Cybermodel Spotlight: Kayden GrayFrom NakedSword Originals

Rasmus Müller talks to Kayden Gray from NakedSword Originals.

This months Cybermodel is 32-year-old, 6’1” tall dreamboy Kayden Gray from NakedSword Originals. Kayden appears in the new NakedSword Originals release Kiss and Tel Aviv and also in International Playboys. In addition to his adorable good looks and stunning physique, Kayden is a gifted model and performer. Off camera, he’s an incredibly nice guy with a wonderful personality and a heart that is definitely in the right place. Kayden has been openly HIV positive since almost the beginning of his career, and he says that journey has been one of the biggest challenges of his life. In an effort to help others, Kayden now serves as one of the directors at a recently opened London branch of the Impulse Group, a non-profit that works to raise awareness about sexual and mental health around the world and helps people to improve both.

How did you get involved with NakedSword Originals?
I started working for NakedSword when mr. Pam was filming in the U.K. last year (in 2016), which is when I filmed a scene for International Playboys with my “sister-in-crime” Mickey Taylor.

What’s it like to shoot with NakedSword?
I’ve shot three scenes for Naked Sword in the last year and they were some of my favorite experiences on set. mr. Pam is the most loving and genuine person you’ll ever meet, not to mention her outstanding creativity and her understanding of a director’s role. She treats her models like family and goes out of her way to make us feel comfortable and welcome. There are other studios I very much enjoy working for, but there ain’t nobody like Pam.

I heard that you had been in college. What did you study?
I don’t go to school/uni anymore but I did study English philology at a university in Poland, and then musical theatre at a college in the U.K. – neither of which I graduated from, since my idea of what I wanted to do changed from one year to another. These days I know I want to film. I’m just not really convinced it’s porn that I’m interested in shooting. I also definitely want to work in sexual health activism.

Are you interested in any kind of non-adult performance art?
I am and always have been. In fact, I used to dance, sing, write, and produce my own songs under the name Voytek. I got an EP called Lollipop out in 2010. It’s made almost entirely of demos of questionable quality but I invite you to check it out at my Voytek Music Channel on YouTube. I’m a decent lyricist. I enjoy acting and spend a great deal of my free time alone, doing just that and also filming stuff. I haven’t got much to show for it apart from what I post on social media and my extra work in the Absolutely Fabulous movie released last year. There’s more to come, though.

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How did you get started in the adult industry?
I was spotted online by an affiliate working for Men At Play in 2012. I wasn’t comfortable with doing almost anything on camera at the time, so I got a pretty clear “No thank you” after I applied as requested. It was possibly also because I was too slim and boyish at the time. Six months later when I finally decided to take the leap, I was put in touch with Lucas Entertainment, which was the first studio I worked for starting in March 2013. Eventually Men At Play started hiring me, too, about 3 years later – so very recently.  

Are there any other models you’d really like to work with?
Yes, off the top of my head I’d love a chance to work with Boomer Banks, Calvin T. Banks, Ivan James, Johnny Forza, and Casey Everett.  

Do you get much fan mail?
I do, I do, particularly over the past year or two as I’ve become more open about what I’m actually like – including imperfections and things I take issue with. In this time I’ve gotten a few messages from people who just wanted to tell me that I’m an inspiration, that I make them feel stronger, and that I’ve helped them to come out or to feel more comfortable in their own skin. Those are the most validating messages I get, even though I am – as many would say – “just a porn star.” I also really appreciate hearing from people who seem to understand the nuances of the work I do and how it may affect my personal life, and who just want to tell me they “see” me. As for weird mail, I wouldn’t know where to begin. It’s astounding how comfortable you can make people by taking your clothes off.

Do you have a day job?
In recent years I’ve escorted quite a bit. And although it does come with a pretty specific downside (Namely, some people believe they can abandon their responsibility for basic respect when they address me, simply because I escort) I enjoy it a lot and it’s taken me many places.

