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Adult film actress Olivia Nova died recently in Las Vegas at the age of 20 and Olivia Nova’s agency, LA Direct Models, released a statement confirming her death.
They said: “While only represented by Direct Models for a short period of time, we came to know Olivia as a beautiful girl with a very sweet and gentle personality. Another one, way too young. We are beyond shocked and most certainly, completely out of the blue. Rest in peace, sweet angel.”
According to a police report, Nova, whose real name was Alexis Forte, was on medication for a kidney infection and urinary tract infection. According to the coroner, she died of sepsis caused by a severe urinary tract infection that spread to her kidney. The death is not considered suspicious.
Since her death on January 7, friends have turned her Facebook account into a remembrance page. A GoFundMe account has also been set up on behalf of Forte’s mother, Leslie, to help pay for funeral and travel expenses.
Unfortunately, another of LA Direct’s models, Olivia Lua, was found dead on January 18 at a California rehab facility.
About Lua, whose real name is Olivia Voltaire, LA Direct said: “Much comment has been recently made on the number of adult stars having passed in the last year and with great sadness, we must inform that the list has grown longer. We learned today that Olivia Lua passed away this morning — may she rest in peace.”
Though no official cause of death has been announced, LA Direct said Lua’s family and friends had “deep concern at the volume of prescription drugs prescribed to Olivia and the danger it posed her.”
Olivia Nova and Olivia Lua are two of at least five different porn star deaths to occur in just the last few months. In November, retired porn actress Shyla Stylez was found unresponsive in her bed by her mother and pronounced dead shortly thereafter.
In December, August Ames took her own life after becoming embroiled in a Twitter controversy, and just a week later, Yuri Luv was found dead in her home from a suspected prescription drug overdose.
All of this has renewed questions about the adult film industry. Are they doing enough to protect their performers from disease, or adequately preparing them for a life after porn?
Articles, books, podcasts, and the documentary film series After Porn Ends, have shed light on the competitiveness, stress, and stigma that comes with being in the adult film industry.
Adult performer Ginger Banks told HollywoodLife: “We need to facilitate more networking and community for sex workers and entertainers, it is important so you don’t feel like you have a dirty secret. So you have an outlet and maybe find a therapist who is OK with your job and who doesn’t make you feel ashamed for what you do.”
How can the porn industry improve life outcomes for their performers? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter at @WhatsTrending.
