- Born: September 22
- Zodiac Sign: Virgo
Axel Braun's Porn Star Biography
Early Years
Axel Braun is the son of legendary porn-pioneer Lasse Braun, who, through his work in the early 1960's helped push the legalization of pornography in Europe. He was born and raised in Italy, where he received a privileged upper-class upbringing, studying the Classics and learning five languages. An accomplished drawing artist, as a child he dreamt of becoming a cartoonist, until at the age of seven he watched the film The Four Feathers by Zoltan Korda; the epic tale of love, betrayal, honor and revenge moved him so, that he suddenly knew what he wanted to be when he grew up: a film director.
Learning the Tricks of the Trade
A proud member of MENSA, an avid movie buff, and the recipient of a Ph.D. in Psychology, Braun started early, traveling and working with his father as an assistant director, writer, producer, videographer, and editor. Lasse introduced him to the world of adult filmmaking, and taught him all the tricks of the trade. Over the years they developed a strong personal relationship, as well as an incredibly creative business partnership. Lasse's flair for luxury and comfort suited his young pupil well, as Braun still found plenty of time to indulge in his non-porn passions: poker and car racing.
Career & Films
In 1982, at the Sorbonne Library in Paris, Braun read a book on human sexuality that talked about the G-Spot and the ability of certain women to ejaculate. This led him to years of research, and ultimately to the production of countless X-rated movies featuring female ejaculation. In 1988, Braun moved permanently to Los Angeles to attend the prestigious Columbia College, where he eventually graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Cinema. From 1989-1995, Braun and Lasse developed and produced a series of R-rated TV movies for German Television RTL, while still shooting hardcore content. Fantasy Nights, in 1990, marks the first collaborations of three of the most influential pornographers in history: Lasse Braun, Alex DeRenzy, and Henri Pachard. With the excuse of filming the series Ibiza Lust, in 1991, Braun and Lasse spent a few months in the beautiful Balearic Island.
In 1995, Lasse and Braun traveled to Budapest to shoot MasterSex, produced by Italian porn tycoon Joano Ceretti. Through Joano, with whom Braun formed a strong friendship, he lands a deal to translate and adapt a series of big-budget American movies in Italian. It's a moment of transition and growth, and it provides a chance for reflection, which leads Braun to realize he needed time to find his own path. In 1996, produced by Joano Ceretti, Braun steps behind the camera to direct his first solo project, The Adventures of the G-Man, the first installment of a successful series that would earn him both critical and commercial praise in Italy, along with an incredible notoriety for being able to make all women ejaculate with his hands.
In January 1997, Lasse calls Braun to co-write and shoot Uncontrollable Lust, for VCA. This was the their final father-son collaboration. Later that year, Antonio Passolini, an accomplished director and longtime friend, gave Braun his first break in the American XXX-market, executive-producing the feature The Book of Lust, released by VCA. In 1998, VCA released Braun's new feature Sexcape, shot between Los Angeles, Florence, Rome, Milan and Budapest. In 1999, Braun released Fleshlight, a hardcore comedy that topped the charts in Germany, as well as Libido, and most notably The G-Spot Chronicles which became the top-selling adult video of the year in Italy.
Selected Porn Awards
- 2003 XRCO Award - Best Film - Compulsion
- 2004 Delta Di Venere Award - Best International Director
- 2004 Delta Di Venere Award - Best Film - Compulsion
- 2004 AVN Award - Best Screenplay - Compulsion
- 2004 Venus Award - Best Film USA - Compulsion
- 2004 Venus Award - Best Director, Film - Compulsion
- 2004 Venus Award - Best U.S. Director
- 2004 Ninfa Awards - Best Film and Best Director - both for Compulsión
- 2005 Ninfa Award - Best Film - Cadillac Highway
- 2010 XBIZ Award - Director of the Year-Body of Work
- 2010 F.A.M.E. Award - Best Parody - Batman XXX: A Porn Parody
- 2010 Venus Award - Special Jury Award - This Ain't Avatar XXX
- 2011 XRCO Award - Best Director-Parody
- 2011 AVN Award - Best Parody/Comedy - Batman XXX: A Porn Parody
- 2011 AVN Award - Best 3D Release - This Ain't Avatar XXX
- 2011 AVN Award - Best New Production Company - Axel Braun Productions
- 2011 AVN Hall of Fame
- 2011 AVN Award - Director of the Year
- 2011 AVN Award - Best Selling Title of the Year - Batman XXX: A Porn Parody
- 2011 AVN Award - Best Renting Title of the Year - Batman XXX: A Porn Parody
- 2012 AVN Award - Director of the Year
- 2012 AVN Award - Best 3D Release - This Ain't Ghostbusters XXX
- 2012 AVN Award - Best Parody/Drama - Spider-Man XXX: A Porn Parody
- 2012 XRCO Award - Best Director-Parody
- 2012 XRCO Award - Best 3D Release - This Ain't Ghostbusters XXX
- 2012 XRCO Award - Best Parody-Comic Book - Spider-Man XXX: A Porn Parody
- 2012 NightMoves Lifetime Achievement Award
- 2012 NightMoves Award - Best Director - Parody (Fan's Choice)
- 2013 XBIZ Award - Parody Release of the Year - Comedy - Starwards XXX: A Porn Parody
- 2013 XBIZ Award - Director of the Year - Parody - Starwards XXX: A Porn Parody
- 2013 XBIZ Award - Best Special Effects - Starwards XXX: A Porn Parody
- 2013 AVN Award - Director of the Year
- 2013 AVN Award - Best Director - Parody
- 2013 AVN Award - Movie of the Year - 24 XXX: An Axel Braun Parody
- 2013 XBIZ Award - Best Screen Play - Starwards XXX: A Porn Parody
- 2013 XRCO Award - Best Parody/Comedy - Starwards XXX: A Porn Parody
- 2013 XRCO Award - Best Director - Parody
- 2014 AVN Award - Director of the Year
- 2014 XBIZ Award - Best Director - Body of Work
- 2014 XRCO Hall of Fame
- 2014 NightMoves Award - Best Director - Parody (Fan's Choice)
- 2014 NightMoves Hall of Fame
- 2014 Fanny Award - Director of the Year
- 2015 AVN Award - Best Director - Parody
- 2016 AVN Award Best Director - Parody
- 2017 XBIZ Director of the Year - ParodySuicide Squad XXX: An Axel Braun Parody (Wicked Pictures)
