This week we’ve travelled the globe to catch up with US Virtual Reality CAM-SATR Ela Darling and here is what she had to share with SPORT readers.
1. What name would you like us to refer to you as?
DARLING: Ela Darling
2. Where are you from?
DARLING: I live in Los Angeles but I grew up in Texas
3. Age?
DARLING: I’ve been 27 for a few years now
4. What do you have for tattoos and how many hours have you put into them?
DARLING: I have the Dewey decimal number for Harry Potter on my back over my spine, like a book (I used to be a librarian), a scarab butterfly/bat on my lower back that I got when I was, surprise, 18. Texas on my left shoulder, a rainbow on my right shoulder, “In My Dreams” on my right side/torso, a zombie on my left calf, and a quote which says “We are only as strong as we are united, and weak as we are divided. – APWBD” on my right thigh.
5. Any piercings?
DARLING: I’ve had a few over the years but only my ear piercings remain
6. How did you get your started in your industry?
DARLING: I was a librarian fresh out of grad school, which I completed very quickly while working multiple jobs. By the time I got a full time job as a Reference Librarian, I found that I suddenly had more free time than I had in years, since I wasn’t grinding away in classes or at work every waking moment of the day. I had been doing fashion, glamour, and runway modelling since I was 18, and I decided to explore modelling a bit more. I saw a casting call for non-nude hardcore bondage videos and I was nervous and intrigued. I showed up to set expecting to feel uncomfortable and have my personal boundaries pushed and challenged. Instead, the guy I worked with was incredibly kind, handsome, patient, and adamant about ensuring that I knew my safe words and that we could cut or change things up at any time. This was not the scary world of pornography I had expected! After that, I did a few more gigs shooting fetish clips, then some nude photoshoots, before finally deciding to just move to LA and try girl/girl porn. I have loved it ever since.
7. How long have you been in the business?
DARLING: Just over 8 years now.
8. What are some of your previous projects?
DARLING: My biggest project, which I’m still working on, is in Virtual Reality. I started a company with my best friend about four years ago shooting different kinds of adult VR content. We made 3D videos in 180 and 360 degrees, holographic captures for VR, and a VR dating simulator using the same holographic technology, before finally settling on what we thought was the most compelling use case for this nascent medium: live broadcasting. We created the world’s first live VR webcam platform, which is now called CAM4VR, and I was the world’s first VR cam girl.
Additionally, I served on the Board of Directors for the Adult Performer Advocacy Committee for three years and have been a political advocate for performers in the adult industry for about 6 or 7 years.
9. Do you have any upcoming projects?
DARLING: My main focus is in optimizing and maximizing the live webcam experience in Virtual Reality that we provide at CAM4VR, where I work as the VR Content Manager. It is my dearest passion.
10. What type of music do you listen to and who is your favourite band or artist?
DARLING: At this point, I mostly listen to 90s pop or what I call “Dad Rock” – Billy Joel, the Rolling Stones, the Eagles, etc. Most of the time when I’m driving or killing time, I prefer to listen to podcasts, like The Adventure Zone, My Brother My Brother and Me, or The Best Debate in the Universe.
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11. Do you have any hobbies?
DARLING: I’m learning C++ for Arduino and also Python. I love building arduino projects; I made a dog treat dispenser for my dog that you can activate remotely. I have also been building microphones from electret capsules and experimenting with different kinds of shielding and capacitance to try to make decent quality mics with very low electromagnetic interference. Sometimes it’s just an excuse to use a soldering iron, though.
12. Are you into video games?
DARLING: I love playing video games on my Oculus Rift. My two favourites came out last year, Star Trek: Bridge Crew, and Robo Recall. I think they’re ridiculously fun, visually stunning, and conceptually excellent.
13. Favourite sports and who is your favourite teams or persons?
DARLING: My favourite sport is soccer because soccer guys are fucking babes.
14. Favourite type of movie and favourite all-time movie?
DARLING: I don’t really get a chance to watch movies, to be honest. In the past three years I’ve probably seen less than five films in theatres. I guess my favourite movies are the ones my friends make because I’m proud of their hard work.
15. Favourite type of food and favourite meal?
DARLING: Sunchokes are my favourite food/ingredient. They’re these little root vegetables and the taste is something I can only describe as “like sunshine.” Otherwise, I love Ethiopian food and Pho. When I’m at home, I usually make steaks and veggies.
16. Favourite alcoholic drink?
DARLING: Mead, followed by Champagne with St. Germain, followed by Vodka.
17. Your No.1 inspiration in life?
DARLING: My family and my wonderful little dog, Gonzo, inspire me to be my best self and to persevere in all the things I do. I’m incredibly lucky to have people who believe in me and support me and it makes me want to be worthy of that support.
18. Measurements?
DARLING: 35, 27, 37 or something like that. I don’t know. I’m the worst person to make clothing for because I never know my measurements off hand.
19. Craziest, wildest or kinkiest place you’ve ever had sex?
DARLING: Idk, the butt I guess? Lol, jk, probably on an airplane under a blanket in our seats. Girl sex is the best sex.
20. Do you prefer to make love or fuck?
DARLING: There’s a time and place for each one, but I’m more into fucking.
21. Favourite sexual position?
DARLING: I like doggy style. It’s a classic.
22. An interesting or unusual fact about you?
DARLING: I used to be in a circus sideshow, back when I was in college! I can escape from a straitjacket, smash a lightbulb on my forehead with a hammer and eat the broken glass, put razor blades in my mouth and tie them to a string, and some other fun things. It’s been a while since I retired from the circus freak life though.
23. Social media?
DARLING: Twitter & Instagram @ElaDarling
