As one of few porn stars with roots in India, Sunny Leone stands out. Her stunning beauty makes her stand out more. This former nursing student got a taste for the industry when she posed for Penthouse in 2001, and she was named Pet of the Month in March of that year. Appearances in magazines such as Hustler and Swank followed, and in 2003, Sunny became the Penthouse Pet of the Year. That was the year she starred alongside Tera Patrick in the video Penthouse Pets in Paradise. 

Sunny made the transition into hardcore porn in 2005, when she signed a three-year contract with Vivid (becoming the first Vivid Girl of Indian descent), saying that she would only do girl-on-girl scenes. That December saw the release of her first starring role in Sunny. Her next movie, Virtual Vivid Girl Sunny Leone, made her the first Vivid Girl to do an interactive film and won Sunny her first AVN Award (Best Interactive DVD). When Sunny signed on for six more films with Vivid in 2007, she agreed to do scenes with only one man: her then-fiancé Matt Erikson. Her first movie under this contract, Sunny Loves Matt, was also her first post-breast augmentation feature. Sunny announced her breakup with Erikson in January 2008. She has since done scenes with other men, including James Deen and Tommy Gunn. In October 2008, she agreed to shoot movies exclusively for the Indian subcontinent with “Indian Playboy” Richard Menon. 

Outside of adult films, Sunny has made a name for herself. She’s appeared at many events (including the 2006 World Series of Poker) and on various TV and radio shows (including E!’s Wild On, Howard Stern, and a Showtime documentary about the making of Debbie Does Dallas… Again). As of 2008, Sunny has two roles in upcoming indie films, including Middle Men, a feature about the birth of the online porn industry that’s set for wide theatrical release in 2009. For the right price, she says, she would seriously consider starting a new career in Bollywood. Sunny’s branded products include a pocket pal molded to her vagina, the Sunny Leone Exciter vibrator, lingerie, and jewelry. 

Though born in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, Sunny moved with her family to the U.S. as a teenager. Having become a U.S. citizen in 2006, Sunny retains dual citizenship in Canada. Her personal life includes a love of video games, Italian food, The Simpsons,reading, playing soccer, and horseback riding.