The core of Kayden Kross can be understood through the story of how she climbed onto center stage in the world of adult entertainment. At 18, Kross started stripping to save a pony from the slaughterhouse. She purchased the condemned horse with the money she made from her first shift, then continued dancing while earning her bachelor's in psychology from Sacramento's California State University. Learning firsthand that men are highly motivated by sex — one of the most fundamental lessons in psychology — Kross deferred on the kinds of desk jobs she could land with her degree. Instead she graduated from poles and private dances to Penthouse and porn sets. Kross has been an exclusive contract star for three of the most important studios in adult entertainment: She signed with Vivid Video in 2006, with Adam & Eve in 2007, and finally with Digital Playground in 2010.
This article appears in Jun 13-19, 2013.