# Bonnie Rotten

Bonnie Rotten is an American pornographic actress, feature dancer, fetish model, and director. In 2014, she became the first alt-porn star to win the AVN Award for Female Performer of the Year.

## Early life

Rotten was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and raised by her grandparents. She claims to have had her first sexual experience with multiple male partners at age 16.

## Career

Rotten started her career as a fetish model for the magazine Girls and Corpses, which took note of her after she won the Ms. Dead Indiana Beauty Pageant at the Indianapolis Days of the Dead convention. She entered the adult industry in early 2012. Previously, Rotten also worked as a model in car and motorcycle shows. She also began stripping on her eighteenth birthday using the stage name "Dixie". Her routine as a stripper was to always wear American flag bikinis and dance only to Southern rock.
In September 2012, she had a breast augmentation. The company Digital Sin produced two films focused entirely on her, Meet Bonnie that was a sales chart topping success and The Gangbang of Bonnie Rotten. She has done at least fourteen videos featured on Kink.com, including some subjecting her to bondage and pain. Much of her work has focused on her ability to ejaculate. Rotten credits adult video performer Nina Hartley with helping her make the transition from modeling to porn.
In 2014, Rotten reprised the role of "Max Candy" in the porn remake of Cape Fear and cited Robert De Niro's performance in the 1991 version as her inspiration for the role.
In May 2014, Rotten filed a lawsuit against pornographic actor and producer, Max Hardcore, alleging appropriation of her identity, defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress, over his publication of a scene the two had recorded together in 2012. In July 2014, Max Hardcore filed a countersuit over image rights, alleging that Rotten had breached the agreement that she signed.
In October 2014, the German-based company Digital Sports Innovation announced the availability of Bonnie Rotten figurines, ranging from five to fourteen inches tall.
In February 2015, the sex toy manufacturer Pipedream announced that it was shipping the "Bonnie Rotten Signature Collection". In April 2015, Rotten generated publicity in Manhattan by going topless in Times Square, Washington Square Park and on the subway.
In June 2015, the daily fantasy sports company Draftster announced that it had signed Rotten to an "exclusive sponsorship and promotional deal."
Starting in 2013, Rotten appeared as a featured performer at strip clubs in numerous cities. In October 2015, The Lee Network announced an exclusive agreement with Rotten to represent her for her dance engagements.

### Mainstream appearances

Rotten appears with pornographic actresses Asphyxia Noir and London Keyes in the music video for the 2013 song "Kiss Land" by The Weeknd.
In January 2014, Rotten was featured in a music video for the song "Let's F**k" by Los Angeles band Piece by Piece along with Terror drummer Nick Jett. The video debuted on Vimeo.
In 2013, LA Weekly ranked her fifth on their list of "10 Porn Stars Who Could Be the Next Jenna Jameson". She was also placed on CNBC's list of "The Dirty Dozen: Porn's Most Popular Stars" in 2014.
In 2014, The Daily Beast referred to Rotten as "Porn's current 'It' girl" in an article about the annual AVN Awards at which she won "Female Performer of the Year". Though declaring that the porn industry had "died," performer Joey Silvera is quoted as saying: "there is still enough magic left that the awards can make a difference for Bonnie if she wins."

### Other ventures

In January 2014, Rotten launched her own production company (Mental Beauty, Inc.) and signed a distribution deal with Girlfriends Films. She made her directorial debut with the film To the Core. She also directed Sisters of Anarchy for Digital Playground.

### Tattoos

Rotten has over thirty tattoos, and her stage name comes from a so-named pin-up zombie that she has tattooed on the back of her right leg. In one instance, she claimed that her favorite tattoo is the one on her stomach, featuring a zombie from the comic book Night of the Living Dead: The Beginning, Issue 1. It was her first ever tattoo and took 13 hours to complete. In June 2013, she said that her favorite tattoo was of Frank Sinatra on her leg. In addition to the above list, Rotten also has a spiderweb on each of her breasts with the areola as the center of each web. She is credited with furthering the acceptance of porn performers with tattoos.
In 2017, she opened a tattoo shop called 'Bonnie Rottens Best Kept Secret', staffed by the artists Gentle Jay and Mark Matthews. The shop was open for one year. Citing differences between her and Jay the shop was closed in early 2018.

## Personal life

In May 2015, Rotten reported her pregnancy, giving birth to a girl later that year. Since she quit performing in February 2015, she has no plans to return to the adult film industry.
On June 25, 2022, she married Jesse James. It was reported on November 22, 2024, that she had filed for divorce. Both of them filed for restraining orders against each other citing abuse.

## Awards

| Year | Ceremony | Award | Film |
| 2012 | Inked Award | Starlet of the Year | — |
| 2012 | NightMoves Award | Miss Congeniality | — |
| 2013 | NightMoves Award | Social Media Star (Fan's Choice) | — |
| 2013 | NightMoves Award | Best Ink (Fan's Choice) | — |
| 2013 | RogReviews Award | Favorite Newbie | — |
| 2013 | Sex Award | Hottest New Girl | — |
| 2013 | Inked Award | Female Performer of the Year | — |
| 2013 | Inked Award | Scene of the Year | The Gang Bang of Bonnie Rotten |
| 2014 | XCritic Award | Female Performer of the Year | — |
| 2014 | AVN Award | Female Performer of the Year | — |
| 2014 | AVN Award | Best Group Sex Scene (with Karlo Karerra, Tony DeSergio, Mick Blue, & Jordan Ash) | The Gang Bang of Bonnie Rotten |
| 2014 | XBIZ Award | Best Scene – Non-Feature Release (with Karlo Karerra, Tony DeSergio, Mick Blue, & Jordan Ash) | The Gang Bang of Bonnie Rotten |
| 2014 | Fanny Award | Kink Performer of the Year | — |
| 2014 | XRCO Award | Superslut | — |
| 2014 | TLARaw Award | Best Female Newcomer | — |
| 2014 | Exotic Dancer Award | Adult Movie Entertainer of the Year | — |
| 2014 | NINFA Award | Special Award | — |
| 2014 | NightMoves Award | Best Female Performer (Fan's Choice) | — |
| 2014 | NightMoves Award | Best Ink (Editor's Choice) | — |
| 2014 | Venus Award | Best Actress (International) | — |
| 2015 | XCritic Award | Queen of Porn | — |
| 2015 | AVN Award | Kinkiest Performer (Fan Award) | — |
| 2015 | Spank Bank Award | Super Squirter of the Year | — |
| 2015 | NINFA Award | Best Scene of the Year | Bonnie Rotten en ActricesDelPorno |
| 2015 | NightMoves Award | Best Ink (Fan's Choice) | — |
| 2015 | Inked Award | Girl/Girl Scene of the Year (with Dana Vespoli) | Twisted Lesbian Anal Spit Play |
| 2016 | NightMoves Award | Triple Play Award (Dancing/Performing/Directing) | — |
| 2017 | Inked Award | Hall of Fame | — |