Prior to Superstar Haley Spades (https://onlyfans.com/haleyspades) preparing to rock the Spearmint Rhino Gentlemen’s Club in Pittsburgh, she sat down for a lengthy discussion talking about aspects of her successful career, life before entering the Adult Entertainment, and much more. For more details on Haley’s appearance, visit Spearmint Rhino Pittsburgh’s event page at https://spearmintrhinopgh.com/events/.
For more Haley Spades, please visit her network:
https://www.instagram.com/gamergirlhaley
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https://www.tiktok.com/@haleyspades
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Interview: Sherman Wayze
Editor: Gavyn Glass
Photos Courtesy of Haley Spades
Sherman Wayze: How did you get into the adult industry?
Haley Spades: I started out stripping when I was 18 and in college. I needed money, and a friend who had been a stripper told me about it. She suggested I buy a pair of heels and audition at a club, so I did. That was in early 2017. I stripped all over the country – New York, Chicago, Florida, Texas, Vegas, and Louisiana.
After about eight years of sex work, including stripping and content creation, I tried porn. I Googled “how to get into porn” and reached out to agencies. I always tell people that’s the easiest way – just Google it, and it will tell you to get an agency. I researched different agencies, examined the girls on their rosters, and contacted a couple. Within two weeks of contacting them, I was shooting my first scene.
The transition from stripping to porn felt natural to me. I had already been in the sex work world for years, so it wasn’t a huge leap. Plus, I had always kind of joked about doing porn while I was stripping. I think I had an idea that I wanted to be in an industry or career where I felt like I was on top, getting good attention, doing well financially, and being happy with what I was doing rather than sitting at a desk in a cubicle.
Sherman Wayze: What was your experience with camming and content creation like before getting into studio porn?
Haley Spades: I tried camming briefly when I was 18 but didn’t know what I was doing. I only did one or two cam shows and didn’t know how to create a proper tip menu or be properly compensated. I felt like I didn’t know how to really talk to people or carry it socially. I also didn’t know how to make sure I wasn’t getting exploited. I saw all these girls making money but had no idea how to do it successfully.
During the pandemic, when strip clubs closed, I started creating solo content and cosplay. I was in my final semester of college and needed to pay my bills—I was living in an expensive high-rise in New Orleans. So I started creating content because that’s what all my peers were doing. I liked it, and that’s when I really got into cosplay.
At that point, I was only doing solo content, but I was doing customs, cosplay, and pretty well for myself. That’s when I realized how comfortable I was with being online in that capacity—promoting myself—and how much fun I was having. Since I was in school for marketing with a concentration in sales, I knew I needed to treat it like a business to be successful. I focused on getting my name and brand out there and creating something.
Sherman Wayze: Can you describe your first porn scene experience?
Haley Spades: I was very excited, almost too excited. They had to tell me to tone it down since it was a casting-style scene. They told me I couldn’t be super smiley and happy – I needed to look like I didn’t know what was happening because it was supposed to be a casting. I wasn’t nervous at all. I was super excited to finally check that off my bucket list and be like, “I fucking did it.”
The excitement wasn’t really about having sex with someone I didn’t know. I had different boyfriends before, so that wasn’t my main thing. It was more like, “Oh my God, I’m fucking for a company, and it’s going to be on camera. I am now officially in the porn world.” That whole big picture was what was exciting.
I think it hit me that I was doing porn when we sat down to do the paperwork for the first time or when I got tested for STDs. That’s when I said, “Wow, okay, I’m doing this.”
Sherman Wayze: How did you approach anal scenes and progress in that area?
Haley Spades: I waited about 2.5 years before doing my first anal scene. I knew I wanted to do anal eventually, but I wanted to be ready. I started by playing with toys to get comfortable with anal. But I knew I needed to have a dick in my butt to know if I was ready.
So, I contacted a male performer I had worked with, Sean Lawless. I asked him if he’d be willing to fuck my butt in a private scene so that I could figure out if I wanted to do anal. I chose him because he had a nice, friendly “boyfriend dick” that seemed perfect for trying anal. We filmed it in the fall of 2022.
After that experience, in early 2023, I told my agent I was ready to start doing anal scenes. I discovered that I enjoy anal, which surprised me. Now I’m known for my anal scenes and have been nominated for a bunch of anal categories. I’ve progressed pretty fast with anal in the past year.
I even did double penetration in my anal showcase, which wasn’t planned. After I told my agent I was ready for anal, we got pitched the showcase idea. It included DP and even a mini gang bang. At that point, I said, “I’m willing to give it a shot,” and it went smoothly. Earlier this year, about three years into my career, I did double vag for the first time. So, I’ve pushed my boundaries and discovered new things I enjoy.
Sherman Wayze: What are your thoughts on industry awards and recognition?
Haley Spades: Awards aren’t important to me, though I’m grateful for nominations and wins. I did win Best VR Sex Scene in 2023, which was amazing because I love VR, and it was a fun scene. But even just being nominated or getting any recognition speaks for itself.
