Gina Lynn, born Tanya Mercado on February 15, 1974, in MayagΓΌez, Puerto Rico, is a retired American pornographic actress, model, stripper, director, and producer of Puerto Rican and Italian descent. Her family relocated to Jackson Township, New Jersey, when she was five years old.
She launched her adult film career in 2000 with a one-year exclusive contract from Pleasure Productions. Over the years, she starred in hundreds of films, directed more than 20 through her own Gina Lynn Productions, and made mainstream cameos, including as a stripper in *Analyze That* (2002), dancer roles on *The Sopranos*, Eminem's 'Superman' music video (2003), and *Minghags* (2009).
Lynn's accolades include the 2002 NightMoves Award for Best Feature Dancer, 2003 Exotic Dancer Award for Adult Movie Feature Entertainer of the Year, 2005 AVN Award for Best Gonzo Release (*Gina Lynn's Darkside*), AVN Hall of Fame induction in 2010, and Penthouse Pet of the Month (April 2012). She retired from porn in March 2012 but continued webcam modeling. She was married to Travis Knight from 1999 to 2012.