The Porcelain Twinz: erotic art film makers and actors
by Kim Warner

When you ask the Porcelain Twinz how they would describe themselves, the answer is immediate. "Decent," Zen says. "Laid back and a little square," Zero says. Their repertoire includes bondage, fetish, toys, and penetration, they were once on the cover of Penthouse, and they've been on Playboy Channel several times. You probably know them as porn stars. But they want you to know that they're decent.

When the Twinz walk into the bar, in black fur coats and studded black cat collars, perfectly styled blond hair with extensions, and dramatic makeup on their china-doll faces, they certainly look the part. But then they're smiling, making eye contact, and shaking hands firmly, both declining a cocktail. "We don't drink," Zero says, and Zen adds, "But we're hydrated." They giggle and suddenly they're just pretty, bubbly girls.

They were born in Hermiston, later moved near La Grande, and after high school moved to Portland and fell in love with it. "Then we left," Zero says, and Zen finishes, "But sometimes you have to get away to appreciate a place." Back from a stint in L.A., they're determined to give back to the city they love. "Our goal is to bring exposure to Portland-to bring exposure to all the artists in Portland," Zero says. "It is an amazing, growing city, but it needs an outlet for actors and models."

Calling the twins "porn stars" doesn't even begin to scratch the surface. They're musicians, directors, dancers, writers, independent filmmakers, and producers. Their groundbreaking erotic art film, The Masked Charade, is winning rave reviews, a feature-length film they wrote is waiting for funding, their album (as The Porcelain Dolls) will be released next year, and their book is coming out soon.

Music is their inspiration, and the rock 'n' roll crowd their audience. They want to "revolutionize porn" for their generation. The Masked Charade was shot to music on 35 mm film, they say, while porn is shot on video and "looks like shit-it's just fucking." "We're not against hardcore," Zero says. "We just prefer to shoot artistically and beautifully." Their passion is feature films; posing nude helps fund that passion.

What they're doing is following their calling, which is so strong, they say, it sometimes wakes them up in the middle of the night. "You have a voice in the back of your head guiding you, telling you this is what you have to do," Zero says. "We've veered off the path but we always get back on." "We're drawn to it," Zen says. "It's a passion. A bigger force."

They complement each other, and not just because they constantly finish each other's sentences. Zero, the older twin, generally takes the male role ("She wears the strap-on!" her sister says), but Zen is dominant when they perform bondage; Zero takes care of the Web site, and Zen handles the finances. "We were brought into the world together," Zero says, "We're so fortunate. Everyone's looking for that significant other or soulmate…" "…and we already have that," Zen finishes.

Their biggest wish for Portland is two-fold. "A better economy," Zen says, at the exact moment Zero says, "That it gets put on the map for talent." They laugh and Zero concedes, "A better economy and that it gets put on the map. There is so much talent that people don't know about-and without the economy, people aren't going to stay here." They want more outlets for actors and models and dancers. "It could be the next Hollywood," Zen says. "It's between Canada and L.A. They could shoot a lot of movies here."

They wear their love for the city on their sleeves and animatedly discuss their local favorites: For the erotic, Dante's (which inspired The Masked Charade), Magic Garden, Sassy's, Exotica, and Boom-Boom Room. For fetish wear, Hot Topic ("It's cheap!" Zero says). The Dandy Warhols and King Black Acid-a couple of the many local bands featured in The Masked Charade-are their favorites. (They feel guilty about not using many local female artists in their movie-next project, the Pink Martinis will be involved.) And if they could have dinner with any Portlander? "Gus Van Sant, the director," they say in unison.

People often ask if they're intimate with each other, and the twins are quick to point out that what their doing is not exactly for their own kicks. "It's art. It's the ultimate taboo," Zero says. Says Zen, "We're crossing boundaries." Big things are happening for them: They're currently in Russia for work, and soon will perform at a big burlesque club in L.A. called Forty Deuce. But in their down time, they're just twin sisters who love movies and restaurants and good desserts. "You get really sick of looking at yourself after awhile," Zen says. "We're constantly seeing ourselves and each other, and that can get really old."



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