“The name sounds exotic, maybe Italian, and can appeal to a wide demographic,” Digital Playground Publicist Adella O’Neal told XBiz, noting that Cruz/Santi’s Latin looks and brunette hair “were a perfect complement to [blonde] Jesse Jane.”
Santi, 23, entered the adult industry in 2002 as Natalia Cruze (she also has spelled the name Cruz) after years of runway modeling in her native Canada as well as in Arizona and on the Internet. She has appeared in Penthouse as well as Suze Randall's "Three's Company" and various fetish videos, such as JBVideo’s “Natalia Cruze’s Stocking Tease,” but has performed in relatively few adult films.
Like recent Digital Playground contract signer Jana Cova, Santi most likely will not work with men – she has hinted as much on Howard Stern’s radio show – but O’Neal said the decision has yet to be made.
Digital Playground’s marketing process is intense, according to O'Neal. Not only does the company manage its stars' careers, from their web presences to personal appearances, it also provides health insurance and supplies on-site publicity services when the stars travel.
The rigorous career management sometimes results in overblown contract disputes, such as the noisy departure in 2003 of Digital Playground’s last brunette, Tera Patrick.
For purposes of image management, there has not been a nonexclusive Digital Playground performer.
Santi’s first film for Digital Playground is not yet scheduled.
