Joanna Angel, born Joanna Mostov on December 25, 1980, in Brooklyn, New York, is a prominent American pornographic actress, director, and producer. Raised in New Jersey by an Israeli mother and American father in an Orthodox Jewish family, she graduated from Rutgers University with a BA in English literature and a minor in film studies. In 2002, she founded Burning Angel, a groundbreaking studio that popularized the alt-porn genre with tattooed, punk, and alternative performers. Angel has performed in and directed hundreds of scenes, winning multiple AVN Awards for her work.
She has also authored erotic choose-your-own-adventure novels and made cameo appearances in mainstream projects. Married to adult performer Small Hands since 2016, she maintains an active career and advocates for performer rights. Her entrepreneurial efforts have shaped modern adult entertainment over two decades.