7 Female Porn Stars You Need To Know About

A lot of people appreciate porn stars for their steamy sex scenes, and we bet that a lot of them have added new passion to many of your relationships — as well as your sexual fantasies. But do we give attention to the best female porn stars, the ones who make all this possible?

Sure, you already know about James Deen and Evan Stone, but what about the ladies who are killing it in porn? Some of porn's biggest actresses are up to some pretty incredible things, on and off the set. If you aren't familiar with adult entertainment stars like Casey Calvert, India Summer, and Jessica Drake already, you definitely should be.

While (sadly) none of these ladies are currently on the Oscars red carpet, they are getting lots of other accolades, and are a must-consider for your next DVD purchase. This new generation of female porn stars is smart, quick-witted, and are challenging misconceptions. They're even making sex education videos.

Beauty, brains, and tons of sex appeal. These seven must-know ladies of porn have a lot going on, and if you aren't already familiar with their work, it's time to get onboard!

1. Casey Calvert

"When mainstream media is flooded with porn horror stories and woeful tales of women who got sucked up and spit out by the porn world, how does Casey really fit in? She doesn't. Casey represents the new generation or adult performers today. Women who are college educated [University of Florida] and self-possessed. Women who made a conscious, well-thought-out decision to enter into the adult world for the right reasons. Women like her will be the ones to ultimately change the industry, and perhaps even shift mainstream's views of what porn really is." — Jacky St. James, Director for New Sensations

2. India Summer

"India entered the business with clear intentions. She is not here by accident, and she performs with an eye on her adult legacy. She also happens to possess unique range, both sexually and emotionally, which allows her to play a variety of roles with distinctive force. Finally, her work ethic is unparalleled. Having worked with her on what was one of the most complex and demanding movies in the history of adult, I have seen firsthand how dedicated she is to delivering a stellar performance. More importantly, India is smart, quick-witted, extremely funny, and emotionally present. Due to the nature of the business, most performers learn how to protect themselves emotionally and build strong walls in the process. India has managed to strike a balance that preserves her integrity on set while remaining emotionally available to those she works with" — Magnus Sullivan, Screenwriter/Producer Marriage 2.0

Marriage 2.0, $25, Amazon

3. Dana Vespoli

"Dana Vespoli challenges every existing misconception of women in porn while simultaneously creating content that showcases adult entertainment’s capacity to be erotic and cerebral, as demonstrated on her new site, TwistedVisual.com. Her work knows no boundaries, challenging heteronormativity, destabilizing gender, normalizing 'niche' sexual proclivities, and blending –isms conventionally thought to be at odds with one another. She’s both a maverick and a community ambassador that we all can learn from." — Chauntelle Tibbals, Author of Exposure: A Sociologist Explores Sex, Society and Adult Entertainment.

A Sociologist Explores Sex, Society And Adult Entertainment, $9, Amazon

4. Chanel Preston

"Chanel Preston walks the talk we hear about independent savvy women in 2015. She strives for excellence in her chosen occupation. She’s constantly working to perfect new skills and pursue new interests, diversifying her career and creating her own opportunity. And what’s best is that she uses her powers for good! Her Naked with Chanel web series is a great, accessible way for people to learn about sex — something everyone needs at least a little." — Chauntelle Tibbals

5. Mindi Mink

"Mindi Mink is a one-of-a-kind performer and woman. She has a natural understanding and talent for the kind of sexuality and hot sex that makes fans go crazy. She’s excelled at everything that goes into making us the top girl/girl line — she can act and seduce, be kinky, sensual, and sweet, as well as kiss superbly … everything! And she didn't even begin performing in adult movies until she was 45. Now she balances running a construction company full-time with her career as a porn star and a Girlfriends Films contract performer — truly remarkable." — Dan O'Connell, founder of Girlfriends Films

6. Jessica Drake

"Jessica Drake is the very definition of a porn superstar — beautiful, charismatic, sexual, and classy. For years, she has starred in many of the top-selling adult movies of all times, earning three AVN Best Actress Awards for her efforts. Now, in addition to performing, she's turned her attention to creating sex education movies, finding a way to make it sexy and interesting. For anyone interested in buying their first porn movie, you can't go wrong with anything starring Jessica" — Jeff Dillon, vice president of Game Link

7. Kelly Madison

"Kelly Madison may have gotten porn fans' attention with her stupendous 42F cleavage, but what gave her staying power were more substantial attributes — namely, her business acumen, technical know-how, creativity, and general professionalism. She and her husband Ryan came up with an original concept: a site called Pornfidelity, which featured the real-life couple frolicking with female adult performers. Well over a decade later, Kelly still performs, while also co-producing and handling art direction. Together, the couple creates erotica with a sense of fun and intimacy that sets it apart from porn stereotypes." — Sharan Street, Editor of AVN Media

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Images: twitter.com/caseycalvertxxx, twitter.com/MsIndiaSummer, twitter.com/danavespoli, /twitter.com/ChanelPreston, GuideToWickedSex.com, twitter.com/MindiMink, Twitter.com/ImKellyMadison