Gray Perrier Appears on The Performers Pod with Chelsea Poe
Las Vegas, NV – Gray Perrier was the featured guest on a recent, in-depth episode of The Performers Pod with Chelsea Poe. The hour-and-nine-minute conversation, which first aired on January 22, 2026, covered Perrier’s whirlwind first year in the adult industry, her surreal experience at the 2026 AVN Expo and Awards, and her nomination for the prestigious Best Trans Newcomer award.
Chelsea Poe kicked off the episode by congratulating Perrier on the major nomination, placing her in an elite category of past winners like Emma Rose and Aubrey Kate. Honored and in disbelief, Gray responded, “I was floored to be on that list, but I felt validated.” The nomination was particularly meaningful for Gray, who only began shooting professionally in March 2025 at the age of 34.
During the candid conversation, Perrier, who is based in Los Angeles but frequently travels to Vegas for work while balancing her personal life and academic studies, emphasized her professional ethos. Gray believes there is no difference between the commitment that should be given between studio shoots and collaborations, highlighting her deep respect for the personal time of others. She credited her exhibitionist nature as an impetus for joining the industry and shared a comical story from one of her first shoots where she sincerely asked the director if she was allowed to say “Fuck” on camera. After being told, “This is porn, it’s not Nickelodeon,” Gray’s inner self shone brightly. “I was like, Oh, fuck yes, fuck me harder!” she recalled.
The episode also delved into her love for bondage, heavy impact, and BDSM, which she links in part to her ultra-conservative upbringing in Wisconsin. Gray discussed the journey of learning to trust her process, sharing her transition from a “canonically submissive bottom” to also topping to secure more studio work. She emphasized the importance of mental and physical health in that process, a point echoed by Chelsea Poe, who advised listeners to always trust their own instincts.
Reflecting on her first AVN Expo, Gray admitted to initial apprehension that quickly melted away. The first person she called after learning of her Best Trans Newcomer nomination was her supportive mother. While grateful for the recognition, Gray shared a grounded perspective, mentioning that awards, popularity, or opportunities, don’t make you any more, or less, valuable as a person. Still, the moment felt significant, and she expressed immense appreciation for Chelsea Poe providing a platform for her story.
“Having Gray on The Performers Pod during the AVN Expo was amazing,” said Chelsea Poe. “It was so great to be able to walk the red carpet together and get to be in a bit of a more veteran role to help guide Gray on her first AVN red carpet, just like Siouxsie Q did for me when I came into the industry over a decade ago.”
