Rising Stars: 2018 GayVN Awards Best Newcomer Nominees

This weekend will see the return of the GayVN Awards after a seven-year hiatus, and AVN Media Network is pretty darned excited. To mark the awards show’s return, GayVN writer Brady Jansen takes a closer look at the 15 nominees for Best Newcomer. The winner will be announced at the GayVN Awards Show, taking place January 21, 2018, inside The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas. The show is sponsored by CAM4.com and iWantEmpire.com. For details, visit GayVNAwards.com.
Gabriel AlanzoShortly after making his debut by fucking Jackson Cooper on Billy Santoro’s LeakedandLoaded.com, Brazilian Gabriel Alanzo hit the super big time by landing a role in arguably the event of the year: Falcon’s Earthbound: Heaven to Hell 2, which signaled the return of Chi Chi LaRue to the studio. Alanzo appears in the memorable (and GayVN-nominated) orgy scene featuring blockbuster co-stars Sean Zevran, Dean Monroe and Arad Winwin. (“I love that was my first movie! I can’t wait to watch it” tweeted the star after filming.)The smooth, tattooed stud’s year continued to heat up with a threeway in Falcon’s Intimate (where he shares Ryan Rose’s cock with Jake Archer) and he appears alongside Johnny V’s Best Supporting Actor turn in NakedSword’s MXXX: The Hardest Ride, getting pounded by the verbal cop. The studio keeps the (mostly) bottom busy in the recent hit The Devil’s Deal & Other Sordid Tales, and his chameleon-like powers (he has rocked some varying hair styles, always keeping his look fresh) are sure to give him added industry staying power. The star is also a dancer “choreographerpartist,” personal trainer and model. Alanzo is also up for two Fan Awards (Favorite Newcomer and Hottest Butt).Beaux BanksHow much does Beaux Banks love porn? After finding out that CockyBoys had officially released his debut scene (appearing with superstar Boomer Banks), he took to Twitter to share his gratitude. Banks’ genuine, wide smile and tears of joy prove just how much he loves what he does, and his words on Twitter in December continued to show just how much his debut meant to him: “I can’t wait to see what the future holds. I am proud. I am honored. I am excited. I am grateful. I am humble for this experience.”The Annapolis, Maryland, native went on to work for the Falcon Studios Group, landing roles in Raging Stallion’s It’s Coming and Hot House’s The Fixer—both roles proving he has acting ability to go along with his other assets. He also shows off a kinkier side in Hot House’s Skuff: Dog House, and has a trio of Men.com scenes under his belt. Banks also picked up a GayVN nomination for Best Duo (with Sean Zevran in Hot House’s Dark Matter), and is up for three Fan Awards (Favorite Butt, Hottest Newcomer and Hottest Twink). We think CockyBoys sums him up perfectly: “Aside from his confident and fearless personality, one of Beaux’s hottest traits is how eager he is to please whichever guy he’s with.”Calvin BanksAfter getting his start with Helix Studios in 2016, Calvin Banks had an explosive year that saw him branch out to CockyBoys, NakedSword and Icon Male—his puppy dog eyes and ever-changing hair styles (do you prefer Calvin curly, smooth or high and tight?) keeping our interest every second (oh wait … he has a huge cock, too?!). He’s displayed a great range of emotion and performance, from a rough side in Icon’s Revenge to the more tender turns in films like The Mentor, proving he’s just as fearless and versatile with dialogue as he is with sex. CockyBoys calls the cutie “a fun-loving guy all around, Calvin has a real compassionate side to him and it shows ... not only through his personality but also in the way he fucks!” His scorching CockyBoys scene with Boomer Banks is one of the Best Duo nominees (“I cringed at the thought of taking his dick, but I also kind of salivated”), while his hot pairing with Brandon Wilde in Icon’s His Sister’s Lover 2 is a Best Twink Scene contender (he also has a Hottest Newcomer nod in the Fan Awards). And if you haven’t seen NakedSword’s Ultra Fan, you’re missing the hottest pizza boy around.Corbin ColbyAccording to AmericanMuscleHunks.com, “One word comes to mind when describing Corbin—asstastic. Corbin’s ass is out of this world and his monster cock complements it well.” The Virginia Beach native is a former wrestler, MMA fighter and dancer—and his hard work shows off in his taut, toned body. After working with AmericanMuscleHunks, GuysinSweatpants.com and ColbyKnox.com (who touted his “beautiful baby face, active