Tera Patrick Interview - Tera Patrick's Bio & Movies
July 2000

Let me first thank you for taking the time to talk to all of the readers and your fans on the internet.

Well thank you for your time, and for their time as well.

Where were you born?

I’m from Montana.

When’s your birthday?

July 25^th, which was just two days ago.

Happy birthday.

Thank you. I’m twenty four now. Older and wiser.

Did you grow up in Montana?

Yes. I grew up in a town that’s about an hour south of Alberta, Canada. I spent some of my childhood in Canada as well. I don’t know French though. We have very cold winters, but it was a beautiful place to grow up. I had a blast. A lot of my hobbies, fishing, hunting, camping, have a lot to do with the fact that I grew up there. When I was thirteen I moved to New York to be a fashion model with the Ford Agency.

Hold on for just a second, you hunt?

I do. I hunt Caribou, Elk and I hunt Pheasant.

Great, a beautiful woman with a gun.

And I know how to use it.

You have a very unique look. What is your ethnic background?

My father met my mother in Vietnam, during the war. My mother is from Thailand and my father is from England. So I am half English and half Thai.

And what a lovely combination that makes.

Thank you.

So, from Montana to New York and now to Los Angeles?

I live in Los Angeles now, but I also spend a lot of time in Northern California. That’s pretty much where I will be for a while. I do plan to move back to Montana after my career is over. I love the country and I want to go back.

Did you come to LA to do movies or was it something else?

I did the fashion modeling in New York until I was eighteen then I took four years off to go to school in Idaho. I got my degree in nursing. I’m an RN and have a BS in Microbiology. I wanted to attend the University of Southern California. That’s why I moved out here. I got into modeling for financial reasons. I started doing the adult side after I was introduced to Suze Randall. I was a Penthouse Pet and I was in Playboy as well. I just started getting covers and centerfolds and it was a natural progression into videos. I had always had a fantasy about working in front of the camera. My first movie was by a man named Andrew Blake and it was a very softcore type movie. I was easing my way into things and did some simulated stuff with other girls.

You were moving slowly at first?

Yes. I was kind of dipping my feet in the water the with Andrew Blake film. Then I decided I wanted to work with men. In my personal life, I am not attracted to women at all. I can admire a beautiful woman, but I didn’t feel comfortable working with women on that level. I treat the business like a business because I have a business mind. I really enjoy my work and my scenes and I think that’s part of the reason why I haven’t gotten burned out. I’ve been able to pick and choose to a great extent and that helps. Since I do have a nursing career to fall back on, I am not really forced to be in the business. I stay because I truly enjoy the work.

What are some of your favorite scenes?

One of my favorites was with Randy West for his ‘Up & Cummers’ series. It was just one of those days when the sound was going out, the camera went down. It was like three hours into the production and I was just like, come on. So Randy says “Oh, I see, you want get it up, get it in, get it off, get it out.’ I thought about that for a while and realized how lucky I was. I wasn’t used to that. I worked with guys I really wanted to work with and that makes all the difference. I’ve seen so many scenes where there just is no chemistry at all.

Who are some of your favorite guys to work with?

Randy was great. Erik Everhard is great. Marc Davis is wonderful and I love working with the European guys. I worked with Nacho and he was great. I want to work with Rocco really bad.

Do you like LA?

I do, there is so much to see and do here. I have had a wonderful time here. I just prefer the quiet of the country. The good thing about LA is that I can drive an hour or two and be in the mountains. I think I will buy a home here, but I really want to move home to Montana. I plan to finish out my doctorate in Microbiology.

Beautiful, brilliant and she can shoot a gun.

I have other talents as well.

I know, and I would comment on them, but we’re in the middle of a very nice restaurant. What were you like growing up?

I was always very outgoing. I have always loved to be in front of the camera, very talkative, very extraverted, like I am now. My little brother is seven and he is exactly the same. People always told me I should be an actress. I still love working in front of the camera, I love taking photographs and I prefer modeling to acting. Acting is something you have to learn over years. I have a background in fashion and still love doing fashion photography. I also love doing nudes. They are an extension of fashion to me. You can see in my pictures that I love to work the camera. That shows in your face.

What month were you a Penthouse Pet?

February 2000. I am also on the Penthouse web site and in the Penthouse anniversary issue this month. I did my first boy/girl layout for that issue.

