Asa Akira, born Asa Takigami on January 3, 1985, in New York City to Japanese parents, is a renowned American pornographic actress, director, and writer. Raised in an upper-middle-class family, she attended private schools in New York and lived in Tokyo for four years. Entering the adult industry in 2006 after working as a dominatrix and stripper, she quickly rose to fame with her versatile performances. Akira won the AVN Female Performer of the Year in 2013, becoming the third Asian to achieve this honor. She has appeared in over 689 films, directed several, and earned induction into multiple halls of fame including AVN and XRCO. Beyond porn, she authored bestsellers like 'Insatiable: Porn—A Love Story,' hosted podcasts and awards shows, and appeared in mainstream media such as Family Guy. Married to performer Toni Ribas from 2012-2017, she identifies as feminist and explores sexuality openly.