T.J. DiReda Returns to Mainstream Roots With 'Pornstar'

LOS ANGELES — Adult industry veteran T.J. DiReda has produced his first feature film in more than a decade, an independent movie entitled “Pornstar,” as he taps back into his roots in mainstream entertainment.

DiReda recently teamed with producer Joel Viertel (“The Adjustment Bureau”) to make “Pornstar,” a fictional story about the X-rated industry that explores darker themes.

The movie is billed as “an unflinching exploration into America's obsession with sex, fame and money, and what cost people are willing to pay for these things, and the lies we tell ourselves to make it through the day.”

It stars Will Sasso (“Shit My Dad Says,” “The Three Stooges”), Matthew Gray Gubler (“Criminal Minds”), Mircea Monroe (“Episodes”) and Scottie Thompson (“Skyline”).

The film was written and directed by Stevie Long, whose writing credits include “Starsky and Hutch” and “Sons of Anarchy.”

DiReda worked in numerous facets of adult during the past decade, including roles as the marketing director for Vivid Entertainment, Club Jenna and NinnWorx. He also owned the production company American Hardcore and most recently the talent agency It Models before stepping away to pursue mainstream endeavors.

The L.A. native DiReda also worked as a Hollywood literary agent before porn. He said doing a movie like “Pornstar” was a good fit for his first project back.

“Having spent the amount of time that I spent in adult, it felt like it made the most sense,” DiReda told XBIZ. “I wanted to tell a story based on my experiences in the adult business in an effort to cross back over.”

Currently, he is collaborating with a well-established production firm on a new venture that is focused on making independent features with smaller budgets. DiReda previously produced the movie "Angels," which starred Neve Campbell.

“Most mainstream studios such as Paramount Digital have a mandate to do smaller movies with micro-budgets with the hope of hitting a ‘Paranormal Activity’ phenomenon,” DiReda said. “The adult industry is already a step away from using their resources and knowledge to move in that direction. I spent 15 years in mainstream and it is good to be back in the business again.”

“Pornstar” will be released this summer.