August Ames, an award-winning performer in the adult film industry with a substantial social media following, died on Tuesday, according to the NY Daily News.
Friends suspected that her death was a suicide, and the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office later confirmed that her death was caused by asphyxia due to hanging, according to Adult Video News, the primary outlet covering the adult film industry.
Ames had been becoming more popular in the porn industry as her career progressed, winning the AVN award for Best New Starlet in 2015 and earning nominations for Female Performer of the Year in both 2016 and 2017. At the 2018 AVN Awards, she would’ve been up for Best Female Performer once again. She also won fan-voted awards for Cutest Newcomer in 2015 and Most Spectacular Boobs in 2017.
Early this week, Ames seemed to stoke controversy among porn industry followers for tweeting that she was canceling a shoot because an actor slated to perform with her had done gay porn:
whichever (lady) performer is replacing me tomorrow for @EroticaXNews , you’re shooting with a guy who has shot gay porn, just to let cha know. BS is all I can say Do agents really not care about who they’re representing? #ladirect I do my homework for my body
— August Ames (@AugustAmesxxx) December 3, 2017
Fans criticized Ames, with some alleging that the bisexual porn star was homophobic for refusing to work with the unnamed actor. She clarified her reasoning for canceling the shoot with another tweet, explaining that her refusal is for safety reasons:
NOT homophobic. Most girls don’t shoot with guys who have shot gay porn, for safety. That’s just how it is with me. I’m not putting my body at risk, i don’t know what they do in their private lives. https://t.co/MRKt2GrAU4
— August Ames (@AugustAmesxxx) December 3, 2017
In another tweet, she defended her right to choose with whom she performs:
“Choose who YOU want to work with”
“Don’t do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable”
“Share your thoughts”Hmm. Well, I did all three, and twitter took a dump on me
— August Ames (@AugustAmesxxx) December 4, 2017
Following the news of her passing, members of the adult industry came forward in waves to offer their condolences on Twitter. Many implied that the online bullying took a toll on Ames; in the wake of Ames’ death, fellow porn actor Annika Albrite suggested Ames had struggled with depression.
“My heart is broken for my industry sister,” Albrite wrote. “People are cruel and depression is a bitch. Please be good to each other. #RIPAugust.”
Brett Rossi, an ex-girlfriend of Charlie Sheen, also expressed her frustration with the circumstances surrounding Ames’ reported suicide:
A beautiful life is GONE because people like to use their “fan base” to bully others because THEiR opinion doesn’t agree with YOURS.
RiP to a sweet, kind, soul..I’m so sad & so angry. A life wasted simply because HER opinion didn’t mesh with YOURS.
— Brett Rossi (@ImBrettRossi) December 6, 2017
“She was the kindest person I ever knew, and she meant the world to me,” her husband, director Kevin Moore, told AVN. “Please leave this as a private family matter in this difficult time.”
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