Evil Angel — Read This Before You Sign

Type

Studio

Based in

Los Angeles, CA

Founded

1989

Parent

Independent. Founded and owned by John Stagliano

Known for

Director-owned production model; 1997 US News named it the most profitable US porn studio; landmark 2008 federal obscenity case (charges dismissed 2010)

Status

Operating — independent of Aylo

What it is

Evil Angel is a Los Angeles-based independent adult production studio founded in 1989 by John Stagliano, a former dancer and performer who built the brand from a single production into what a 1997 U.S. News & World Report investigation identified as the most profitable pornographic studio in the US at that time. Stagliano continues as owner.

The company operates on an unusual model for the industry: Evil Angel contracts with in-house directors and permits each director to own the films they create. The studio handles manufacturing, distribution, promotion, and sales. Each director runs an effective sub-brand — Jules Jordan, Joey Silvera, Rocco Siffredi, and many others have operated director imprints under the Evil Angel umbrella, which distinguishes EA structurally from the single-corporate-identity model of Aylo-network studios.

Evil Angel is independent of the Aylo conglomerate. It is not subject to the 2023 Aylo DPA, the 2025 FTC settlement, or the Fleites class action.

How it operates

Because EA is director-owned at the content level, performer booking depends on the specific director involved. Each director has their own production team, their own scene formats, and their own relationships with agents and performers. Booking a “Evil Angel scene” is always more specifically booking a scene under a named director within the EA distribution umbrella.

Production standards vary by director. The industry reputation for EA productions as a whole is high, consistent with its long-running premium positioning.

Distribution is through the Evil Angel site and its DVD label, with syndication licensing to third parties negotiated per release. Because content is director-owned, some secondary distribution is handled by the director rather than EA directly.

• June 2013 · Adult performer Katie Summers filed suit in Los Angeles Superior Court alleging negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and related claims. The core allegation: Stagliano did not inform her of his HIV-positive status prior to performing with her in the 2010 scene 'Buttman's Stretch Class 4.' This is the most serious documented performer-safety case in the EA record. Wikipedia
• 2018 · Performers Ginger Banks and Jenny Blighe publicly alleged that during a scene directed by Stagliano, they were told the scene would be two-women-only; Stagliano then touched their buttocks without their consent during filming. Both performers described the incident publicly. Wikipedia
• April 2008 – July 2010 · Federal grand jury indicted Stagliano and Evil Angel on obscenity charges selecting scenes involving urination, enemas, and bondage. After a three-day trial in July 2010, Judge Richard J. Leon dismissed all charges, calling the evidence 'woefully insufficient.' This is a First Amendment case outcome the company won — included here for completeness of the public record rather than as a performer-safety concern. Reason Foundation

Rate structure

Public pay figures for Evil Angel are not disclosed by the company and vary significantly by director. Industry reporting places EA rates at the higher end of US mainstream production for female performers, consistent with the studio’s premium market positioning. Specific rates are individually negotiated per booking.

Same-day pay at wrap is the industry norm for professional studio bookings and is the presumed practice at EA, but should be confirmed in writing with the specific director producing the scene.

Contract patterns

The EA release structure varies by director because content is director-owned. This is a material fact for any performer signing an EA release — the counterparty on the release may be the director’s production entity, not Evil Angel directly. Who holds the rights, who can license the content, and who the performer would need to contact for any subsequent concern is determined by which director’s production the scene was filmed under.

Distribution rights granted by EA releases typically extend to the EA paysite network, DVD distribution, and licensed syndication. Content-removal mechanisms are generally absent, consistent with mainstream studio releases.

• Which specific director is producing the scene — EA's director-owned model means the effective counterparty and the subsequent production norms vary by director
• Who holds the release: Evil Angel or the director's individual production entity; who controls content removal or re-licensing
• Current STI disclosure and testing protocol for all participants on the specific scene — given the Katie Summers lawsuit history, explicit written disclosure of every participant's status within the standard window is the floor
• On-set consent protocol — given the 2018 Banks/Blighe allegation, explicit pre-scene consent on what contact is authorized, and from whom, is worth having in writing
• Distribution scope: EA site, DVD, syndication partners named in the release
• Rate, overage terms, and payment timing in writing
• PASS or equivalent testing for every participant, current within industry window, documented in advance
• Whether the specific director has a known history of consent or conduct issues — independent research before the shoot, not on arrival

• One producer, one release, one accountability point. You know who you’re working with. There’s no director-behind-the-studio structure.
• Explicit written scene boundaries before cameras roll. Every type of contact is agreed in writing. No on-set additions, no “it was supposed to be” confusion.
• PASS-compliant testing for every participant, documentation shown before the scene. Not a trust-based verbal.
• Full identity disclosure including HIV status for anyone on camera. In writing. Before the shoot.
• Single entity on your release, no ambiguity about who to contact after.

1. Evil Angel (studio) — Wikipedia · Wikipedia
2. John Stagliano — Wikipedia · Wikipedia
3. The Trial of John Stagliano · Reason Foundation
4. John Stagliano Biography · TheFamousPeople
5. Evil Angel — compiled record · Grokipedia