I have a job and do my best at it. The flaw that I suffer from is that I like to take on TOO many jobs at once to do my best at each of them.
Aiden and wife Belladonna (tinypic.com)
-Speaking of
creativity, can you talk a bit about Deadly Nightshade? What’s the latest on
that?
Deadly Nightshade was born around the time I started working with Belladonna. She was doing all girl/girl movies under Belladonna Entertainment. I thought it would be a great idea that we release her boy/girl movies under Deadly Nightshade Productions. Then it turned into a coffee table book that we wanted to release, then it turned into a make up line we wanted to release and now it just sits in hiatus… waiting… wanted… Who knows what it will be come, if anything at all.
-Not only are you married to Belladonna, but you two have a daughter. How old is she? How has your life changed since you’ve become a father?
My daughter is 7 years old. Here are the things that have changed in my life since having a daughter:
Less sex with my wife.
Less video game time playing.
No more cussing.
No more sleeping in on week days.
No more sleeping in on weekends.
No more sleeping comfortable on any days. (My daughter likes to hop into our bed at 2am each night and kick at my back like she’s riding a pony)
No more sexy 3somes and orgies at our house. Wait a minute, that never happened before, nevermind.
Oh some good things:
My daughter makes me laugh a lot, she draws great zombies and loves to talk down to me like her mother. Meh. I need to grow a pair of balls. Thank you for shedding this light on me. (Note to self, take back the household)
- Are there any specific challenges you face relationship-wise when your spouse is also your business partner? Do you find it’s easier or more difficult?
The only challenges that I face with having my wife as my business partner is that SHE has challenges that her husband is her business partner. I would never NOT want to work with my wife. She’s an amazing person to partner with in business, but because she has limited experience running a business and having a partner in business, she gets overwhelmed very easy and her only outlet is to take it out on me, which I’m very good at taking. I have an extremely high threshold for stress. Don’t tell my heart I said that.
-You two are a testament to the fact that relationships can work in the adult industry, but what particular challenges does it present? Have you had to adjust or adapt any of your ideas of a “relationship” in order to make the relationship work?
There’s a complex equation that makes any relationship work and it’s different for each person and their environment. The way our relationship works is this:
She loves to flirt, fuck and lust after other people. She is completely NOT okay if her partner does the same. I could care less about any other man OR woman and really don’t even pick up on the signs when someone flirts with me. I do, however, love to watch my wife with other people and encourage her to do it. This is partly why our relationship works as far as being in adult entertainment. The other reason our relationship works, on a personal level, is communication. My wife can tell me ANYTHING and not feel ashamed, or threatened or anything. I’ve had an unconditional love for her from the beginning and I believe that she feels the same way for me. Otherwise we would have been divorced by now. We realize that there isn’t anything we can’t work through and change to make better. If we were in love ONCE, even for a split second, there’s no reason why that love can’t be found again between you.
Deadly Nightshade was born around the time I started working with Belladonna. She was doing all girl/girl movies under Belladonna Entertainment. I thought it would be a great idea that we release her boy/girl movies under Deadly Nightshade Productions. Then it turned into a coffee table book that we wanted to release, then it turned into a make up line we wanted to release and now it just sits in hiatus… waiting… wanted… Who knows what it will be come, if anything at all.
-Not only are you married to Belladonna, but you two have a daughter. How old is she? How has your life changed since you’ve become a father?
My daughter is 7 years old. Here are the things that have changed in my life since having a daughter:
Less sex with my wife.
Less video game time playing.
No more cussing.
No more sleeping in on week days.
No more sleeping in on weekends.
No more sleeping comfortable on any days. (My daughter likes to hop into our bed at 2am each night and kick at my back like she’s riding a pony)
No more sexy 3somes and orgies at our house. Wait a minute, that never happened before, nevermind.
Oh some good things:
My daughter makes me laugh a lot, she draws great zombies and loves to talk down to me like her mother. Meh. I need to grow a pair of balls. Thank you for shedding this light on me. (Note to self, take back the household)
- Are there any specific challenges you face relationship-wise when your spouse is also your business partner? Do you find it’s easier or more difficult?
The only challenges that I face with having my wife as my business partner is that SHE has challenges that her husband is her business partner. I would never NOT want to work with my wife. She’s an amazing person to partner with in business, but because she has limited experience running a business and having a partner in business, she gets overwhelmed very easy and her only outlet is to take it out on me, which I’m very good at taking. I have an extremely high threshold for stress. Don’t tell my heart I said that.
