|
| working for Seymore Butts. I had just interviewed Samantha Stylle with the idea of doing Halli and Alisha Klass right after. Needless to say, that didn't happen. Then Halli split from Team Tushy and had reportedly left the business. We got back in contact a few months ago via email and decided that an interview was long overdue. To make this long story a bit shorter, our schedules just never seemed to match. We must have tentatively scheduled this interview a half dozen times before we finally nailed down a day when both of us were free.
We've got a lot to cover, but let's start out with the present. What are you doing now?
Halli Aston
I am leaving for Vegas tomorrow with Shane for Slumber Party. By the time anyone reads this, we will have done it, but there will be more.
Roger T. Pipe
So, you're still making movies, you didn't retire?
Halli Aston
No, I didn't retire. I need some time off every now and then to keep my sanity, but never fully retired. I love this too much.
Roger T. Pipe
How did you get started?
Halli Aston
My best friend called me up when I was out of town and said "Guess what I'm going to do?" We have been friends forever and since like seventh grade we both thought it would be a cool thing to do. She did one, and I went with her to a shoot for Jim Powers. We hung out for the day with her agent. Her agent had a meeting that day with Seymore, so we all went along.
Roger T. Pipe
Who is this friend?
Halli Aston
Heidi Dalton. Seymore was considering her for contract. He introduced himself to me, we spoke briefly and about an hour later, he offered me a contract. I had never done anything, no pictures, not even dancing in a club. I was totally new. I just thought, sure, I'll give it a shot. Never mind the fact that I had never even done anal in my private life. I never found anything sexy about it, but I decided to give it a shot. Seymore was really cool and up front. I had seen what Hiedi had been through here and there with the dishonesty that goes on. Seymore never gave me that impression and he never did that to me. I did my first scene with Tom Byron. And it went well.
Roger T. Pipe
Which movie was that?
Halli Aston
That was in 'Tushy Heaven.'
Roger T. Pipe
So you did anal, with Tom Byron in your first ever seen and it was the first time you had ever had anyone in your butt?
Halli Aston
Yep. You know what, I couldn't have asked for a more perfect environment. Alisha was awesome, she coached me through it. Tom was totally gentle, and understanding. Because he is so experienced, we didn't have any problems which helped, because that would have made me even more nervous. It was just awesome and felt totally natural, so everything just fell into place.
Roger T. Pipe
How many movies did you do for Seymore?
Halli Aston
Five for Seymore and one for Stoney Curtis which was distributed by Seymore.
Roger T. Pipe
How long were you under contract?
Halli Aston
Six months. It was originally a year, but we had the big HIV scare last February and that really scared me. That, and it was taxing on me physically. He only shoots one movie a month and gets it done in a week, so that meant having three scenes in a week. Physically, I just couldn't do it. Alisha and Sammy are awesome at what they do, but I wasn't physically able to do it. I'm the type of person who, if I can't give it one hundred and ten percent, it's not worth it. I want to always give my best performance and I didn't feel I was able to give that every time. It was a mutual parting of the way, there was never any bad blood. He has helped me a lot since then so it was a great experience.
Roger T. Pipe
Who are you working for now?
Halli Aston
I am not under contract, but I have worked a lot with Shane. I just did 'Shane's World 18' and '19' in Florida.
Roger T. Pipe
I just reviewed 19 last night.
Halli Aston
I haven't seen it, was it good?
Roger T. Pipe
Yeah, it was really good. A lot like an episode of the 'Real World.'
Halli Aston
Oh, they had the scenes of us off by ourselves. That was really emotional actually. That was the best. I love Shane's World. I love Shane, I love everybody who works for Shane. Hopefully, if it ever comes together and schedules click, I will be starting to shoot camera. I think I am going to shoot some tomorrow and continue to work on the Slumber Party movies, because they're all girl and that's what I want. I really want a chance to express myself behind the camera. I find that fascinating and I learned a lot from Seymore. He's a pro and Shane learned from him, so I see that passed down. Learning from them has been a great opportunity for me.
