Reid, whose real name is Ashley Mathews, got into the porn industry in 2010, and went on to win the award for Female Performer of the Year at the XBIZ Awards in 2014.
She was inducted into the XRCO Hall of Fame in 2021; the same year she was estimated to be making six figures a month through subscribers on OnlyFans.
However, Reid decided to make a change in her work when she stopped filming porn with men.
She explained her decision in an episode of Jordyn Jones’ What They Don’t Tell You podcast, where Reid opened up about her love life and balancing it with her career as a porn star.
When asked if she ever had any boyfriends, Reid explained: “Dating was really hard.”
She explained that many potential partners had preconceived notions about her, stating, “Especially as I gained recognition, it became difficult to meet someone who didn’t already know me as Riley.” She added, “There was always that sense of fandom. They perceived me first as Riley, making it challenging to reposition myself as Ashley.”
Reid disclosed that a previous partner had negatively impacted her perception of herself and her career, sharing, “He made me feel like I should consider quitting.” Although she didn’t completely give up, she did transition to a different direction by discontinuing her work in ‘boy-girl porn’.
She candidly admitted her struggles with dating while working in the adult entertainment industry. “It was a personal choice driven by loneliness and the desire for love and affection,” she revealed.
Reid further expressed her belief that she wouldn’t be able to find these aspects while continuing to work in the industry, leading her to halt such scenes altogether. “I’ve been in situations where guys said, ‘It’s me or porn?’ and I chose porn because it never gave me that ultimatum,” she concluded.
The actress is currently married to her husband Pasha Petkuns, with whom she has a daughter named Emma.