Winning can sometimes negatively affect you if you let it control how you perceive yourself in the industry. I always remind people that awards are primarily given to what companies want to push, sell, and focus on purposefully. They don’t necessarily reflect who’s the most talented—they’re about what they specifically want to have in the spotlight. This is similar to mainstream awards like the Grammys.
So, while I appreciate the recognition, I don’t put too much stock in awards or let them define my success. Just being nominated is meaningful to me.
Sherman Wayze: How do you approach relationships and dating as a porn performer?
Haley Spades: I’m ethically non-monogamous. Currently, I’m in a kind of “throuple” situation – I’m seeing both a man and a woman who aren’t in the industry but are industry-friendly. I also have another partner who works in the entertainment industry and is friends with other performers.
I find it easier to date industry-friendly civilians than other performers. I can’t see myself dating someone else in porn – I feel like we’d never be able to escape talking about work. I like having that separation.
There can be some insecurity with civilian partners. My main partner sometimes worries that I’m putting on an act with him or that he can’t live up to what I do on camera. I have to reassure people that I’m not performing for them in my personal life—it’s a totally different experience.
I always tell partners that every single person I have sex with, whether on camera or in my private life, provides a different experience. Just because someone does something in a scene doesn’t mean I expect it from a partner. And if I want something specific, I’ll speak up and ask for it.
I don’t do casual hookups or friends-with-benefits situations anymore. The people I’m intimate with now all have an emotional connection, which I prefer in my personal life, as opposed to my casual interactions at work.
Sherman Wayze: How do you manage social media and your public image?
Haley Spades: I try to be authentic while still maintaining some boundaries. I’ll share personal things occasionally, like my cat’s recent health issues, but I’m careful not to overshare. I post some nude content but save most for my paid platforms.
On Twitter, I’ve noticed that people love it when I post pictures of me standing rather than sitting or lying down. So, I try to do more standing photos since they get the most engagement. I put out some full nudes every once in a while, but that’s not the bulk of my content. It’s more topless shots, cute lingerie, or implied nudity. When I do post full nudity, it’s like a special treat to keep people wanting more.
My marketing background helps me analyze what content gets the most engagement and how to present myself effectively online. I’m always thinking about how to elevate my brand and content. At the same time, I want to make sure I’m showcasing my true personality. I’ve moved away from constantly doing stepsister/stepdaughter roles, for example, because I don’t feel like that’s showing who I am as a performer and person.
Sherman Wayze: Can you describe your sexual preferences and experiences?
Haley Spades: I’m submissive-leaning but open-minded. I enjoy both “fucking” and “making love” depending on the connection. When I’m just fucking someone, it’s more about ravishing them – there’s not a lot of deep conversation or vulnerability. With making love, there’s more intimacy, pausing to talk about things we want to try, and being open and vulnerable.
I love anal and am interested in trying more group scenes like gangbangs. I’ve discovered I enjoy double penetration, too. In my private life, I prefer emotional connections over casual hookups. I don’t do friends-with-benefits situations anymore.
I’m pretty good at dirty-talking in scenes and real life. I sometimes feel the need to fill silence in scenes, so I’ll say more extreme things. But for the most part, what comes out of my mouth is pretty natural unless I’m given specific lines to say.
Sherman Wayze: How has your marketing background influenced your porn career?
Haley Spades: It’s helped me treat this as a business and build my brand strategically. I analyze my social media engagement, produce high-quality content, and consider how to differentiate myself. I’m always looking for ways to elevate my brand and content.
For example, I’ve started producing high-budget scenes that I fully own. I come up with creative concepts, like doing anal in an ambulance or playing with Catholic imagery around anal sex and purity. I put a lot of money into these productions and worked with a great team to ensure everything from the cinematography to the color grading is perfect.
I also try to showcase my personality and interests beyond just sex. I’m into gaming, anime, and cosplay, so I incorporate that into my brand. I stream on Twitch sometimes, too. I aim to create a solid, authentic online presence that can sustain me long-term.
Sherman Wayze: How has porn impacted you personally and sexually?
Haley Spades: I’ve discovered more about my sexuality, like my love for anal. It’s made me more confident and open. At the same time, it can be hard to separate work from pleasure – I sometimes catch myself thinking about how to monetize even private encounters.
Being in porn has helped me embrace my nerdy side more. Growing up, I felt I had to hide my interest in gaming and cosplay. But porn has shown me that I can be successful by being authentic. Now, those interests are a big part of my brand.
It’s also changed how I approach relationships. I’m more open about non-monogamy now and have found partners supporting my career. At the same time, I’ve learned the importance of having some separation between my work and personal life.
Sexually, I’ve become more adventurous and aware of what I enjoy. But I’ve also had to learn how to differentiate between performative sex for the camera and genuine intimacy in my private life. Overall, it’s been a positive journey of self-discovery, both personally and sexually.
Sherman Wayze: Thank you Haley, everybody please be sure to follow Haley Spades everywhere:
https://www.instagram.com/gamergirlhaley
https://x.com/haleyspades
https://onlyfans.com/haleyspades
https://www.tiktok.com/@haleyspades
https://Haleyspades.manyvids.com
https://www.twitch.tv/haleyspades
https://throne.com/haleyspades
Thanks to Tanya Tate and the Star Factory PR for their help with this.
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