Sean Michaels (born February 20, 1958) is an American pornographic actor, model, director and former trade union leader. In 2002, AVN ranked him 14th on their list of The Top 50 Porn Stars of All Time. Michaels has won several prominent adult industry awards, including the NightMoves Award for Best Actor. He has also been inducted into the AVN, NightMoves, Urban X, and XRCO Halls of Fame.
Early life
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
thumb|upright|left|Michaels at the [[AVN (magazine)|AVN Expo 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. 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 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."
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|2012
|Dave's Old Porn
|Episode: "Retro Orgy Night"
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|rowspan="2"|2018
|Black Bi Cuckolding
|First performance in bisexual pornography
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|Hot For Transsexuals 6
|First appearance in transgender pornography
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|2022
|Sex Before the Internet
||Episode: "Porn Awards"
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Awards and nominations
thumb|upright|Michaels in 2005
{| class="wikitable" style="width:70%;"
|+ AVN Awards
|-
! width=4%| Year
! style="width:35%;"| Nominated work and artist
! style="width:30%;"| Category
! style="width:8%;"| Result
! width=3%|
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|1991
|Nasty Girls
|Best Video Group Sex Scene
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|style="text-align:center;"|
|-
|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|1994
|Anus and Andy
|Best Sex Scene, Video (Group)
|
|rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|
|-
|Sean Michaels
|Male Performer of the Year
|
|-
|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="3"|1995
|In the Bush
|Best Actor—Video
|
|style="text-align:center;"|
|-
|rowspan="2"|Sean Michaels
|Hall of Fame
|
|style="text-align:center;"|
|-
|Male Performer of the Year
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|style="text-align:center;"|
|-
|World Sex Tour, Vol. 1
|Best Group Sex Scene—Video
|
|style="text-align:center;"|
|-
|The Passion
|Most Outrageous Sex Scene
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|style="text-align:center;"|
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|Dinner Party 2
|Best Couples Sex Scene—Film
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|rowspan="3" style="text-align:center;"|
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|Face Jam
|Best Supporting Actor—Video
|
|-
|Sean Michaels
|Male Performer of the Year
|
|-
|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="5"|1999
|Sean Michaels' Up Your Ass 7
|rowspan="2"|Best Anal Sex Scene—Video
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|style="text-align:center;"|
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|Tushy Heaven
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|style="text-align:center;"|
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|Fresh Meat 5
|rowspan="2"|Best Group Sex Scene—Video
|
|style="text-align:center;"|
|-
|Sean Michaels
|Male Performer of the Year
|
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|2006
|Sean Michaels
|Male Performer of the Year
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|style="text-align:center;"|
|-
|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="5"|2007
|Fuck
|Best Anal Sex Scene – Film
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|rowspan="5" style="text-align:center;"|
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|Elastic Assholes 4
|Best Anal Sex Scene – Video
|
|-
|Fuck
|rowspan="2"|Best Group Sex Scene – Film
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|Janine's Been Blackmaled
|
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|Racial Tension
|Best Sex Scene Coupling – Video
|
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|style="text-align:center;"|2008
|Orgy World: The Next Level 11
|Best Group Sex Scene – Video
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|style="text-align:center;"|
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|style="text-align:center;"|2009
|Succubus of the Rouge
|Best Supporting Actor
|
|style="text-align:center;"|
|-
|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="5"|2010
|Semen Sippers 7
|Best Threeway Sex Scene
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|style="text-align:center;"|
|-
|Bobbi Starr & Dana DeArmond's Insatiable Voyage
|Best Double Penetration Sex Scene
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|style="text-align:center;"|
|-
|rowspan="2"|LA Pink: A XXX Porn Parody
|Best Actor
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|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="3"|
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|style="text-align:center;"|2012
|Orgy: The XXX Championship
|Best Group Sex Scene
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|style="text-align:center;"|
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|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|2013
|School of Black Cock
|Best Double Penetration Sex Scene
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|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|
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|Elastic Assholes 10
|Best Three-Way Sex Scene (B/B/G)
|
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|style="text-align:center;"|2014
|Double Black Penetration
|Best Double Penetration Sex Scene
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|style="text-align:center;"|
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|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|2016
|True Lust
|Best Three-Way Sex Scene - (B/B/G)
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|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|
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|Adriana's a Slut
