Porn Actors' Struggles Began Long Before HIV

Wed May 5, 2004

By Gina Piccalo and Shawn Hubler, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers (California)

MONTREAL — He's a middle-aged black porn actor who had wanted to be a policeman. Known for his conscientiousness, he'd ask costars to refrain from smoking even as they were having unprotected group sex.

She's a white French Canadian stripper with waif-like eyes and a history of depression. Her dream was to open her own escort service. Or become a fashion designer. Or cut a rap CD with Missy Elliott.

For three weeks, "Darren James" and "Lara Roxx" have been the unlikely stars of an international pornography industry AIDS (news - web sites) scare. Near-strangers who didn't even like each other much at their first meeting, they are now forever linked as the first two to be diagnosed in a recent HIV (news - web sites) outbreak in a highly sensationalized workplace.

More than 50 performers who had contact with them have been sidelined pending new blood tests. Last week, a third actor — "Jessica Dee," a 26-year-old Czech woman — was diagnosed with HIV.


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