LOS ANGELES — Three films about sex workers, "Red Rocket," "Zola" and "Shiva Baby," received top honors from the 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards, which were presented Sunday afternoon.
“Red Rocket,” a picaresque tale by acclaimed indie director Sean Baker about a train-wreck male porn star, won Best Male Lead for Simon Rex, while “Shiva Baby,” a comedy about sugaring, won the John Cassavetes Award given to the best feature made for under $500,000 and “Zola,” the film adaptation of a viral Twitter yarn about strippers and trafficked sex workers in the South, won Best Editing for Joi McMillon and Best Female Lead for Taylour Paige.
Back in December, Rex also earned Best Actor honors from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association for his "Red Rocket" performance.
"Sean, you took a shot on me when I could not get a callback for a Geico commercial," said Rex during his acceptance speech. "I'm so glad I delivered for you... I didn't want to let him down and here I am. We made something very special on a very low budget with a 10-person crew... I've been in this business 25 years and it's not about anything except doing good work. I just want to continue to surprise people and do good work. That's really what this is all about."
Current and former adult performers — and stories centered around them — are experiencing a breakthrough moment in mainstream pop culture.
Revika Reustle (who formerly performed in adult as Zelda Morrison) was among the nominees for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the mainstream drama “Pleasure.” That film's director, Ninja Thyberg — a Swedish filmmaker who spent several years in Los Angeles turning a short about an immigrant aspiring starlet from Sweden into her first feature — also received a nomination.
Meanwhile, reigning XBIZ Performer of the Year Maitland Ward has a sitcom in the works and a forthcoming memoir, and Chloe Cherry has earned widespread "It Girl" buzz with her splashy recurring role in the Emmy-winning HBO drama "Euphoria."
Click here for the full list of Indie Spirit Awards winners.
Main image: "Red Rocket" lead Simon Rex; screencap by XBIZ.
