In 2004, a 19-year-old New Yorker begins a career as a porn actor. Six years later, he is dead. Chad Noel died on 17 March 2010, possibly "after a brief illness related to complications caused by HIV". At least that's what it says in a message from a friend on an obituary website. He and the family of the deceased are wondering: How did this happen?
Chad Noel gained his first experience as a hardcore performer under the pseudonym Donny Price. He received his first contract with the Cobra Video label, which released "Every Poolboy's Dream" in 2004. A film that later caused a scandal: Chad Noel acted together with the then still underage porn star Brent Corrigan, who had posed as an adult with a fake ID.
Chad moved to Helix Studios and became known there as Craven Cox, later taking part in various fetish videos as Kyle Young.
The website "Gay Porn Gossip", which first reported the death of the 25-year-old, is now speculating about the possibility that Chad could have been infected while working for Helix Studios. So-called "bareback" films are produced there. Friends of Chad harbour this assumption, but there is no confirmation of this. However, young Helix actors have often told Gay Porn Gossip that they have been diagnosed with HIV.
Who is responsible for the health of porn actors? Themselves? The producers? The consumers of the films?
A fierce debate has been raging in the US hardcore industry for some time now. The question of filmmakers' responsibility is at the centre of this debate. In a campaign video, producer Chi Chi LaRue appealed to actors and consumers alike not to forget the condom.
In California, there was also a push to extend the rules for potential health hazards via labour law and to introduce a condom requirement in pornography.
The video of ChiChi La Rue on Youtube