|Best Group Sex Scene
|
|-
|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|2017
|This Ain't American Horror Story XXX
|Best Supporting Actor
|
|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|
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|The Booty Queen 2
|Best Double Penetration Sex Scene
|
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|style="text-align:center;"|2018
|Anal Warriors 3
|Best Anal Sex Scene
|
|
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|style="text-align:center;"|2020
|Hot for Transexuals 9
|Best Transgender Group Sex Scene
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|style="text-align:center;"|
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:70%;"
|+ F.O.X.E. Awards
|-
! width=4%| Year
! style="width:35%;"| Nominated work and artist
! style="width:30%;"| Category
! style="width:8%;"| Result
! width=3%|
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|1996
|rowspan="3"|Sean Michaels
|rowspan="3"|Male Fan Favorite
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|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="3"|
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|style="text-align:center;"|1997
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|style="text-align:center;"|1998
|
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:70%;"
|+ NightMoves Awards
|-
! width=4%| Year
! style="width:35%;"| Nominated work and artist
! style="width:30%;"| Category
! style="width:8%;"| Result
! width=3%|
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|2002
|rowspan="3"|Sean Michaels
|Best Actor (Fan's Choice)
|
|style="text-align:center;"|
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|style="text-align:center;"|2003
|Best Director (Fan's Choice)
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|style="text-align:center;"|
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|style="text-align:center;"|2007
|NightMoves Hall of Fame
|
|style="text-align:center;"|
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:70%;"
|+ Transgender Erotica Awards
|-
! width=4%| Year
! style="width:35%;"| Nominated work and artist
! style="width:30%;"| Category
! style="width:8%;"| Result
! width=3%|
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|2020
|rowspan="2"|Sean Michaels
|rowspan="2"|Best Non-TS Male Performer
|
|style="text-align:center;"|
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|2021
|
|style="text-align:center;"|
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:70%;"
|+ Urban X Awards
|-
! width=4%| Year
! style="width:35%;"| Nominated work and artist
! style="width:30%;"| Category
! style="width:8%;"| Result
! width=3%|
|-
|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|2008
|rowspan="2"|Sean Michaels
|Best Male Performer
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|style="text-align:center;"|
|-
|Urban X Hall of Fame
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|style="text-align:center;"|
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|style="text-align:center;"|2011
|Cougar on the Prowl
|Best 3 Way Sex Scene
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|style="text-align:center;"|
|-
|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="4"|2012
|rowspan="2"|Anal Buffet 7
|Best 3-Way Sex Scene
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|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="4"|
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|Best Anal Sex Scene
|
|-
|Black Diamonds
|rowspan="2"|Best Couples Sex Scene
|
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|Daddy Knows Best
|
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:70%;"
|+ XBIZ Awards
|-
! width=4%| Year
! style="width:35%;"| Nominated work and artist
! style="width:30%;"| Category
! style="width:8%;"| Result
! width=3%|
|-
|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|2010
|L.A. Pink
|Acting Performance of the Year — Male
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|rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|
|-
|Sean Michaels
|Male Performer of the Year
|
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|style="text-align:center;"|2014
|Diesel Dongs 28
|Best Scene — Non-Feature Release
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|style="text-align:center;"|
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|style="text-align:center;"|2017
|This Ain't American Horror Story XXX
|Best Supporting Actor
|
|style="text-align:center;"|
|-
|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"| 2018
|Anal Warriors 3
|Best Sex Scene — Gonzo Release
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|rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|
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|Sun-Lit
|Best Sex Scene — Vignette Release
|
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|style="text-align:center;"|2019
|Carnal
|Best Sex Scene — All-Sex Release
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|style="text-align:center;"|
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|style="text-align:center;"|2021
|The TransAngels Motorcycle Club
|Best Sex Scene — Trans
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|style="text-align:center;"|
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:70%;"
|+ XRCO Awards
|-
! width=4%| Year
! style="width:35%;"| Nominated work and artist
! style="width:30%;"| Category
! style="width:8%;"| Result
! width=3%|
|-
|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="3"| 1994
|Arabian Nights
|Best Anal Sex Scene
|
|
|-
|Slave to Love
|Group Sex Scene
|
|
|-
|Sean Michaels
|Woodsman of the Year
|
|
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|1999
|Tushy Heaven
|Best Anal or D.P. Scene
|
|style="text-align:center;"|
|-
|style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|2000
|rowspan="2"|Sean Michaels
|Male Performer of the Year
|
|style="text-align:center;"|
|-
|XRCO Hall of Fame
|
|style="text-align:center;"|
|}