physique, massive cock and plump round ass”), his career blossomed at Helix, who proudly proclaims that the smooth stud “has a youthful cocky confidence mixed with manly brawn” and “is a spectacular gift to porn lovers everywhere … the kid’s got the biggest, most beautiful dick in recent porn history” (or, if you prefer, “colossally cocked”). You won’t get an argument from us. The bisexual athlete packs nearly 10 inches of power that has ravaged many a bottom in the Helix stable—including fellow Best Newcomer nominee Sean Ford. The jock is up for two nominees in the Best Twink Scene category: his orgy with Brad Chase, Logan Cross and Aiden Garcia in “Four Play”; and his “Protein” pairing with Blake Mitchell. He’s also up for the Favorite Twink honor in the Fan Awards.Marq Daniels“I love sex and cameras … why not do it together?” This 6-foot “total top” is from Málaga, but you might excuse him for a Greek God. Chiseled from head to toe with a smattering of chest hair and a wave of golden locks atop his handsome face, the Lucas Entertainment exclusive made an instant impact in his debut with James Castle in Bareback Auditions 5—a perfect pairing for Daniels, who “has a soft spot for classically handsome men with chiseled features.” He speaks Finnish (where he lives) and a little English in addition to Spanish.Since joining the studio on set in Spain, he has graced a handful of scenes and counting—including the smash hit Breeding Prince Charming, for which he has also garnered a nod in the Best Group Scene category for his work with Brian Bonds, Adam Killian, Andrey Vic and fellow Best Newcomer nominee Rico Marlon. The studio notes that filming high-quality content in exotic locations was one of the reasons he signed with them, quoting him as saying, “I love traveling to new places and meeting new people, and Lucas Entertainment always shoots in the best locations and with the best guys. Other companies don’t travel as much for their productions.”Ace EraWith the words “Fuck” and “Me” tattooed on his butt cheeks, is it any wonder that Ace Era has built his career as a power bottom? “I’m just a guy that knows what he likes … there’s clear instructions on my ass,” he says. The towering 6-foot-2, 215-pound Ohio native made his debut getting gfang banged on RawandRough.com before moving on to the big boys. He debuted with Lucas Entertainment in a Christmas-themed encounter with Dylan James in 2016. Three months later, the studio signed him as an exclusive, casting him in hits like Ass-Fucking Alpha Males (a nominee for Best All-Sex Movie) and “Gentlemen 19: Hard at Work,” a pairing with Sergeant Miles that’s nominated for Best Fetish Scene (in addition to his Best Butt nod in the Fan Awards).The stud lives in West Virginia and works at a greenhouse, and he said he thought “going into porn would be great way to fulfill a lot of my fantasies.” Era signed as a Lucas exclusive in part to help stabilize his work/life balance. “I like to live a somewhat ‘routine’ life, and shooting porn with several studios all over the place from week to week … it can run you down. I hope to get my name and face out there even more. I’m very excited to see what doors will open for me.”Pheonix Fellington“I enjoy giving somebody something to watch,” Phoenix Fellington told the Aconnectiontv YouTube channel in an on-camera interview. “I like being sexual. It’s fun for me … most of the things I do are attention-grabbers.” The Detroit native grabbed everyone’s attention last year, working for a wide range of studios to show off his killer smile—and killer cock. His pairing with Wesley Woods in Raging Stallion’s It’s Coming picked up a Best Duo Sex Scene nomination (joining his Fan Award nods for Favorite Body and Hottest Newcomer). He told Aconnectiontv that his entry into porn happened over time, starting with his foray into dancing (and then stripping) after he moved to Florida. Now, he’s focuses on building his career and brand in the industry.The toned, hung jock has worked for Next Door Studios, Man Royale and BreedMeRaw.com, among others, and a few scenes for Lucas Entertainment—who notes that Fellington “loves doggy style … and one time he even fucked in a public library. [He] is open to all different types of guys, and when he’s not filming porn he enjoys music, sports, exercise and food.” Fellington was such a success in NakedSword’s MXXX: The Hardest Ride that the studio cast him again in The Devil’s Deal and Other Sordid Tales.Sean Ford“I’m an Arkansas boy ... I feel at home both in the sunny outdoors and dancing at the club,” shared