| Joey Stefano | |
|---|---|
| Born | Nicholas Anthony Iacona, Jr. January 1, 1968 Chester, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | November 26, 1994 (aged 26) Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Other names | Joey Stefano |
| Ethnicity | Italian |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Weight | 165 lb (75 kg) |
Joey Stefano (January 1, 1968 – November 26, 1994) was an American pornographic actor who appeared in gay adult films.
Contents |
Born Nicholas Anthony Iacona, Jr., Stefano grew up in the Philadelphia area (Chester, Pennsylvania). His father died when he was 15. After several years of prostitution and hard-core drug use in New York City, Stefano moved to Los Angeles and quickly became a star in gay pornography. In addition to his good looks, his persona as a "hungry bottom" (sexually submissive but verbally demanding) contributed to his popularity.[1]
His image and success caught the attention of Madonna, who used him as a model in her 1992 book Sex.[2]
During his lifetime, he was the subject of rumors (some of them spread by himself) regarding his relationships with prominent entertainment industry figures who were known to be gay. At a May 1990 dinner and interview with Jess Cagle (Entertainment Weekly) and Rick X (Manhattan Cable TV's The Closet Case Show), Stefano discussed an alleged series of "dates" with David Geffen, who at one point implored Stefano to quit using drugs. After the videotaped interview appeared on Rick X's show, OutWeek Magazine "outed" Geffen, who went on to announce his homosexuality at an AIDS fundraiser.[3]
He was HIV positive.[4] According to a subsequent biography Stefano died of speedball overdose (cocaine, morphine, heroin, and ketamine) at age 26 in the shower of a motel on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California.[4] His body was taken back to Pennsylvania where he was buried next to his father.
Stefano's life is chronicled in the book, Wonder Bread and Ecstasy: The Life and Death of Joey Stefano by Charles Isherwood. His life is also the subject of a one-man-play, Homme Fatale: The Fast Life and Slow Death of Joey Stefano, by Australian playwright Barry Lowe.
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Tim Lowe for Fratrimony |
AVN Awards for Best Actor-Gay Video for More of a Man 1991 |
Succeeded by Ryan Yeager for Jumper |
| Preceded by - |
AVN Awards for Best Performer of the Year-Gay Video 1995 |
Succeeded by J.T. Sloan |