"The Girlfriend Experience" Star Sasha Grey On Her Calling To Play Call Girl

Sasha Grey, ingénue of adult film, made an unintended jump into mainstream film when Academy-award winning director Steven Soderbergh anointed her for his new film "The Girlfriend Experience". The porn industry sweetheart appeared in Las Vegas for a May 28th release party for the mix-reviewed escort exposé. Trendy Las Vegas eatery and nightclub Lavo housed the festivities.

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On the pre-event red carpet, Grey fielded questions mainly related to her actress-director dynamic with Soderbergh. No boudoir techniques employed, no career-climbing tryst initiated. The relationship was and is a fateful union of artistry. However, Grey teasingly admits, "I would give him a chance if [Soderbergh's wife] Jules let me".

The young self-titled "performance artist" does owe it to the "Traffic" and "Ocean's 13" director for the unexpected opportunity to lead an experimental chronicle of a call girl. Grey's chance came when Soderbergh spotted a magazine article profiling her accession into pornographic gentry.

Plucked from limited notoriety, they handed her the role of high-class escort Chelsea. Grey was destined to be the film's salacious lead and its director's muse. Meanwhile, the heavyweight director became the porn star's maitre'd mainstream film, coaching her in the delicate balance of believable intimacy and stoic professionalism.

The 'Experience' was "not something that I ever sought out....it's amazing. You can always see the wheels spinning in his head". She added, "You would expect to hear one and do one thing. And he would come up with the last thing you could think of".

Grey understandably experienced a healthy dose of newcomer intimidation "at the beginning". After a little coaxing from the supportive production team was in order. "I had to loosen up a bit", she confessed. "I was really tense".

Soderbergh was there to ease the greenhorn into her mainstream debut. "He has a very quiet approach on set. He's not the cliché Hollywood director," Grey noted with appreciation. "You hear horror stories from people you know. Thankfully, he's not that type of person. It didn't expect him to be either. He's great".

As for future projects, the films "Smashcut" and "Quit" are in the can while another one is set start shooting in August. Add to that the recent launch of her own production company Grey Art and modeling "as it comes", you can understand how her talents are likely to keep the 21 year old busy this year.

Producing and directing films is her "next step". That prediction illustrates Grey's entrepreneurial confidence and charming coyness not readily found in someone of her age and occupation.

The young entertainer has yet to set a wedding date with photographer Ian Cinnamon. "We want to take a month off. In entertainment that is not an easy thing to do. We're married in the spirit. That's all that really matters."

There is no time to waste. Each moment of movie related buzz needs to be carefully preserved and then channeled into a long-term plan. With a jumpstart like "The Girlfriend Experience", strategizing on the next career step while avoiding a brand identity crisis will be Sasha Grey's most testing tasks at hand.