tight and toned Sean Ford at Helix Studios, where he got his start. “You can sometimes catch me watching football or basketball, or out on the courts playing some tennis. I have a huge weakness for athletic guys and twinks like myself.” His “Boy’s Night” scene with Blake Mitchell, Logan Cross and Colton James earned him a Best Twink Scene nod to go along with his Fan Awards nomination for Favorite Twink. He appeared in the multi-nominated Helix smash Lifeguards: Summer Session, along with Taking Turns and Tight Ends.In 2017, Ford made his debut with CockyBoys—a scene with fellow Best Newcomer nominee Calvin Banks that thrilled studio CEO/director Jake Jaxson: “Sean Ford is a rabble-rouser. Under his quiet exterior, soft skin and sultry bedroom eyes there is a mischievous, studious and tenacious boy that wants to shake things up … what ultimately ‘sold’ me on Sean was to hear him talk about the power, meaning and purpose of his work.” You can also catch him in Camp MoreCock with Colby Keller—and in “Diablo in Madrid,” the first film in a four-part anthology from underground filmmaker Bruce LaBruce.Luke HudsonWhen people compare you to Buck Angel, you know you’re doing something right. In 2007, Buck Angel became the first and only trans man to win Transsexual Performer of the Year at the AVN Awards (and won a GayVN Award in 2008). Fast-forward to 2017, and trans man Luke Hudson has taken the industry by storm with his work at JockPussy.com—the first FtM transgender site in affiliate program GunzBlazing’s network. President Robyn Way noted at the time: “Jason Sparks first came to us saying he’d found a new model and wanted to build a site around him. When we first saw pictures of Luke Hudson we were pretty excited about building this site and working with Jason on this new (for us) genre.”The Kansas native—who says that he started identifying as a man at about age 6—played hockey and was in track and field when he was growing up. The craziest thing he’s done sexually was a 24-hour threesome with another porn star that included DP, but he’s set his fantasies even higher: “I think a gang bang sounds pretty cool … like, (with) enough to fill a football team.” In the meantime, he’ll stick to playing guitar, making more porn and inspiring more trans performers.Jon KaelBelAmi’s “Freshman of the Month” for November of 2016 was Jon Kael—who might as well be “Freshman of the Year.” The young Czech stud turned heads as part of an Addicted Underwear campaign that year, and has gone on to grace a bevy of BelAmiOnline and Freshmen.net scenes (including his first, where he gets tag-teamed buy Joel Birkin and Raf Koons; a gang bang by Adam Archuleta, Helmut Huxley and Dylan Maguire; and taking all of Jack Harrer in Size Matters 3). Fans also eagerly awaited his Christmas 2017 pairing with BelAmi legend Kris Evans.Notes BelAmiOnline: “Jon Kael keeps creating confusion in our admin system due to fact that his real surname is very similar to (Hoyt Kogan’s). Of course there are other similarities between them as well. They are both very good looking, both very sexual, flexible and athletic. The more we work with Jon the more we discover his vast untapped reserves of sexual energy and we hope to be able to share it with you as we work more with him.”Liam KnoxTitanMen knew it had something special on its hands when it started teasing its new exclusive in late 2016. It took a few more months for fans to get their fix of Liam Knox when he debuted with Dallas Steele in 2 Men Kiss—a payoff that was well worth the wait. The professional trainer and bodybuilder—a native of Knoxville, Tennessee—clocks in at 5-foot-9 and 215 pounds of muscle. It’s been off to the races ever since. Knox is also up for two Fan Awards: Favorite Body and Hottest Newcomer. “I remember seeing the men of Titan when I first started watching porn,” Knox shared after being signed. “I’m honored to be amongst their legendary stable of exclusives.”Director of Production Jasun Mark said, “The moment Liam walked onto the set of his first movie, we knew we had something magic. Yes, he’s stunningly handsome with a great body, but his charming Southern gentleman style won over the cast and crew instantly.” Added Keith Webb, VP and managing partner: “He’s smart, sexy, built like a superhero with a humble and thoughtful personality. It takes more than just good looks to be a TitanMan, it takes an extra level of intelligence and masculinity that Liam has in droves!”Skyy KnoxFew performers make the kind of splash Skyy Knox did in 2017. It all got started with his anticipated debut in Scene 1 of Men.com’s The Huntsman series, and soon he was turning heads all over the industry. The Canadian was cast in the central role of the fallen angel in LaRue’s smash Earthbound, and later in the year got a role in fellow Falcon hit Route 69. He landed another plum part as a bad guy in Hot House’s The Fixer—which earned him a Best Supporting Actor nod, as well as one for Best Group Scene for his spirited gang bang at the hands of Arad Winwin, Tyler Roberts and Austin Wolf (whom Knox thanked for introducing him to the studio group). He is also up for Favorite Butt in the Fan Awards.