Roger T. Pipe
Would you like to take that a step further and have your own line?
Halli Aston
I would love it. I think there is a shortage of what I like to call good, hardcore sex with really pretty girls that is honest and real. If they don't like something, they don't have to do it. I think that with Shane, it's just a bunch of people having fun. I mean, it's still work. The trips aren't always fun. San Diego was hard because it was my first trip, but she gives us the opportunity to be ourselves. I think fans of her movies know this, and enjoy that aspect. Most people don't get to see us how we really are. I want people to know me, and see how I really express myself sexually.
Roger T. Pipe
So somewhere down the line, we will see a Halli Aston production.
Halli Aston
I sure hope so.
Roger T. Pipe
You said you were only doing girl/girl scenes now. What brought on this decision?
Halli Aston
There are a number of different reasons. The most important being that I decided I wasn't comfortable with the feeling I was getting coming home from a set. It wasn't because I don't think this is right, or anything, because when I was doing boy/girl scenes, I loved it. All of a sudden, I just wasn't comfortable afterwards and I decided that I shouldn't force myself to do something that I'm not comfortable with. It doesn't allow me to give the quality performances that I was used to and that's not fair to the fans or to myself. The HIV situation certainly played a part in the decision. Everyone may want me to do guys, but in fifteen years, when I'm dying, how many of them are going to be around, holding my hand? It will be my family, not my fans. They won't even remember me then. I mean, I hope that's not true, but we have to look at things realistically. I think everyone is worth more than that. Girls who do it, and are fine with what they are doing, more power to them, but it's just not something I am comfortable with at this time.
Roger T. Pipe
OK, let's go back to the beginning. Where were you born?
Halli Aston
I was born in Fountain Valley, California.
Roger T. Pipe
And you still live in Orange County?
Halli Aston
Yes. All my life. I used to live in Newport, currently live in Huntington.
Roger T. Pipe
How big a pain is that commute?
Halli Aston
Oh, it's still a pain, but there are people who drive it every day to much worse jobs, so I'm not too concerned.
Roger T. Pipe
What were you like growing up?
Halli Aston
I was the girl that had to get good grades. If I didn't, I was mad at myself. I was very, very competitive. Usually against boys. I was always the closest to my teachers. My bother and sister are both much older than I am and my mom and dad raised me almost like an only child and very much as an adult. I was always on my parents level. I was never spoken to like a child. My dad used to talk to me about politics all the time. We still talk about that and it's a heated debate every day. I am very close to my parents. I have awesome parents, just awesome. I was in gymnastics competitively for five years, I was a cheerleader up until college. I was homecoming queen of my college. I was the girl that was involved with everything.
Roger T. Pipe
Not to generalize or stereotype, but how do you do from that girl to Halli Aston, porn star? It would seem like a bit of a leap.
Halli Aston
For most people it would be. I was raised with awesome values, incredible morals and in a family that was not necessarily practicing religiously,But always taught me to have faith in myself. I was raised in a house with God, but it was not a daily thing.. I was baptized and that was pretty much it. I was taught to make my own decisions, stand up for myself and not let other people tell me what to do. I think that is what most people want for their children. Within the values that they taught me, I did what I wanted, stood on my own two feet and went against the grain. That's just my personality. I don't expect anyone else to live my life, so I won't live my life for anyone else. That's something I think my mom is very proud of. My mom and dad are my role models and though they may not agree with everything I've done, they are proud of what it took to get where I am. I'm twenty two years old, I live on my own, I take care of myself. I have friends that I went to school with who are still baby-sitting as a job, you know? So, to get back to your question, yes it's a stretch in some ways, but it's also very close to who I am.
Roger T. Pipe
So your parents know what you're doing?
