Nina Hartley (born Marie Louise Hartman on March 11, 1959 in Berkeley, California) is an American pornographic actress, pornographic film director and sex educator.
Hartley was born to a Jewish family and grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is the youngest of four children. She has an older sister and two older brothers. Her parents converted to Buddhism when she was young. She attended San Francisco State University's undergraduate nursing school and graduated magna cum laude in 1985. She is a registered nurse.
In 1982, during her sophomore year of nursing school, she started working as a stripper at Mitchell Brothers O'Farrell Theater.
She made her foray into the world of pornographic movies during her junior year, in 1984. Her debut performance was in the film Educating Nina, which was produced by the veteran porn star Juliet Anderson (better known as Aunt Peg), and this proved to be a massive hit. Since then she has gone on to feature in over 400 first-run adult films, and has become one of the most enduring and recognizable performers in the industry.
She said in an interview that she chose the name "Nina" because it was easy for Japanese tourists to say during the time she was a dancer in San Francisco. She chose "Hartley" because she liked the popular camera commercials Mariette Hartley was making with James Garner at the time.
Politically, Hartley is a socialist and outspoken sex-positive feminist. Addressing other women, she said "Sex isn't something men do to you. It isn't something men get out of you. Sex is something you dive into with gusto and like it every bit as much as he does." Hartley has been an advocate for the adult film industry's right to exist, and, before the rise to stardom of Jenna Jameson, had often been called on when television news programs and talk shows required an articulate, leading adult film actress to support the pro side. She appeared most notably on The Oprah Winfrey Show with fellow porn actress Ona Zee. The two came under hard scrutiny from the mostly female audience, but refused to back down and were outspoken in their support of the industry. She and Ona Zee also spoke out strongly against illegal drugs in the industry.
She was interviewed for Wendy McElroy's 1995 book XXX: A Woman's Right to Pornography. She relates how she was arrested in 1993 in Las Vegas, along with 10 other adult stars (later known as the "Erotic Eleven"), for having performed a lesbian show at an adult video industry fundraiser; an undercover police officer was present in the audience. Threatened with six to 12 years in prison for felony lesbianism and pandering, she was eventually allowed to plead guilty to a misdemeanor.
In addition to her more traditional roles in porn films, she has also produced, directed, and starred in a series of Guide to... films covering the entire sexual spectrum, from basic sexual intercourse and foreplay, to anal sex and bondage.
Hartley crossed over into mainstream Hollywood with an appearance in the 1997 film Boogie Nights, in which she played William H. Macy's serially unfaithful wife. She also appeared in the 1996 Canadian film Bubbles Galore.
Hartley is openly bisexual in her private life, and had what has been described as the longest stable relationship in the adult business, living in a ménage à trois with her husband Dave (whom she met when she was 19), and "wife" Bobby Lilly for 20 years. Hartley has since left that relationship, saying "I was too immature and he was too possessive. It didn't work... It ended up ending because it was the wrong three people involved." She has since married Ira Levine (aka Ernest Greene), a director of porn films, particularly BDSM films. They sometimes work together, as in The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Women, directed by Tristan Taormino and Greene, and O: the Power of Submission, directed by Greene. In both of these films, Hartley plays supporting roles.
Hartley does not have any children due to a combination of a lack of interest and fibroid tumors, though she does have eight nieces and nephews.
Porn actor Lexington Steele stated in an interview in 2001 that sex with Nina Hartley was undoubtedly the best sex he has ever had.
Hartley remains active. Appearing primarily in "mature"-themed pornography, she also has a line of "instructional" videos which are marketed under the "Nina Hartley's Guide" brand.