What other jobs have you tried?
I’ve had what seems like a thousand jobs. Realistically, at least 50. I’ve done sales and worked in hospitality and catering. I’ve  taught singing to groups of mentally challenged individuals,  English as a second language to ages 7-15 and to adults, and commercial jazz to kids. I’ve also worked as an interpreter for polish people in the U.K., which gave me the opportunity to witness three child deliveries. My work life has been quite a roller coaster.  

Are you single right now?
Yes. It seems I function best as a single man.  

What traits usually attract you to someone?
Intelligence and wit on top of physical attributes like good looks, a good amount of athleticism, hairy legs, and – most of all – pubic hair. Kidding! But only about the extreme of that preference. I do like a guy with pubes.  

Something about yourself that most people don’t know?
I’ve been HIV positive for about 3.5 years, which is almost as long as I’ve been known in porn. The experience of living with HIV has been one of the most challenging ones for me, and the truth is that it doesn’t have to be. Only, that would require that more people start talking about it and engaging others in the process, regardless of their status. This has led to my recently becoming one of the directors at a newly opened London branch of the Impulse Group, which is a non-profit working on raising awareness and improving the condition of the sexual and mental health of gay men (although not only gay men) around the world. Our aim is to build a platform by organizing parties where people feel safe to be themselves and where the conversation about sex continues. Basically, a place where people can have a shit ton of fun while getting a better idea of how to make choices that are better for them. We launched in March with an event featuring Shangela from Ru Paul’s Drag Race and other great acts. It was amazing! Now we’re planning our spring event, which will very possibly be a pool party. We’ve got a lot more in store for this year, so make sure you don’t miss out! You can find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram under “ImpulseLondon.”

What would you like your life to be like five years from now?
I want to have my very own production business up and running by then, a book out (no, not an autobiography), and a dog that I will be mature and stable enough to take care of. I also really hope I will have learnt to be more content and happy with myself on a day-to-day basis.  

What are some of the best things about working in adult entertainment?
The exposure and the love of thousands of people all over the world.

Are there any downsides to working in adult entertainment?
Yes. The exposure and the love of thousands of people all over the world. When you work in any media-related industry, especially actively sharing an intimate part of yourself, some people genuinely like you and are gracious in the way they address you. But there are also those who believe you are public property and therefore that you’re obligated to interact with them whether you like it or not. Social media has taken this issue to an even higher level, since it’s a lot easier to be an asshole and to take your frustrations out on other people online. I’ve learnt that the moment you voice a controversial opinion, you’ll get shit from strangers who don’t even know who you are.

Your most unusual sex spot?
One of the most unusual would be the Ga’ash Beach outside Tel Aviv, where I recently filmed with NakedSword. I was sat on the rock in  the shallows  and I could feel the water crashing against my balls as Ryan Rose rode my dick and mr. Pam (fully clothed and half-submerged in the sea) struggled for balance among the waves!  

What are your main hobbies and interests right now?
Apart from what I just told you about, I also love wildlife, cinema, ecology, astrophysics, and nutrition. I’ve recently given up beef, having found that particular segment of animal agriculture is the single greatest factor accelerating global warming. I’m not one of those assholes who shove their beliefs in other people’s faces, but I do get pretty pissed off when I hear, “Ah whatever, I don’t care about that shit.” Watching science and nature documentaries has become a favourite pastime of mine. I have a couple friends who share the same interests, which makes it a lot more fun. And then there’s my new advocacy role at Impulse, which has inspired me to take raising awareness and eliminating stigma surrounding HIV into my own hands.

Do you have any pets?
No, but I really want a dog. I’d love to give it a good home and a lot of attention and I’m not ready for that yet.

Which mainstream celebrities do you find attractive?
Ryan Reynolds, Jake Gyllenhaal,  Will Smith,  Shawn Mendes, Chris Evans (the actor, not the Bel Ami model), Brian Hallisay, and also (although he’s only an animated Disney character) Tarzan.

Are there any social or political issues that you feel strongly about?
As an adult gay guy I’ve been becoming more and more aware of the fact LGBTQ+ people – even in the western part of the world – are still not being treated equally. In certain countries there are laws in place that support us and allow us the same rights straight people have but I feel like a lot of straight people (that’s including potentially closeted homophobic gays in position of authority) act as if they are doing us queers a favor by equalizing those rights, not that any of those legislations are ironclad anyway. I’m not sure if ‘straight privilege’ is a real term but it’s definitely a thing. It’s unfair and infuriating. I also believe sexual identity and awareness need to be taken seriously from a very early age, which would include teaching inclusive sexual education in schools and parents embracing their children’s identity instead of projecting their own wishes onto them.