“Is this a dream?” Knox said when he was signed with Falcon Studios Group. “Please pinch me to make sure it’s real.” Added Falcon Studios Group and NakedSword Network president Tim Valenti: “Skyy undeniably has what it takes to become one of the next gay porn superstars, and we’re overjoyed.” CockyBoys fans would agree based on the former model/actor’s trio of scenes for the studio, including his debut where he gets DPed by Brandon Jones and Jack Hunter.Rico MarlonWhile shooting in Spain in late 2016, Lucas Entertainment snagged a beauty: Brazilian Rico Marlon, who made his debut in Breeding Price Charming in an incendiary threeway with Sergeant Miles and Ken Summers—and went on to help gang-bang Brian Bonds in the film’s GayVN-nominated group scene. He’s had a prolific 2017 with nine films, most as a top, and also picked up a Best Duo Sex Scene nod for his pairing with Dani Robles in Bareback Auditions 6 (to go along with his Hottest Newcomer nomination in the Fan Awards).“I signed because Lucas Entertainment is an excellent company, the guys are incredibly hot, and they take care of their models,” he said, adding that he appreciated the time Lucas Entertainment and his co-stars spent helping him to learn how the industry works. “There’s excellent care with all new models; the team welcomed me and helped me out very much.” The studio notes that he loves having sex by the ocean, and fantasizes about having an orgy on a secluded beach with a group of versatile guys in case he gets the itch to flip. “I can’t wait to show what I can do for the fans and hopefully be a successful model.”William SeedFrom the moment he’s caught jacking off in his porn debut in Men.com’s “Closet Peepers,” Canadian William Seed—a French-speaking native of Quebec—made fans across the globe salivate. The tattooed construction worker is stacked at 5-foot-9 and 195 pounds, helping him garner a Fan Award nom for Favorite Body (is it any surprise his favorite film is Rambo? Sly would be proud!). He has made a splash in scene after scene on Men.com, including memorable threeways and group scenes with the likes of Alexy Tyler, Will Braun and Zack Hunter. He counts hockey among his hobbies (you can take the man out of Canada …), professes to being a very good cook and loves gang bangs.In an interview with QueerMeNow.net, Seed shares: “I was contacted by a recruiter that was looking for models in Montreal. I sent in my pictures they met with me and liked what they saw and tried me out for a scene which ended up being ‘Closet Peepers’... I was a little bit shy but that quickly changed to excitement at which point it was easy and fun.” (And while he hasn’t bottomed yet, he’s not completely ruling it out … so stay tuned!)Daymin VossWhile traveling the country with boyfriend Julian Knowles, Daymin Voss met superstar Jason Vario—who helped the dancer get a gig at Titan (along with the recommendations of fellow Titan stalwarts Jesse Jackman and Dirk Caber). And what a gig it was: Vario hadn’t bottomed on camera since 2014, then along came Voss to re-pop his cherry in Big Brother. It was part of a stellar 2017 that saw the muscle man make an impact in a handful of films. The versatile, hairy Voss also got to shoot a scene with returning vet Tristan Jaxx in Raging Stallion’s Gun Show, along with his work in Gaymers (where he’s nominated with Eddy CeeTee for Best Bear Scene) and Beards, Bulges, and Ballsacks! (again tapped for Best Bear Scene, along with Michael Roman and Fernando Del Rio). Voss adds to that a Fan Award nom for Favorite Bear.In an interview with Ryan Shea of Instinct magazine, Voss shared: “I have been blown away by many of the guys that I’ve met. Not just the personalities, but also the successfulness of the guys behind the scenes. I’ve met business owners, guys who hold multiple degrees, and hopefully I can count myself in as some of the people who are successful in their private ventures. To my own standards, of course.”