Filmography
Acts of Love (1989)
Adultery (1989/I)
The Big Thrill (1989)
Blue Movie (1989)
The Bod Squad (1989)
Bring on the Virgins (1989) (V)
California Taboo (1989) .... Carrie Fields
Call Girls in Action (1989) (V)
The Case of the Cockney Cupcake (1989) .... Pinky McFarlane
China Bitch (1989) .... Insatia
Coming on Strong (1989)
Debbie Class of '89 (1989)
Diamond in the Rough (1989)
Dirty Lingerie (1989)
Dreamwalk (1989) (V) .... Louise
Firestorm 3 (1989) (V)
For His Eyes Only (1989)
Future Lust (1989)
Girls Who Dig Girls 10 (1989)
Lost Angel (1989)
My Bare Lady (1989) (V) .... Tish Tosh
Night of the Living Debbies (1989) .... Debbie
Nina, Just for You (1989)
One Wife to Give (1989)
Oral Majority 7 (1989) (V)
Outrageous Orgies 5 (1989) (V)
The Penthouse (1989)
Sorority Pink (1989)
Sorority Pink 2: The Initiation (1989) .... Upsilon Sigma Coed
Splendor in the Ass (1989) (V) .... Hortense Harlott
... aka Sex Express (UK: soft porn version)
Talk Dirty to Me, Part 6 (1989) (V)
Taste of Ariel (1989) (V)
To the Top: The Nicole Stanton Story Part Two (1989) (V) .... Sherry Birmingham
Trinity, Just for You (1989)
Uniform Behavior (1989)
Wet Pink (1989)
Who Shaved Aja? (1989)
Who Shaved Lynn LeMay? (1989) .... Candy
... aka Who Shaved Lynn? (UK)
Wildheart (1989)
Young Girls in Tight Jeans (1989) .... Ginger Snaps
Afro Erotica 22 (1988) (V)
Afro Erotica 23 (1988) (V)
Afro Erotica 25 (1988) (V)
Afro Erotica 28 (1988) (V)
Afro Erotica 29 (1988) (V)
Alice in Whiteland (1988)
Angel's Back! (1988) .... Jean Rush
Backdoor Brides 3 (1988) (V)
Best of Danielle (1988)
Biloxi Babes (1988)
Blue Cabaret (1988) (V) .... Shelly
Candy's Little Sister, Sugar (1988) .... Helena Wunderbar
Coming in America (1988)
Conflict (1988)
The Days of Our Wives (1988)
Debbie 4 Hire (1988) (V)
Debbie for President (1988) .... Nancy
Divine Decadence (1988) .... Carol
Dy-nasty (1988)
Exposure (1988)
Fade to Black (1988)
Fantasy Confidential (1988)
Fatal Erection (1988)
For Your Love (1988)
Greatest American Blonde (1988) (V)
Hate to See You Go (1988) .... Vicki Sherwood
Hay Fever (1988)
HHHHot! TV (1988)
Honky Tonk Angels (1988)
Hot Pink & Chocolate Brown (1988)
I Cream of Genie (1988)
Kinky Vision 2 (1988) (V) .... Connie Cable
The Naked Stranger (1988)
The Nicole Stanton Story (1988) (V)
Nina Does 'em All (1988)
Nina's Knockouts (1988) (V)
Outlaw Ladies II (1988)
Portrait of an Affair (1988)
Portrait of a Nymph (1988/I)
Power Blonde (1988) (V)
The Return of the A Team (1988)
Saddletramp (1988)
Screaming Rage (1988) (V)
Sensual Escape (1988)
Sex and the Secretary (1988)
She's So Fine II (1988)
Soul Games (1988) (V)
Star Tricks (1988)
Suzie Superstar... the Search Continues (1988)
Taboo VI: The Obsession (1988) (V) .... Doreen
A Taste of Tawnee (1988) (V)
Three for All (1988) .... Mrs. Tony Underwood
... aka Three Babes and a Man
Viper's Place (1988)
Adultery (1987)
Afro Erotica 17 (1987) (V)
Afro Erotica 19 (1987) (V)
Barbara Dare's Prime Choice (1987) (V)
Barbara the Barbarian (1987) .... Muriela
Blazing Bedrooms (1987) .... Debbie #2
Born to Be Bad (1987)
Breakin' All the Rules (1987)
Club Ecstasy (1987)
Dangerous Women (1987)
Debbie Duz Dishes III (1987) .... Debbie
Dollface (1987) .... Betty
Dr. Blacklove (1987)
Dream Lovers (1987) .... Michelle
Dynamic Vices (1987) (uncredited) .... Female vice detective
Erotomania (1987)
Falcon Breast (1987) .... Owner of vineyard
Friday the 13th: A Nude Beginning (1987)
Ginger Snaps (1987) (V)
Girl Games (1987)
Hard Choices (1987)
Holiday for Angels (1987) (V)
Hot Numbers (1987)
Jack Hammer (1987) (V) .... Jack Hammer's client
Lady by Night (1987)
Lifestyles of the Blonde and Dirty (1987)
Lingerie Girls (1987)
Little Bit o' Honey (1987)
A Lover for Susan (1987) .... Susan
The Mischief Maker (1987)
Monkey Business (1987)
Naked Stranger (1987) (V)
No One to Love (1987)
On the Loose (1987)
Oral Majority 2 (1987) (V)
The Other Side of Pleasure (1987)
Passion Chain (1987) .... Dean Whitter