Do you watch much TV? If so, what are some of your favorite shows?
I prefer Netflix, probably because it’s uncensored. I’m currently watching 13 Reasons Why and I’m very impressed with how boldly the blurred lines of sexual assault and bullying are being explored. I also love Bojack Horseman and Chelsey Handler’s Chelsea. My all time favorites are Ab Fab, American Dad, Orphan Black, and  everything involving the Granddad I wish I had, David Attenborough.  

What music genres do you prefer?
I love deep house, R&B, new jazz, acoustic soul, electro, ambient, and a few other genres – but none of them as much as pop. My all time favorites would be Britney Spears, Janet Jackson,  Lady GaGa, India Arie, and  Imogen Heap. My recent faves are Ivy Levan,  Tove Lo,  and  Dua Lipa. My favorite songs are Can’t Stop The Feeling by JT, You Don’t Know Me by Jax Jones ft. Raye, and  Emma Stone’s audition track from La La Land.

Are you much of a reader?
I’m not. I’m a slow reader and I struggle to stay focused. It hinders the whole experience for me. My favorite books are The Little Prince & Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray. Currently I’m reading The Secret Diary Of A London Call Girl by Belle de Jour and The Shack by Wam  Paul Young.  Should be done by 2020.

If they made a mainstream movie about your life, what would the genre and title be?
It would be a black comedy, most likely. As for the title, I couldn’t make that kind of commitment right now. [laughs]

Do you have social media info to share with fans?
Here you go:

Kayden Gray on Twitter
Kayden Gray on Instagram

Having said that, I’d like to ask everyone to use their common sense when online. I get news about a new impersonator on a weekly basis and there’s little I can do about it. Please be careful. All that glitters is not gold.

Where did you grow up and what was it like?
I grew up in a small town in Great Poland. I didn’t fit in and I was a late bloomer and kept to myself.  I love Poland, although in a bittersweet way. But it was never a place for me. I imagine that’s why I don’t like speaking polish despite being fluent in it.

What did you dream of becoming when you were a kid?
First a biologist, then a zoologist, then a surgeon, then a virologist, then a pop artist… Look at me now, right!?

Did you ever do anything as a kid that got you into trouble?
Sometimes – usually with the help of my younger, more mischievous brother. We were a pair made in hell.  

What’s a typical day like for you?
I have little structure currently and I’m generally quite nocturnal, so my days/nights vary from one to the next. There are of course things I do regularly, but not at a set time. That includes sleep. It’s a bit chaotic, but it’s how I like it.

Do you have any funny behind-the-scenes stories from porn shoots?
Plenty, many of which involve feces. [laughs] I wish I could say I was kidding. Anyway… No. In all honesty, I almost always have a great day while shooting. I get quite hyper on top of being continuously anxious and my mouth is rarely shut without a dick in it, which some people find hilarious and some find annoying… Some probably both. I often post behind-the-scenes photos from shoots and also from events and my private life on my InstaStory – so make sure you follow me for an almost daily scoop of crazy.

A life event or experience that had a big effect on you?
Moving to the U.K.. It was the best decision I’ve ever made. Living here I’ve gradually shed a lot of the ideology and stereotypes the post-soviet polish society had burdened me with, and I had a chance to realize that a lot of the things I thought were wrong with me, were just who I was and that they deserved respect and acceptance.

What are you afraid of?
That Trump gets elected president of the USA… Oh, wait… Sincerely though, that’s it – human ignorance and lack of empathy scares me, along with the sudden death of friends and family, and – sure as hell – falling in love again. 

Have you learned any life lessons during recent years?
Yes. That expectations often lead to disappointment; dehydrated un-exfoliated skin = old skin; and that the approval of other people, which I used to find necessary, is really only a preference. I can live without it.

Photos courtesy of NakedSword