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Surging Star: Melissa Stratton making quick impression on scene partners, production crews and fans

Hall of Famer Mike Quasar labels 33-year brunette as a "once-in-a-decade type of performer" after directing her in lead role for new film "Platonic"

By Austin King / Editor

Mar 11, 2023

When Melissa Stratton entered the adult industry as a cam girl in May of 2021, the former graphic designer was afraid to show her face.

Each night, when she chatted online with fans from her Midwest home, Stratton positioned herself so that the computer screen cut off her image from the mouth up.

ā€œIā€™m probably one of the most insecure people youā€™ll ever meet,ā€ Stratton tells PornCrush. ā€œI just sat there showing my mouth and my boobs. I talked and Iā€™d flash. I didnā€™t know if I would like itā€”but I ended up falling in love with it so quickly.ā€

Porn fans are glad she did.

Nearly two years later, Stratton is one of the fastest-rising stars in all of porn. The shy, timid tendencies she displayed during her early days on Chaturbate have given way to a sultry, confident aura that leaves first-time scene partners in a euphoric tranceā€”and directors scrambling to book her.

AndĀ re-book her.

ā€œIā€™d shoot her every day if I could,ā€ AVN Hall of Fame director Mike Quasar says. ā€œSheā€™s a once-in-decade type of performer.ā€

Now 33, Stratton entered the industry later than most. And judging by her background it wouldā€™ve been hard to predict a career in sex work during Strattonā€™s early years. She laughs about how her ambition as a child was to be a librarian or secretary. She also had a passion for ballet.

ā€œI wasnā€™t very cool,ā€ she says.

Most of Strattonā€™s childhood was spent as a military brat. Her father was in the Air Force, so it wasnā€™t uncommon for the family to move from state to state. For a significant time period she even lived in Alaska.

By the time Stratton reached high school, though, her parents had planted roots in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was a fitting location considering her mom and dad were Mormon.

By her late teens, it was obvious Stratton would have difficulty adhering to the strict Mormon lifestyle. If anything, her looks would make it virtually impossible.

At age 18, Stratton was fired from her job at a credit union after just one week. Her boss explained that his wife had come into the office and grown insanely jealous after witnessing him work alongside the head-turning teenager.

Strattonā€™s fatherā€”who had arranged for her to get the jobā€”called the unionā€™s higher-ups and reported the discriminatory termination. Her boss was immediately axed and Stratton returned to work the next day.

ā€œIt taught me a lot,ā€ Stratton says. ā€œFor one, donā€™t let people push you around. But also, be aware of how people perceive you. Iā€™d never viewed myself in that way. Before that Iā€™d just always assumed no one was interested in me.ā€

By her early 20s, Stratton was working for a group that did graphic design and direct mail for automotive companies. Whether she was attending trade shows or visiting dealerships, Stratton consistently found herself in male-dominated environments whereā€”once againā€”she was the center of attention.

She said she was 23 when she had sex with her boss, who was in his late 40s, when he delivered paperwork to her office one night after hours.

ā€œHe started throwing some attention my way,ā€ Stratton says. ā€œI was like, ā€˜This is kind of hot.ā€™ I was thinking, ā€˜Iā€™ve never had sex on a desk. Iā€™ve never done anything, like ā€¦ naughty, you know?ā€™ā€

Over and over, Stratton remembers repeating the same phrase in her mind.Ā Seize the moment! Seize the moment!Ā And then she did.

ā€œHe learned over and picked me up,ā€ Stratton says. ā€œHe carried me over to a conference table, and we banged out on the table.ā€

Ten years later, Stratton is living out those fantasies on porn sets nearly every weekā€”and now sheā€™s getting paid for it.

ā€œIā€™m definitely a closet freak,ā€ Stratton says. ā€œAnyone who knew me back then would be surprised to find out what Iā€™m doing now. Itā€™s not something I really broadcast. I donā€™t talk about it much in my personal life. Thatā€™s why I talk so much in my work life. Because I normally have no one else to talk to.ā€

Stratton has been represented by Motley Models since transitioning into studio porn in May of 2022. Company president Dave Rock says he knew he wanted to add Stratton to his roster within moments of connecting with her via Zoom.

ā€œTo me sheā€™s the Christie Brinkley of porn, the supermodel,ā€ Rock says. ā€œSheā€™s perfect. Her skin is perfect, her lips are perfect, her cheeks are perfect, her eyes are perfect. Her hair, her teeth, her nails, her toes ā€¦ everything is always on brand.

ā€œThereā€™s really no one over the age of 30 that looks like she does. She works out when sheā€™s here. She eats right. Sheā€™s a professional.ā€

Along with her appearance, Stratton also garners rave reviews for her passionate, seductive nature in sex scenes. Stratton describes herself as a ā€œsubā€ and a ā€œpleaser.ā€ She says she does her best to connect with the male talent before the cameras start rolling.