Phone Sex Girls 2 (1987)
Playing for Passion (1987) (V)
Princess Charming (1987)
Private Encounters (1987)
Red Hot Fire Girls (1987)
Rites of Passion (1987)
Rockin' Erotica (1987) (V)
Romeo and Juliet (1987)
Spoiled (1987)
Strictly Business (1987)
Surf, Sand and Sex (1987)
... aka Barbara Dare's Surf, Sand and Sex (USA: complete title)
Switch Hitters 2 (1987) (V)
Tuff Stuff (1987)
Two to Tango (1987) (V) .... Kidnapped Girl
Whatever Turns You On (1987)
Wild Stuff (1987)
You Bring Out the Animal in Me (1987)
1001 Erotic Nights 2 (1986)
... aka 1001 Erotic Nights 2: The Forbiden Tales (USA)
4 Adults Only (1986)
Amazing Sex Stories (1986)
Battle of the Titans (1986)
Beyond Desire (1986)
Blazing Mattresses (1986) (V) .... Debbie
... aka Debbie Duz Dishes 2 (USA)
Body Games (1986)
Breakin' In (1986)
Cheating (1986)
Corporate Affairs (1986) (V)
Dangerous Desire (1986)
Debbie Duz Dishes (1986) (V) .... Debbie
DreamGirls (1986) (V) .... Judge
... aka Edwin Durell's DreamGirls (USA: complete title)
E.X. (1986)
Female Aggressors (1986)
Girl Toys (1986) (V) .... Model
The Hot Box Invasion (1986) .... Vicki
Hot & Nasty (1986)
Hot Nights and Hard Bodies (1986)
Hot Rocks (1986) .... Erika
Hot Shorts: Susan Hart (1986) (V)
House of Blue Dreams (1986)
In and Out of Africa (1986)
I've Never Done This Before (1986)
The Kiss (1986)
The Legend of King Karl (1986)
Living Doll (1986)
Material Girl (1986)
Mouthwatering (1986)
Moving In (1986)
Nooner (1986)
... aka Office Affairs (USA)
The Passion Within (1986)
Peeping Tom (1986)
The Performers (1986) (V) .... Nina
Play Me Again Vanessa (1986)
Pleasure Maze (1986)
Pumping Flesh (1986)
Red Garter (1986)
Revenge by Lust (1986) .... George's Lover
Sensual Seduction (1986) (V)
... aka Sweet 'n' Nasty
Sex Life of a Porn Star (1986)
Sexline, You're on the Air (1986)
Sexually Altered States (1986)
Showgirls (1986) .... Jodi
Sin City (1986)
Sinful Sisters (1986) (V)
Superstars and Superstuds (1986) (V)
Sweat (1986) (V)
Sweet Summer (1986)
Twins (1986)
Ultimate Lover (1986)
Unnatural Act II (1986)
Visions of Jeannie (1986)
Wild Orgies (1986)
Adult 45 (1985) (V) .... Nina
Anal Annie and the Magic Dildo (1985) .... Anal Annie
... aka Annie and the Magic Dildo (USA)
Anal Annie and the Willing Husbands (1985) (V) .... Anal Annie
Anal Annie Just Can't Say No (1985) .... Anal Annie
Battle of the Stars (1985) (V)
.. aka Battle of the Sex Stars: Round One
Battle of the Stars 3: Stud Wars (1985)
Battle of the Stars, Round 2: East vs. West (1985) (V)
Best of Hot Shorts 1 (1985)
Dreams of Natasha (1985) (V)
Every Woman Has a Fantasy 2 (1985) (V) .... Lisa
Fashion Fantasies (1985) .... Margie
Fashion Passion (1985)
For Love and Lust (1985) (as Nina Hartman)
Gang Bang (1985) (as Nina Hartely) .... The Hot Stripper
Getting Personal (1985) (V)
The Grafenberg Spot (1985) .... Sex Show Performer #2
... aka Double Insight for Traci Lords (Europe: English title)
... aka G Point (International: English title: recut version)
... aka The G Point (International: English title: long title)
Hot Nights at the Blue Note Cafe (1985)
... aka The Blue Note Cafe (USA)
It's Incredible (1985)
Late After Dark (1985)
Lucky in Love (1985) .... Candy
... aka Sex Life of a Nerd (USA: video title)
Missing Pieces (1985) (V)
Personal Best (1985) (V)
... aka Amber Lynn's Personal Best (USA: complete title)
The Pink Panties (1985)
Rear Action Girls 2 (1985)
Rock Hard (1985) .... Cindy Looper
Sex-a-vision (1985) .... Linda
Shaved Bunnies (1985) (V) .... Anal Annie
Showdown (1985)
Swedish Erotica 68 (1985)
Ten Little Maidens (1985) .... Tabatha
Thought You'd Never Ask (1985)
Trick or Treat (1985)
Xstasy (1985)
Fooling Around (1984)
Anal Annie and the Backdoor Housewives (1984) (V) .... Anal Annie
Ball Busters (1984) .... Edith
.. aka Alex de Renzy's Ball Busters (USA: complete title)
Butter Me Up (1984)
Educating Nina (1984)
Hustler 17 (1984) (V) (as Nina Hartwell) .... Hooker
Looking for Lust (1984)
