SantanaXXL doesn’t do subtle.
There’s his loud, contagious laugh. The oversized, impossibly cool Louis Vuitton shades perched effortlessly on his face during his chat with XBIZ. The ensemble he casually describes as a “lounge outfit.” All of it radiates the kind of “main character energy” that has helped turn SantanaXXL into one of the most recognizable plus-size creators in the gay adult industry.
I just want to inspire other people. Not just big boys, but big girls who want to do porn too.
“I’m simple, though,” he insists, grinning. “I just happen to like a nice designer sneaker, or a nice bag. And my luggage game is always on point.”
Behind the designer shades, luxury bags and easy confidence, though, is a creator who has spent the last decade challenging long-standing stereotypes in both the gay community and adult entertainment. Through his content and larger-than-life personality, SantanaXXL has built a loyal audience while carving out space for plus-size performers in a segment of the industry that historically left little room for them.
Alongside his growing collection of statement sneakers, SantanaXXL has quietly been collecting achievements too, earning award nominations and wins while becoming one of the first Black gay adult performers to surpass a million followers on X.
“I’m only the third to do it,” he says proudly. “The first is Rhyheim Shabazz, then Elijah Zayne, and then it’s me.”
For SantanaXXL, the milestone represents proof that persistence can overpower resistance, even in an industry and online landscape that often seemed determined to push him out.
“Trying to build a platform or following is hard for anyone,” he attests. “People don’t realize it takes a lot of hard work to get there. Once, I hit 500,000 — and my whole page got taken down so I had to start all over again.”
Over the years, he estimates, he endured around 10 suspensions across platforms, setbacks he believes delayed the milestone significantly.
“If I didn’t have to go through so many suspensions and people reporting my accounts, I would have hit a million a long time ago,” he says confidently. “I have even dealt with death threats. People say all kinds of crazy stuff because I’m changing the narrative in this industry and some have a problem with that.”
Still, he refuses to shrink himself to make other people comfortable. That determination, paired with a clear sense of purpose, continues driving him forward.
“I don’t give a fuck,” he says matter-of-factly. “I’m still going to do what I do.”
Big-Boy Blueprint
For SantanaXXL, the work has never been just about the numbers, followers or awards. Long before the nominations and viral milestones, his motivation was much more personal.
“It wasn’t even really about the money,” he says of his early ambitions. “It was more that I wanted to see more people like me in porn.”
When he first entered the industry over a decade ago, that kind of representation was rare in gay adult content. Mainstream productions largely centered around muscular physiques and narrowly defined beauty standards, leaving plus-size performers pushed to the sidelines or excluded entirely.
“In the gay community, we get overlooked,” SantanaXXL says. “‘No fats, no femmes’ is a big thing in the gay community.”
That phrase, long associated with dating profiles and exclusionary attitudes, became symbolic of the way many plus-size gay men were treated both socially and professionally. SantanaXXL understood that reality firsthand, which is part of why visibility became such an important part of his career.
“I always wanted to represent for my big boys,” he says. “That was a big thing for me.”
Still, his entry into adult was never part of some carefully constructed master plan. Long before the studio productions and industry recognition, SantanaXXL was simply shooting homemade content, experimenting with DIY videos.
“I did independent content for over 10 years, doing blowjob videos in my car and stuff like that,” he recalls. “It was something I started with my boyfriend at the time and it was his idea to record. We put out one video, then it went viral on sites like XTube and XVideos. Then we just kept going.”
Breaking the Size Ceiling
As SantanaXXL’s online popularity continued to grow, the studios eventually started paying attention. Opportunities that once seemed out of reach slowly started becoming reality, including a breakthrough collaboration with Men.com that would significantly change the trajectory of his career.
For SantanaXXL, the moment carried weight far beyond personal success. It represented a level of visibility that plus-size performers in gay adult entertainment had rarely experienced before.
“I’m one of the first plus-size big boys to ever be featured in major studio porn,” he marvels. “Then I went on to get nominated for awards.”
Today, those achievements read like obvious milestones in hindsight. At the time, however, SantanaXXL struggled to believe the opportunity was even real.
When Men.com first reached out about producing a series, he says, his immediate reaction was not excitement but skepticism. After years of rarely seeing bodies like his represented in mainstream productions, the idea that a major studio genuinely wanted to work with him felt difficult to process.
“I didn’t even respond at first,” he laughs. “It took me like a whole week to reply back and say yes. I thought, ‘This ain’t real, it’s got to be a joke.’ I hadn’t seen that many big boys in mainstream porn, so I was like, ‘Do they really want me?’”
Weighing the decision carefully, SantanaXXL pondered what it might mean for him personally and professionally, and talked with friends in the business. Some encouraged him to go for it, while others warned him against it. Ultimately, SantanaXXL realized the decision had become bigger than a single scene or paycheck.
“I just want to inspire other people,” he says. “Not just big boys, but big girls who want to do porn too.”
That sense of responsibility continues to shape the way SantanaXXL approaches his career today. Even as his own visibility and popularity have grown, he remains adamant about representation as the bigger picture.
“I don’t want it just to be me,” he says. “I want to see other performers doing this too.”
In recent years, SantanaXXL says, he has started noticing gradual changes in some corners of the industry — particularly at Men.com.
“Men.com is the only gay studio I know that consistently includes performers of different body sizes,” he says.
For SantanaXXL, that progress matters because it signals a broader shift in what audiences are allowed to see and what kinds of performers are allowed to occupy space within mainstream productions. Still, he believes the industry has a long way to go.
“I just wish other studios would be open to it,” he says. “They’re really resistant towards performers with different body types, and I want to see more of it.”
Of course, creating space in the industry doesn’t mean SantanaXXL takes the work too seriously all the time. He lights up when he talks about “Loud, Proud, and Horny,” a steamy Pride-themed title shot in Las Vegas.
“I had a threesome scene with Tony Genius and Des Irez,” he explains. “It was hot as fuck because we were in the middle of a heat wave, but even if it’s hot outside, you still have to film that scene! It’s still my favorite. I had a lot of fun.”
Big Heart, Bigger Mission
Behind the designer shades, viral content and growing list of accolades is a side of SantanaXXL that many fans rarely get to see.
“Outside of porn and content, I’m very private,” he says. “We already give so much of ourselves as it is already, being on the internet.”
Much of that quieter time is spent giving back to his community through volunteer work, something SantanaXXL says has remained deeply important to him throughout his career. On weekends, he often cooks meals for struggling families and finds ways to support people in need, particularly during the holidays.
“I like to volunteer at shelters,” he says. “I’m really into helping other people. During the wintertime, I’ll go out and buy jackets for kids and families.”
That compassion did not suddenly appear after success arrived. Long before entering the industry, SantanaXXL worked as a site manager for a group home serving people with disabilities, a role he says shaped much of his outlook on community and care.
“I did that for many years before I started getting into this business,” he says.
Looking ahead, SantanaXXL says he hopes to continue expanding his studio work while maintaining the independent content and collaborations that helped build his audience in the first place. He hints that more projects with Men.com may already be on the horizon, alongside the steady stream of content and collabs that have kept his fan base growing for more than a decade.
“I would like to do more studio stuff,” he reflects. “But I would also like to continue doing my content, and helping the community. So many people supported me getting to where I am. Now, it’s my turn to give back.”
