Kayden Kross
Kayden Kross Biography
American
About Kayden Kross
Kimberly Nicole Rathkamp, or better known as Kayden Kross, was born on September 15, 1985, in Sacramento, California. Throughout her life, she had many accomplishments. Still, she is best known for her work in the adult entertainment industry and erotic photography before she turned director in the same business.
With gorgeous blonde hair and stunning green eyes that show her Swedish descent, Kayden was raised by a single mother in a strict religious household. In her early life, she herself said she was a book nerd and an honor-roll student. She even attended the California State University, Sacramento, where she studied psychology and philosophy. However, during her studies, her career took a turn that she is known for today.
From Stripping To Signing
When she was only eighteen years old, Kayden became an exotic dancer, and it was for an honorable cause - to rescue a pony from being sent to the slaughterhouse. While she was stripping at Rick's Showgirls in Rancho Cordova, she was approached by an agent who got her to model for adult magazines.
In November 2006, she signed an exclusive contract with Vivid Entertainment, under which her early titles, such as Kayden's First Time, Hard Time, and Be Here Now, were produced. Her contract lasted for a year, and she did not want to renew it. Instead, she became a free agent, which led her to get signed with Adam & Eve. During this time, she was named Penthouse Pet of the Month in September 2008, and she appeared on the magazine's cover that year and again in 2010.
In January 2010, Kayden Kross signed an exclusive multi-year contract with Digital Playground. Her first film with this major studio was The Smiths, which became incredibly popular. Because of this breakthrough, she was given the lead role in the studio's big-budget movie Body Heat, which helped her earn two Best Actress awards. By 2011, CNBC named her one of the 12 most popular performers in the adult entertainment industry.
Erotic Modeling And Artistic Photography
Considering she started as a model for adult magazines, it should come as no surprise that she was very sought-after during her whole career as an adult actress, especially for artistic nude and erotic photography. With her expressive green eyes and an aura of confidence and charisma that goes beyond the lens of the camera, she was the perfect model for high-end erotic shoots.
In 2008 and 2010, her Penthouse galleries were among the most well-known of the time. Because she was doing work that involved more softcore content, she had a reach toward the audience who appreciated erotic images more than her other work. Because of this, Kayden Kross is a timeless figure in the world of erotic photography.
The Transition To Directing
In 2013, Kayden Kross retired from performing and instead focused on directing, as she felt she could create better work behind the camera. Her first work as director was because of her partner, Manuel Ferrara, asking for her help on Misha Cross: Wide Open, which turned out to be one of the top-selling adult films of 2014. It even earned her the XBIZ Award for Director of the Year.
In 2015, along with Stoya, Kayden co-founded TrenchcoatX, a platform focused on erotica. It has grown large enough to attract the attention of Vixen Media Group, which then acquired a major stake in it. Now that she was under the Vixen Media Group umbrella, she launched a site, Deeper, built around psychological narratives, cinematic production, and female protagonists. Years later, in 2021, her film Muse claimed the Grand Reel at the AVN awards. She also launched a platform that focuses on confident and experienced women called MILFY (also under Vixen)
Awards And Recognition
Throughout her career, Kayden Kross accumulated an impressive list of achievements:
- AVN Hall of Fame — 2019
- XRCO Hall of Fame — 2022
- AVN Director of the Year — 2019
- XBIZ Director of the Year — 2020, 2021
- AVN Best Directing Portfolio (Narrative) — 2023, 2024, 2025
- AVN Best Actress — 2011 (Body Heat)
- XBIZ Acting Performance of the Year (Female) — 2011
- NightMoves Best Female Performer (Fan's Choice) — 2010
- Hot d'Or Best American Starlet — 2009
Beyond Adult Entertainment
Even if her presence in the adult industry is the reason why she is famous, she has done work outside of it as well. In addition to writing for Complex and The Daily Beast, she also testified before the California State Assembly on performers' rights and industry legislation.
Kayden also made appearances in the FX comedy series The League, the web series Girl/Girl Scene, and even on the Breaking Bad Season 5 DVD. She also hosted a weekly call-in show on Playboy Radio and appeared in two music videos for the band Nekrogoblikon.
Early in her adult career, Kayden and Manuel Ferrara, a French adult performer and director, got together in 2012, and they had a daughter in 2014. It can be seen just how big an influence he had on her career as he played a major role in her transition from performing to directing and building a life outside the industry.
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