-You two are a testament to the fact that relationships can work in the adult industry, but what particular challenges does it present? Have you had to adjust or adapt any of your ideas of a “relationship” in order to make the relationship work?
There’s a complex equation that makes any relationship work and it’s different for each person and their environment. The way our relationship works is this:
She loves to flirt, fuck and lust after other people. She is completely NOT okay if her partner does the same. I could care less about any other man OR woman and really don’t even pick up on the signs when someone flirts with me. I do, however, love to watch my wife with other people and encourage her to do it. This is partly why our relationship works as far as being in adult entertainment. The other reason our relationship works, on a personal level, is communication. My wife can tell me ANYTHING and not feel ashamed, or threatened or anything. I’ve had an unconditional love for her from the beginning and I believe that she feels the same way for me. Otherwise we would have been divorced by now. We realize that there isn’t anything we can’t work through and change to make better. If we were in love ONCE, even for a split second, there’s no reason why that love can’t be found again between you.
At the AVN awards (zimbio.com)
-With all your work making films for
Belladonna Entertainment, have you given any thought of getting involved in
mainstream cinema?
Yes I have given it thought many times. I watch Hollywood Blockbuster movies and think, DAMN I wish I had a budget to make a movie like this. Then I see an independent B movie and think “FUCK! I bet if I made a movie, it would turn out like this piece of crap.” I really have a hard time just DOING it, I always think, yeah the mainstream movie thing will happen… just give it time. WRONG. That’s bullshit. The movie isn’t just magically going to happen, you have to MAKE it happen. And that means start from the beginning and make your fucking movie.
- If you weren’t doing what you are today, what would you want to do with your life, career-wise?
Computer programmer or special effects artist, BUT as I said, I don’t view myself as creative so I don’t feel like I would do well trying to make visual effects. And computer programming is pretty boring, but I’m good at it… or I used to be. I’m old. Fuck career, when can I retire please?
- With all the success you’ve had, what advice do you have for people like myself, who are just about to enter the “real world”?
Be at the right place at the right time, and if you’re not, JUST DO IT… with your Nikes on. Seriously, if you want to do something or make something, you just have to do it. Maybe don’t start off trying to make a Lamborghini, try making a piece of plywood with a wheels, brake and steering. You’ll eventually get there. If you think about it… look at all the amazing things in this world. A computer, a sky scraper, a lollipop, a rubber pussy. SOMEONE had to make those things. And that person, those people… they sit on a toilet and shit just like you and I… no different. If they can do it, why can’t we?
-Mike Natale
Read more articles by Mike here
Read our interview with Belladonna here
*Because Tom Lorenzo and I count as critics.
Yes I have given it thought many times. I watch Hollywood Blockbuster movies and think, DAMN I wish I had a budget to make a movie like this. Then I see an independent B movie and think “FUCK! I bet if I made a movie, it would turn out like this piece of crap.” I really have a hard time just DOING it, I always think, yeah the mainstream movie thing will happen… just give it time. WRONG. That’s bullshit. The movie isn’t just magically going to happen, you have to MAKE it happen. And that means start from the beginning and make your fucking movie.
- If you weren’t doing what you are today, what would you want to do with your life, career-wise?
Computer programmer or special effects artist, BUT as I said, I don’t view myself as creative so I don’t feel like I would do well trying to make visual effects. And computer programming is pretty boring, but I’m good at it… or I used to be. I’m old. Fuck career, when can I retire please?
- With all the success you’ve had, what advice do you have for people like myself, who are just about to enter the “real world”?
Be at the right place at the right time, and if you’re not, JUST DO IT… with your Nikes on. Seriously, if you want to do something or make something, you just have to do it. Maybe don’t start off trying to make a Lamborghini, try making a piece of plywood with a wheels, brake and steering. You’ll eventually get there. If you think about it… look at all the amazing things in this world. A computer, a sky scraper, a lollipop, a rubber pussy. SOMEONE had to make those things. And that person, those people… they sit on a toilet and shit just like you and I… no different. If they can do it, why can’t we?
-Mike Natale
Read more articles by Mike here
Read our interview with Belladonna here
*Because Tom Lorenzo and I count as critics.