Halli Aston
My dad doesn't know. Well, I shouldn't say that. I don't think my dad knows. I know that he is open to adult material. I used to sneak around and see magazines around the house. The day before my first scene, Jenna Jameson came up in conversation. She was opening up a bar in town and my parents were on a committee that was working to close it down. She had an ad in the paper and my father and I got into a heated debate. His exact words were "If a daughter of mine ever did anything like that, I would disown her and never speak to her again." I decided, I wasn't going to fight that one with him. I thought about it. For twenty years I was his angel and he loved me. I made the decision that if he was not going to love me any more because of one thing that doesn't define who I am, then he is not the father that I thought he was. I don't need to feel guilty over my choices. My mom and I talked about it and she asked me not to talk about it. He still calls me angel and there is no reason to take that away from him. He's like any father and doesn't want to believe bad things about his little girl, so why should he be forced to? My mom knows. I never came out and told her, but she's my best friend. She knows everything. We just have an understanding. I tell her I'm going to work, she tells me to be careful and that's it.
Roger T. Pipe
Are you still in school?
Halli Aston
Right now I am not. I am thinking of starting again this spring. I have to balance things right now and I don't want to be too busy to focus on the things I'm working towards. My ultimate goal is to go to culinary school. It's what I've always wanted. There is nothing like cooking.
Roger T. Pipe
So that's why Shane invites you along on all her shoots now, so someone can cook.
Halli Aston
That's it, the secret is finally out. Cooking is my absolute favorite thing in the world.
Roger T. Pipe
You were telling me earlier that you got your call from Seymore when you were sitting in this very coffee shop. Were you in school at that time?
Halli Aston
I was in the middle of a semester. It was in November of 1997.
Roger T. Pipe
From college student to porn star over night.
Halli Aston
Something like that.
Roger T. Pipe
You've been in for just about two years now, do you have any favorites to work with?
Halli Aston
Oh, easy. Janine. When I got into this business, there were three people I wanted to work with, Janine, Taylor Hayes and Shane. I was just a little bit too late for Shane. I work for her and I love her so that has to be good enough. I did my scene with Janine in February. It will be coming out soon. We had a lot of fun, so I'm hoping it will come out good. I worked with Taylor as well. I haven't seen the movie yet, but the reviews have been OK. They screw so much up with the editing. There is probably a ton of good stuff that didn't make it into the movie. I hate that.
Roger T. Pipe
You need to get a copy of the raw footage for yourself.
Halli Aston
I wish. Me and Taylor just went off, and I'm sure they didn't get half of it. She is awesome.
Roger T. Pipe
That's two out of three, so are you going to try to convince Shane to come out of retirement to make it a perfect three?
Halli Aston
You know, I would like to. I've certainly mentioned it to her, but her reasons are totally commendable. I admire her for being able to stand up for what she believes in and for being able to say thank you for letting me do this my way and for not hating me because I'm not in front of the camera anymore. I know that she gets a lot of flack for it, but she is strong enough to make up her own mind.
Roger T. Pipe
So Shane is staying behind the camera for the right reasons and we aren't going to beg her to come back.
Halli Aston
Right. I wouldn't want to make her uncomfortable, but if she ever changes her mind, I'm first in line.
Roger T. Pipe
I like this, in a way you're like the rest of us, wanting Shane, but you can't have her.
Halli Aston
Well, I've learned not to wish too hard for things. When I got the call from Vivid to work with Janine, I was totally excited. Paul Thomas called me and told me that he finally got my scene with Janine, but the part required that I also do a boy girl. I had told him I would do anything, so I did it. That was my last boy girl scene. It was worth it, totally awesome.
Roger T. Pipe
Who was the last boy girl scene with?
Halli Aston
Evan Stone.
Roger T. Pipe
He should send Janine a thank you card.
