What Is Asa Akira's Net Worth and Salary?
Asa Akira is a renowned Japanese-American adult film star with an estimated net worth of $4 million. Throughout her career, she has appeared in over 500 adult films and has won 32 major awards out of 82 nominations. In 2013, she became the third Asian performer, following Asia Carrera and Stephanie Swift, to win the AVN Female Performer of the Year Award. Additionally, Asa Akira has hosted the first and second Pornhub Awards ceremonies. Standing at 5 feet two inches, she is known for her dynamic presence both on and off screen.
Early Life
Asa Akira was born on January 3, 1986, in New York City to Japanese immigrant parents. Her real first name, Asa, means "morning" in Japanese, while her stage surname, Akira, was inspired by the anime film "Akira." She spent her early childhood in SoHo before moving to Tokyo at age nine due to her father's job relocation. The family returned to the United States when Asa was 13, residing first in Brooklyn and later in Clinton Hill.
Growing up, she described her upbringing as "perfectly normal", with her family speaking Japanese at home and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. As a teenager, Asa worked as a cashier at a children's bookstore called Books of Wonder. She secured a scholarship to attend the United Nations International School in Manhattan thanks to her grandfather, who was a Japanese diplomat. However, she transferred to Washington Irving High School in Gramercy Park, New York City after her sophomore year due to poor grades.
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Adult Film Career
Asa began her journey in the adult industry as a dominatrix at the age of 19. She later worked as a stripper at the Hustler Club in New York City, where she met renowned adult actress Gina Lynn, who introduced her to porn. Initially focusing on girl-on-girl scenes, Asa eventually expanded her repertoire. Her first male-female scene was alongside Travis Knight for Gina Lynn Productions. She then signed a contract with Vouyer Media before transitioning to freelance work within six months.
Asa earned recognition for her performance in David Aaron Clark's 2009 film, "Pure," earning several nominations. She co-hosted the 30th Annual AVN Awards with adult film star Jesse Jane. That night she won the AVN Female Performer of the Year Award, being the most awarded actress of the ceremony. In 2014, she made her directorial debut with "Gangbanged 6." Later that year, Asa signed an exclusive contract with Wicked Pictures, debuting with the film "Asa Is Wicked."
(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Mainstream Appearances
Asa made a cameo in the mainstream film "Starlet." In January 2014, she, along with Dana DeArmond, Chanel Preston, and Jessie Andrews, was featured in a "Cosmo" magazine article titled "Four Porn Stars on How They Stay Fit." This article followed actress Gabrielle Union's comments on Conan O'Brien's talk show about following the fitness routines of porn stars.
In 2014, Asa appeared on the first episode of Season 3 of the "Eric Andre Show." In 2017, she played herself in the first episode of Season 16 of "Family Guy," featuring in a memorable live-action casting couch scene with Peter Griffin.
Other Media
"Complex" ranked Asa fourth on their "Top 100 Hottest Porn Stars Right Now" list and sixth on the "Top 50 Hottest Asian Porn Stars of All Time" list. She was a regular guest on the radio program "Bubba the Love Sponge," known as the "Show Whore." In 2013, "LA Weekly" listed her third in their "10 Innovative Porn Stars Who Could Be the Next Sasha Grey" list. Additionally, Asa has been featured on CNBC's "The Dirty Dozen" list of the adult industry's top stars.
Since 2013, Asa has co-hosted the podcast "DVDASA" with artist David Choe, focusing on topics like sexuality, career, and relationships. In 2014, she appeared in a YouTube video with vlogger Caspar Lee. Akira authored a memoir titled "Insatiable: Porn—A Love Story," released in May 2014. Her second book, "Dirty Thirty: A Memoir," came out in 2016. In 2015, Asa hosted the reality show "The Sex Factor."
Personal Life
Asa Akira identifies as a feminist and has expressed attraction to both men and women, although she prefers not to label herself as bisexual. She was once engaged to former porn star Rocco Reed and married fellow adult star Toni Ribas in December 2012; the couple separated in 2017. Asa has two children.
