Behind the Scenes With Siri Dahl
This interview has been edited for readability.
Sexy, versatile, relatable, and confident: Siri is everything you could ask for in a performer. As one of our standout stars, she’s made waves in some of the year’s most popular films, captivating audiences with her undeniable talent and authenticity.
In this interview, Siri opens up about the nuances of on-set intimacy, her journey into the industry, how she balances her work and personal life, and what she wishes people knew about her career.
Does on-set intimacy differ from your real-life sex?
I would say the main way it’s different is that I’m quite aware of the camera and the lighting and where they are. That’s part of my job: to be mindful of that and to make sure I’m giving a good performance. By that, I mean showing where the action is happening — making sure it’s visible for the audience.
When it comes to my general approach, I don’t do things much differently off-camera than I do on-camera. It really comes down to the positioning and my vocalizations. I guess I’m probably more talkative in real life than I am on set, but that’s usually because I’ll get into random conversations about a TV show I just watched or something like that.
What was your journey like becoming a performer?
I knew I wanted to be a performer when I was 19, but I didn’t actually start until I was 23. That gave me a few years to really think about whether this was something I seriously wanted to do or if it was just a fantasy. The more time I spent thinking about it, the more I realized this was something I truly wanted.
So, it was very much a deliberate decision. I got started the way most people do: I moved to Los Angeles and connected with a talent agent there. I was with an agent for at least the first six months of my career, but eventually, I realized they weren’t doing anything I couldn’t do myself. Since then, I’ve been independent.
How does your work intersect with your personal life?
My work has changed over the course of my career. I took a five-year break, and when I came back out of retirement in 2020, things were really different for me — but in positive ways.
I’ve been able to maintain a pretty solid separation between my work life and personal life, mainly because I don’t live in Los Angeles. Since I’m not surrounded by the production hub of the adult industry, I feel like I have two lives. I shoot for studios in Los Angeles often, but because I don’t live there, it’s like work stays in LA.
When I’m home in Kentucky, I mostly shoot for my own platforms, and that’s usually done at home. This separation helps me maintain a work-life balance, which can be challenging when you’re self-employed in any industry. The geographical distance makes it easier to set boundaries, and I really value that.
What do you want people to know about your work?
It’s not easy. That is a common misconception I hear from fans of porn and anti-porn people. Having fresh faces in the industry has always been a selling point. So while it’s not terribly hard to start a career in porn, if you want a career with any sort of longevity, it is very hard. It’s a lot of work. You have to build a brand, market yourself, figure out what kind of audience you want to reach, and learn what resonates with them.
It might sound like a lot of “business, business, business,” but that’s exactly what it is: a business. I’ve worked civilian jobs before — I quit and worked desk jobs for five years — and they made me realize how much I missed the creative freedom and control I have over my own schedule in this industry.
That’s what brought me back: I didn’t want to lose that sense of independence. It’s something I constantly remind people about, whether they’re friends or fans. This is a real job. It’s legitimate work. Just because it’s fun and involves intimacy doesn’t mean it’s not hard or doesn’t require effort.
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