Halli Aston
I was really excited when I got the chance to work with Janine, but not just for the obvious reasons. Like I said, I met her around the time I thinking about not working with guys anymore. So she and I got to talking about it and I told her my reasons, then I asked her what she thought. She was just really supportive, saying I'll probably feel pressure to give in, but if I stood my ground, they'd stop bugging me about it.We've all been on a set where someone trying to talk us into something, it's hard to say no sometimes. If we stop letting them talk us into things, they'll stop trying. I doubt she knows this, but when she reminded me of that, that's what tipped the scales. I felt much more confident in my decision and I have never looked back.
Roger T. Pipe
What would you say is your best scene for someone who has never seen your work and wants to get their first taste of Halli Aston?
Halli Aston
The only problem with that question is that I haven't seen a lot of the movies. Seymore's stuff was good, Shane has some good scenes from me. The one I enjoyed the most was the four way with Mark Davis for Seymore.
Roger T. Pipe
I just saw that scene in a compilation.
Halli Aston
Yes, I read that review. I don't even remember what made it into the final cut of that scene, but there was one part where Mark picked me up and just turned me around. Seymore was amazed. He is just awesome.
Roger T. Pipe
There was a scene with you, Samantha Stylle and two guys.
Halli Aston
Alex Sanders and Tom Byron. That was great. That's one scene I thought should have been nominated for something. I had a bruise from Alex fucking me so hard.
Roger T. Pipe
When your contract with Seymore was over, there were a lot of rumors that you were going to be the next Vivid Girl. Is that true?
Halli Aston
There were talks. We got to the negotiation part of it, but I was feeling uncertain. I decided I needed some time off to get in touch with where I came from. I suddenly realized that my niece and nephew were two years older than the last time I spent time with them and I didn't like that at all. I just took a reality break. When I was ready to come back, I decided I didn't really want a contact. I didn't want to have to answer to anybody. Vivid asks for a lot from a performer. They give a lot, the way that they market is incredible. I like everyone there and have never had a bad experience, but I look at a lot of their videos and I see a lot of smoke and mirrors. I was afraid that I wouldn't have the chance to express myself in the way I wanted. I decided to work for them from time to time and keep my options open for other projects.
Roger T. Pipe
How many movies have you done?
Halli Aston
I was at twenty. I think I am right under thirty right now.
Roger T. Pipe
Not many at all for two years in the business. Are you seeing anyone now?
Halli Aston
Yes, I've been with my boyfriend for over a year now. It's been a new experience. When I started, I was off and on with someone I was with for three years. It was an emotionally draining, horrible and awesome experience at the same time. I ended up having to lie about everything with that guy and that's something I promised myself I would never do again. If I have to lie someone, then I shouldn't even be speaking to them. My current boyfriend started out as a great friend to me, but there was nothing there. We were very opposite, but gradually, things have evolved. He is awesome and at the same time, very innocent, so it's an adventure every day.
Roger T. Pipe
Do people recognize you when you're out?
Halli Aston
One time that happened. I will never forget it because I would love to apologize to that person. My boyfriend and I were in a club locally. His friends were playing and we were having a good time. I noticed this big guy with long dark hair and army fatigues the whole bit. I am very conscious of my surroundings and who is around. Girls turn up dead every day and we can't have that. Every time I looked up, this guy was closer to me, and all these awful scenarios started going through my head. Suddenly, I didn't see him any more so I felt relieved. My boyfriend tapped me on the shoulder and motioned behind me. I turned around and there this guy was again. He bent down to talk to me and I just jumped. He asked me "are you Halli Aston?" That had never happened to me before and I was already startled so I just looked at him, saying nothing. It was a good twenty seconds before I could even respond. He looked at me, then at my boyfriend and started apologizing like he had blown it for me or something. It didn't sink in at the time that he had recognized me. It was something good. He just backed away apologizing. I wanted to chase after him and explain it to him.To this day, I feel like the biggest bitch. I was just in awe and I thank him.
Roger T. Pipe
Would the people you went to school with be surprised by what you do.
Halli Aston
No, not at all. They would probably tell you they expected it.
