Sean Michaels (actor)

Michaels was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. After moving to the West Coast, he worked as a nurse for an urgent care facility in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles. He also did runway and print modeling prior to entering the porn industry. ==Career==

in 2000 Michaels started out working in the adult entertainment industry as a model for skin magazines. Dissatisfied with the portrayal of black men in pornography, which he saw as "very demeaning and stereotypical", Michaels began performing in adult films in 1989. Michaels chose his stage name by combining the first names of two male celebrities he admired: Sean Connery, whom he described as a "man's man, on and off camera", and Michael Jordan. Michaels gained recognition in the industry after appearing in his mentor John Leslie's 1990 film Oh What A Night. Micheals received the XBIZ Award for Woodsman of the Year in 1994. The following year, he was inducted into the AVN Hall of Fame. In 2018, he performed in his first bisexual scene for Kick Ass Pictures. In regards to the scene, Michaels commented, "I feel strongly about doing the things you want to do in life. Cuckold fans have been asking me for years to do bi scenes, and I'm happy to be making this move. I believe it's important for people to grow sexually in any way they choose." ==Legal dispute==

In 2003, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) issued Michaels a cease and desist letter, asking him to stop using his name due to the similarity it had to wrestler Shawn Michaels. Sean Michaels' name was already registered as a trademark, while Shawn Michaels had not registered his moniker. Michaels later announced he planned to countersue the WWE. As of April 1, 2011, the trademark of "Sean Michaels" is no longer active. ==Advocacy and impact==

In 2016, Michaels was elected President of the Adult Performance Artists Guild, then the Adult Performers Actors Guild (APAG). As President, he announced the APAG would push to raise the legal age to perform in adult films from 18 to 21, commenting that "it's 21 years old to drink, so you should have to be 21 to do porn." He was replaced in the role by actress Alana Evans, who had served as vice president under him. Evans revealed that Michaels was being "blackballed" in the pornographic industry due to his guild participation. In the May 1997 issue of Vibe, he was labeled "the preeminent force in interracial erotic entertainment." In her book A Taste for Brown Sugar: Black Women in Pornography, women's studies scholar Mireille Miller-Young notes how Michaels' portrayal of "suave and professional" characters in his films has challenged the stereotyping of black men as "sexual beasts" in pornography and expanded opportunities for black performers. Violet Blue shares a similar sentiment in The Ultimate Guide to Adult Videos, calling Michaels a "major force in changing the face and attitudes of the adult industry towards black performers." Blue concluded by dubbing him "the most famous black man to ever appear in porn." ==Select appearances==