We talked a little bit about the first movie you were in for Andrew Blake. You did a little bit of work with other women in that movie.

Yes. All the girls were very nice and it’s wasn’t hard-core. I can do soft-core with women, but I draw the line at hard-core. I’m just not interested in women in that way.

That was the most requested question from readers on the internet. They saw an interview where you said you don’t do girls. Just to finish up on this topic, that’s a set rule, you don’t have sex with women?

Right. I just finished a twelve month layout for Club International that starts in January. I worked with another Penthouse Pet. We didn’t do any hard-core, but the pictures turned out really nice. I’m not saying I don’t like women, I just don’t like having hard-core sex with them. I’ve done lots of soft-core stuff with women and I’m fine. But no, you won’t see Janine strapping it on and doing me.

About how many movies have you done so far?

Thirteen movies. There are some comps, but thirteen movies.

Any that stand out.

The Virtual Sex With Tera Patrick is best project I’ve done. I had done my ten movies and was pretty much done. I didn’t want to be in the business any more when I got the call from Digital Playground. They wanted me to be part of the Virtual Sex series. I went out and got the DVD and was impressed. They gave me control of the project and that was wonderful. Signing a contract with them came later when I got to know them as people. They are more about quality than quantity and that is so important to me. I didn’t want to be just another contract girl who is forgotten. They are allowing me to pursue my education and do some other projects. I can do mainstream work as well. I didn’t want to put out five movies a year or fifty movies a year and not care. My whole life doesn’t have to revolve around making movies. I think my fans want to see my at my best and that they want to see me cross over to do bigger and better things.

Are you currently working on a web site?

Yes, Digital Playground is helping with that and it should be ready to go in about a month or so. It will be www.terapatrick.com

You’re still doing movies though?

Yes. We are aiming for about two productions a year. I am very excited. I just won Best New American Starlet at Cannes which is a great honor. I consider that a really big thank you from the fans, and I want to give back, I just don’t want to perform six hundred times a year. Another reason I choose Digital is that quality is so important to them. I want the projects I do to be outstanding

We talked about your favorite guys to work with, and as for guys who you want to work with, Rocco would be at the top of that list?

Rocco, definitely. I’m waiting.

How tall are you?

I’m five nine and a half.

What are your measurements?

36D and I am natural by the way. 24-36.

I’m going to have to take your word for it that they’re real.

Would I lie to you Rog?

Let’s hope not. Would you say that having natural breasts has been a big help?

I would say it’s been a big help. Any time you have something that is different or special, of course that’s going to give you a boost. I’ve noticed that the majority of my fans respect me as a woman. I’m the girl who came along that a lot of women were waiting for. They don’t have to be intimidated by me. They can relate to me because I’m not just some bimbo. I’m not implying that the majority of the women in the business are, I just think they see in me a woman who treats the business like a business yet can act slutty. A lot of the girls don’t respect their fans. I’ve had so many people say thank you for taking the extra time to talk to me. This is why I got into entertainment. I thrive on being in front of the camera and I love to give something to people. I have couples come up and say ‘we’re like you, we’re educated and have jobs, but we are into wild kinky sex.’ A lot of men will show my movies to their girlfriends because they think their girlfriends are going to like me because I’m not intimidating. I’m proud to be setting a good standard for this business.

OK, one more question about your breasts, then I promise we’ll move on. Have you felt any pressure from the business to have them done?

None. Not for any kind of surgery. Even if got pressure from the business, it wouldn’t matter. I was in fashion for so long and that’s such a taboo. It never would have dawned on me. To be honest, I didn’t think I would make it in the adult film business.

Why not?

I’m tall, I have real boobs, I’m Asian and I have dark hair. I was different.

Do you watch your own movies?

I couldn’t at first, but I finally have started watching them. I can watch them now, but I have to turn off the sound.

How come?

When I hear it, it kills the fantasy for me.

Would you say your experience has been positive so far?

Very. I haven’t had anything negative happen. Max Hardcore didn’t find me, Rodney didn’t find me.

What about Ed Powers?

You’ll have to ask Ed about me. I turned him down. He was the first guy who was going to work with me. He came to me before any of the others.

Have you had any problems with agents?