Roger T. Pipe
What does that mean?
Halli Aston
I know, it sounds bad huh?
Roger T. Pipe
Not bad at all, it sounds interesting. Where were you when I was in school?
Halli Aston
(She laughs) In school, everyone thought they knew all about me. I was the girl who dated the coaches. I always went for older guys and if you want to put some psychological stigma to it, whatever. I always had complete control over whatever boy I wanted at the time. I was horrible, juggling guys and all that. I've come to terms with it now, but I was always pretty open about the whole sexuality.I didn't care what people wanted to think about me. Each one of my friends were with me every time, so I knew all of their secrets. People might be shocked at first, but then they would probably nod and say "Yeah, I can see that."
Roger T. Pipe
You said you were a cheerleader all the way through college. Coupled with that last response, should we assume you were an attention hog?
Halli Aston
(She laughs) No, that's really not it. I was never the one on top of the pyramid. I was down below, holding it up and I was very happy there. I have always been happy in supporting type roles, in a good, finished product. I never needed the spotlight or that kind of validation because I knew what I had and that's what's important. I was competitive, so I loved that aspect of it. I don't think it was so much a show off thing as a thirst to be the best.
Roger T. Pipe
At least tell me you kept the uniform.
Halli Aston
Absolutely, but it only comes out on special occasions.
Roger T. Pipe
I think we better change the topic quickly before I demand to be taken to your place for a fashion show. Are you able to talk about the court case yet?
Halli Aston
Yes, it's all done.
Roger T. Pipe
All right, let's do a little background. This started at Erotica LA back in 98. When I first met you by the way.
Halli Aston
I remember that actually. The day we got arrested as I recall.
Roger T. Pipe
Yeah, but when I was there, you guys were getting a little wild, but nothing too terrible.
Halli Aston
I do have to say that when I get with Samantha, it is impossible for me to not touch her. I love her almost as much as you do. Alisha was just being Alisha. She will do what she wants, when she wants, and that's just the way it's going to be damn it. No problem with that. Unfortunately, we were being watched rather closely. What they wanted to charge us with was absolutely insane, unfair and ridiculous. If they had gotten the conviction, we would have had to register as sex offenders, like a pedophile.
Roger T. Pipe
So, what did you guys do that was so awful?
Halli Aston
We were just being the Tushy Girls basically. When we're the Tushy Girls, we push it, because that's what we do. Sammy and I were just having a good time and yes, we did some things that perhaps we shouldn't have done. However, given the environment, it was not inappropriate in any way. I am not the kind of person who is going to go overboard. I don't even like kissing in public when it's not appropriate. There is a time and place for everything and that was the time and it was the perfect place. It was the time because I was with Sam. We were messing around, kissing touching and stuff. Maybe things could have been done differently as far as limits and what not, but we didn't even know what the limits were supposed to be. No one told us anything. They actually tried to come into court saying that we signed some sort papers. The only thing I signed was a paper stating I was eighteen and I signed that Halli Aston, so how is that even relevant? They managed to drag it out for over a year, I had to go to court, it was all a hassle.
Roger T. Pipe
Did someone complain, or were the police just there?
Halli Aston
Oh there were like twenty cops there at the show. They had something like two thousand photographs. I had a stack of photos of us and a stack of the girls across the way. Not one of the photos was of me being fondled by a fan or doing anything wrong. My lawyer was awesome and thankfully, it all worked out in the end. They had nothing on any of us, but they decided to waste everyone's time and money. I never told my parents about it, they still don't know even though it was in the paper.
Roger T. Pipe
Obviously you guys were found not guilty.
Halli Aston
Yes, we were all acquitted.
Seymore settled on some sort of a minor fine. The whole thing was ridiculous. I've learned my lesson and I'm just glad it's over.
Roger T. Pipe
Well, lucky for you, so is this interview. That's all I've got. Thank you for being so generous with your time.
Halli Aston
Thanks Roger.
| |
