Biography

The custodial problems faced by the character "Amber Waves" after her divorce in Boogie Nights (1997) were based on the custody battle over her son between Veronica and her ex-husband. In fact, she played the judge in the scene where Amber and her husband are arguing in court about who should get custody of their son.

Before she started her career in adult movies, she worked as a model.

Graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a B.A. in theater.

Her mother ran a television and appliance store while her father was a television repairman.

Retired from performing (sexually) in adult films in the mid-'80s.

I'm not a dumb woman, but most people don't have any guidelines when they first get into this business... Seka told me what I had to do, which is that no one has to do anything that they don't want to do . . . The producers will try to get away with as much as they can. To get as much out of an actress for the least amount of money. And that's strictly business.

Film is the illusion of truth. What might look good on film is not necessarily what feels good. Still, I believe that the hotter you are, the hotter it's going to come across to the audience. A lot of girls in this business aren't into sex, or they aren't into making it with another girl. They play at it, and their coldness comes across on film. The more you can psych yourself up to be hot, the hotter it will appear on film.

I make pornography because I can . . . and because mainstream isn't beating down my door.

Porn is one of the worst things an aspiring actress can do. What angers me is that if I were up for a straight part, and I was just as good as someone else, that I've done porn would stand in the way. It's the kind of hypocrisy that prevails in America. Everybody loves to make love, but nobody wants to admit it. Everybody loves a girl who loves to be screwed, but they still think of her as a slut.

[on how her porn career affected her teenage sons] 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.