ā€œIā€™m a talker,ā€ she says, ā€œso part of my pre-scene ritual is to try to get to know my partner a little bit. I want our sex to be as good and authentic as possible. Itā€™s easy for me to like people.

ā€œI think thatā€™s why my partners enjoy scenes with me and why I enjoy this work. Thereā€™s a lot of realness to it. Weā€™re able to build a rapport really quickly, and itā€™s awesome. The passion isnā€™t fake.ā€

Stratton has certainly left an impression on male star Ryan McLane, with whom sheā€™s shot multiple times. Quasar, the director, says every time he hires McLane, he asks if Stratton is going to be his scene partner.

ā€œIā€™m very sorry, Ryan,ā€ Quasar recently joked to McLane, ā€œbut Iā€™m not Match.com. Youā€™re going to work with whoever the fuck I put you with.ā€

McLane was, however, lucky enough to be paired with Stratton in her biggest role to date. Stratton plays the lead in ā€œPlatonic,ā€ a Sweet Sinner film released March 8 that was directed by Quasar.

The movieā€”based on real-life experience by Quasarā€”features Stratton and McLane as longtime best friends whoā€™d never gotten physical in their relationship. McLane, though, becomes jealous when Stratton begins a romance with a mutual acquaintance. In the end McLane and Stratton express their feelings for one another.

And you can guess what happens next.

ā€œThatā€™s the only part where the story is fudged a little bit,ā€ Quasar says. ā€œI actually never got to bone my friend. Weā€™re still platonic.ā€

Quasar says Stratton couldnā€™t have delivered a better performance.

ā€œShe knew all of her lines and her delivery was accurate,ā€ Quasar says. ā€œSometimes you have a person who seems really witty and articulate when youā€™re talking. But then you give them lines and they freeze up and read sort of robotically. Melissa was very natural the whole time. She loved that itā€™s a true story. She thought that was funny.ā€

Stratton is appreciative that Quasar cast her in the roleā€”ā€œHeā€™s given me way more opportunities than I probably deserve,ā€ she saysā€”and is hopeful it will prompt others to consider her for similar features.

Quasar says studios should be attracted to Strattonā€™s versatility. At 33, sheā€™s able to flourish in the role of a MILF. But she also has the youthful appearance and exuberance needed to portray younger characters.

ā€œSheā€™s beautiful,ā€ Quasar says, ā€œbut thatā€™s only part of it. Sheā€™s just the type of person that you want to be around. Itā€™s as simple as that. Her energy is so joyous that itā€™s like, ā€˜Man, I canā€™t wait to work with you again.ā€™ā€

Stratton, who still resides in the Midwest, is planning to make more frequent trips to LA in the coming months. She shot 20 scenes last year and has set a goal for 60 in 2023.

And that doesnā€™t include the content Stratton produces for her OnlyFans account.

Last month Stratton and fellow Motley girl Kayley Gunner filmed an OnlyFans scene in a Range Rover, frolicking completely nude in the back seat as they were driven around the streets of Los Angeles.

Stratton hasnā€™t viewed the footage yet but plans to watch it soonā€”even if it makes her shudder.

ā€œIā€™m constantly critiquing myself and my performance,ā€ Stratton says. ā€œI want to be better. I want to do what the best are doing.Ā 

ā€œI didnā€™t have a lot of experience with porn when I got in. Nor was I very confident about my body and my performance. How to look at the camera, orĀ notĀ look at the camera ā€¦ how to connect with my scene partners. Itā€™s really hard, really difficult.

ā€œI still find it really cringy to watch myself have sex.ā€

Quasar isnā€™t buying it.

How, he says, can someone so stunningā€”and so talentedā€”not grasp the magnitude of the gifts they possess?

ā€œLiterally every single guy on set falls in love with her,ā€ Quasar says. ā€œBut sheā€™s still always like, ā€˜Oh my God, not me. Youā€™re talking aboutĀ me?ā€™ Sheā€™s either the most humble woman who has ever lived, or sheā€™s the shrewdest character Iā€™ve ever encountered.ā€

Quasar pauses and laughs.

ā€œI think she knows exactly what sheā€™s doing,ā€ he says. ā€œShe just playing with all of us.ā€

Information from Melissa Strattonā€™s YouTube interview for ā€œBackstage Pass with Dave Rockā€ was used in this article

Austin King / Editor

Austin King spent nearly 20 years as a mainstream journalist before pivoting to coverage of the adult industry in 2020. He specializes in breaking news and in-depth features, with some of his best work to date coming for AVN Magazine in profiles of Gina Valentina, Casey Kisses, Anna-Claire Clouds, Kayden Kross, Chanel Camryn, Kenzie Anne, Lilly Bell and others. Austin resides in Texas but makes frequent trips to Porn Valley.