No, I have to say that Jim South was very good to me. He was always a gentleman. I have been very lucky. I haven’t been ripped off and I’ve had a great time. I have a great publicist, great management and when you surround yourself with great people, things go well.

When you go out, do people recognize you?

I have more women recognize me than men. They recognize me from the Playboy shot or from Penthouse. Every time I go into TGI Friday’s, but that’s just because it’s porno central in the Valley.

Do you have a boyfriend right now?

No boyfriend. I am very happy being single at the moment.

What do you look for in a man?

I look for a man who is very confident. I like intelligent and am drawn to men with a strong science background. I think the only conventionally handsome guy I have ever been attracted to was Steve McQueen, but that was just his tough guy thing. I love European guys and I LOVE Firemen! I love a guy who can do crazy things with me and laugh, and did I mention that I love Firemen. And of course I love you Rog!

You could love a porn critic?

Better to love a porn critic than a porn actor.

Take that Tom Byron.

I’m going to give everyone my advice because I have the microphone right now. Don’t get involved with anyone from this business.

What other advice would you offer to someone who might want to get into the business?

To always treat the business like a business and to remember that this will be with you forever. Know that before you get in. Do your homework, have fun and always have something to fall back on. I’ve seen so many people come and go. There are so many options for women these days and they should research this before they get in. Personally, I think women should probably be twenty three before they get in. I see so many young girls get into this at eighteen without a clue of what they want from it or how it might change their whole life. There is a lot to think about.

Is there anything other than women that you won’t do on camera?

There is not a lot that I have turned down. I have a lot of fantasies that are going to come out on DVD in the next year.

Do you work with condoms?

I do now. I have worked without them in the past, but I do advocate condom use.

Do you think the industry is doing enough to protect performers from HIV?

I think it’s a matter of personal choice. The industry has set some high standards as far as the testing. Beyond that, it’s up to the performers to keep themselves healthy. I tell the girls who I talk to, if you’re going to protect yourself with a guy on a one night stand, why not protect yourself with a guy you’re going to work with who you’ve known for five minutes?

You said you do have some unfulfilled fantasies, but we’re going to have to wait and see them?

Let’s just say, they involved the fire department and maybe the LAPD.

How would you say your on screen personality reflects or differs from your real life personality?

That’s really hard. I am who I am. I don’t really change on camera and I think that’s what a lot of my fans respect about me. I don’t see anything wrong with a beautiful, intelligent girl being sexual and nasty. I can do a rough hard-core sex scene, then do a lecture on DNA. That’s just who I am.

Is your web site the best way for fans to get in touch with you?

Yes. I do answer all of my mail personally and send out pictures, but I am so busy that it takes me a long time to catch up. I do appreciate everyone who writes.

You said you don’t do any dancing?

I don’t dance, no.

Is that something you want to work on?

No, I’m really not interested in that.

Do you have any tattoos or piercings?

I have one tattoo of a rose on my right ankle. I got that when I was thirteen.

Any plans for more?

No, absolutely not. I don’t advocate piercing, tattoos, plastic surgery or anything that alters who you are.

What about interracial scenes, specifically with black men?

I’m not opposed to them at all. It’s something that I haven’t really considered yet because I just don’t know the talent pool yet.

But you would do one if the opportunity presented itself.

Yeah, like I said, I’m not against it at all.

I hear you just shot a mainstream movie with Jennifer Tilley?

Yes. It’s an independent movie that is supposed to be released at Sundance next year. I play this character who Eric Roberts is obsessed with. Jennifer Tilley plays a porn star who is trying to break into mainstream. I got to work with Eric and Jake Bussey. I shaved Jake’s head in the movie. I don’t know if anyone will recognize me, but it was fun.

You’re doing a lot of mainstream work.

Yes. I just shot a movie for Indigo called “Fast Lane to Vegas” that is an interactive movie. You can choose the flow of the movie. It’s a take off on Men in Black. Miss USA Kelly McCarty and I play the Women in Black. I get to probe guys who don’t answer my questions. I basically come to earth looking for male seed to take back to my planet. It was great because I got to do some fun comedic stuff which I love.

What is something that not many people know about you that you would like to share?

I knit.

There it is, a big secret and everyone heard it here first. Anything more than you want to add?

Thank you for all the support, wish me well and thank you Rog for your time.

Thank you Tera.