Ria Bentley Shines on The Performers Pod with Chelsea Poe
Los Angeles, CA – Award-winning trans creator Ria Bentley appeared as a guest on “The Performers Pod with Chelsea Poe” for an in-depth, hour-long conversation covering her successful career, the evolution of trans adult entertainment, and her ambitious plans for the future. The episode is available now on Apple and Spotify.
The one-hour and eight-minute conversation opens with Ria preparing for the upcoming 2026 TEAs, where she is nominated for Ms. Unique and Best Content Creator. Ria recounted her 2025 win for Trans Creator of the Year and expressed profound gratitude for her fans and deep respect for her fellow performers.
The pair explored the significant progression and inclusion of trans performers in the mainstream over the last 15-20 years. Despite being in the industry for only a few years, Ria, alongside Chelsea, reflected on following both trans and straight adult content and celebrated the tremendous strides the trans, gay, and queer communities have made in achieving mainstream acceptance.
Ria shared her entry into the industry, which began with experimentation, fun, and a transition into camming. Chelsea praised Ria’s self-sufficient approach to her success as “admirable.” Ria summarized her core philosophy as wanting to have fun, get paid, but mainly, to be in control of her situation and to ultimately be proud of the content she puts out.
The conversation delved into genres and fetish, with Ria and Chelsea discussing how they push creative boundaries. While Chelsea focuses on BDSM and fetish, Ria spoke about producing content driven by her own desires, which is a primary reason she produces so many films and scenes independently. Chelsea also touched on the importance of defying outdated terminology and classifications, advocating for forward-moving language.
In the closing segment, the performers emphasized the importance of remaining grounded amidst success and failure. Chelsea stressed the need to pursue a career “sustainably” and “in a way that feels good to you.” Ria agreed and spoke of her future plans, including starting her own production company. Her goal is not to amass wealth, but to gain total creative control and fund the production of high-quality scenes that align with her artistic vision. With this ambition in mind, Ria expressed a strong desire to earn a future nomination for an award that would encompass “Best Self Producer” or “Content Creator” at not only the TEAs, but also at AVN and the XMAs.
“Chelsea is a wonderful and talented woman and has done so much for Trans and Sex Workers by tackling topics that too many people sweep under the rug,” said Ria Bentley. “I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent talking with her and wish we had become acquainted sooner!”
“It was such a joy speaking to Ria,” added Chelsea Poe. “I feel like her independent model as an award-winning performer really not only speaks to the future of trans porn, but the industry as a whole. I think Ria’s interview gave myself and the audience a sneak peek at what porn might be in 5 years. Ria also flipped the tables and was asking questions like a podcast host herself and we had a really great conversation.”
Listeners can tune in to “The Performers Pod With Chelsea Poe: Ria Bentley” on Apple and Spotify to hear the full, candid conversation. Follow Chelsea Poe to stay updated on the latest episodes with your favorite performers.
About The Performers Pod
Chelsea Poe is an award-winning podcaster, performer, and journalist. The Performers Pod is a space for performers to talk about the industry in a real way that they usually aren’t given in the press. Poe aims to explore all the ways people find this industry and the places it can take their lives, covering serious issues as well as the funny, mundane, and heartwarming aspects of the global world of adult film.
