Ricardo Salinas, known professionally as Angel Rivera (born February 18, 1997) is a Mexican-American pornographic actor, known for his work in the gay adult film industry. Initially gaining attention for his films for Helix Studios, he has subsequently worked with other studios including CockyBoys, Falcon Studios, Guys in Sweatpants, HotHouse Studios, Naked Sword, and Men.com. Rivera is a versatile performer, and is considered one of the most recognisable and popular Latin twunk performers in the industry. He has earned multiple awards and nominations for his work, notably being named Performer of the Year at the 2020 Str8Up Gay Porn Awards, and winning the GayVN Award for Best Actor in 2021. He was also one of the most-searched performers on Pornhub Gay in 2024.
Angel Rivera | |
|---|---|
| Born | Ricardo Salinas February 18, 1997 |
| Occupation | Pornographic film actor |
| Years active | 2018–present |
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) |
Early life
editRivera was born and raised in a border town four hours south of Austin, Texas. He described that his upbringing was challenging as told AVN, "you have to have thick skin to get along, really. And if someone’s really sensitive or bullied, they’re going to be picked on double. So what I learned growing up in a border town was one, I’ve got to learn Spanish, because I’m a Mexican that doesn’t know Spanish in a Spanish town; and two, I need to let people stop fucking with me". He also cited living in a small border town as a reason why he wasn't able to explore his sexuality until later in his teens, but expressed that "I knew deep down I was bisexual. I just never really explored it", and that he exclusively dated women for several years, and had a difficult time coming out to his family as an only child, and has spoken openly about struggling with ddepression during this time. He stated that dating his first boyfriend in college at Texas State University helped him to "find [himself]".[1]
Career
editRivera made his porn debut in 2018 in a film for Helix Studios, and signed an exclusive contract with them when he was 20 years old after shooting his first few scenes. He was already a fan of the studio and was paying for a subscription when he applied to be a model, initially believing that nothing would come from his application until he received a message a few days after submitting it. Rivera expressed that he hopes his work helps to inspire others, stating, "if more models were open about their experiences growing up and all the bad stuff that’s happened. Kids need to grow up not being so afraid to hit on somebody, or not being afraid to walk up and ask a girl for her number, because I was that kid."[1][2] He announced his departure from Helix on January 28, 2019, stating that he wanted to focus on creating content for his OnlyFans, but clarified that he had no intention to quit performing and wanted to take his career in a new direction.[3]
In 2020, Rivera was introduced as a Fleshjack Boy.[4] The same year, he signed a contract to become an exclusive model for CockyBoys. Of this decision, Rivera stated, "I am choosing to go exclusive with CockyBoys because I feel like we can build each other up and both benefit from this deal. Things fall into place when they do and with me now being based in New York the timing feels right. I have a great amount of professional and personal chemistry with the team, and I know there are things I can learn to make my content better and also better elevate my business sense. There’s mutual respect and value here and I feel like we will continue to put together works of art demonstrating sexual freedom." His first scene for the studio, a COVID-19 pandemic influenced film with Sean Ford called "6 Feet Apart", premiered on August 21, 2020.[5]
Rivera joined the cast of OUTtv's reality television series X-Rated: NYC for the show's third season, which aired across six episodes from September to October 2024. The series followed the personal and professional lives of gay porn stars living in New York City and also starred Rivera's ex-boyfriend and frequent collaborator Joey Mills. Rivera had appeared in six episodes over the previous two seasons in a guest role.[6]
Personal life
editRivera identifies as pansexual.[7][8] He is open about his previous struggles with mental health and addiction. He was previously in a relationship with fellow adult performer Joey Mills.[9]
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-2024 | X-Rated: NYC | Main role (season three) Recurring role (season two) Guest role (season one) |
Awards and nominations
editGayVN Awards
editThe GayVN Awards are presented annually to honor word in the gay adult film industry. The awards are sponsored by AVN magazine and are a spinoff of the AVN Awards, which are considered the "Oscars of porn". Rivera has won three awards from eleven nominations.
| Year | Category | Nominated work | Studio | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Best Newcomer | Himself | N/a | Nominated | [10][11] |
| Best Three-Way Sex Scene | "Room for One More" (with Kevin Daley and Cameron Parks) | Helix Studios | Nominated | ||
| Best Group Sex Scene | "Splash" (with Josh Brady Corbin Colby, Joey Mills, Caleb Griffith, Cameron Parks, and Luke Wilder) | Won | |||
| 2020 | "Vegas Nights" (with Kyle Ross, Tyler Hill, Joey Mills, Cameron Parks, Julian Bell, and Corey Marshall) | Nominated | [12] | ||
| Best Three-Way Sex Scene | "Vegas Nights" (with Corbin Colby and Joey Mills) | Nominated | |||
| 2021 | Best Quarantine Scene | "Lips Together, Six Feet Apart" (with Sean Ford) | CockyBoys | Won | [13][14] |
| Best Three-Way Sex Scene | "Winner Gets All" (with Aiden Ward and Marcus Young) | Guys in Sweatpants | Nominated | ||
| Best Actor | A Murdered Heart | Naked Sword | Won | ||
| Performer of the Year | Himself | N/a | Nominated | ||
| 2022 | Best Fetish Scene | "Boys in the Raw" (with Levi Karter) | CockyBoys | Nominated | [15] |
| 2026 | Best Duo Sex Scence | "3 Loads for Angel" (with Lydian Grey) | Guys in Sweatpants | Nominated | [16] |
Grabby Awards
editThe Grabby Awards are presented by GRAB Magazine annually to honor the gay adult film industry. Rivera has received two awards from fifteen nominations.
| Year | Category | Nominated work | Studio | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Best Newcomer | Himself | N/a | Nominated | [17][18] |
| Best Twink Performer | N/a | Nominated | |||
| Best Group | "Room for One More" (with Josh Brady, Corbin Colby, Joey Mills, Cameron Parks, Angel Rivera & Luke Wilder) | Helix Studios | Nominated | ||
| "Vegas Nights" (with Julian Bell, Tyler Hill, Corey Marshall, Joey Mills, Cameron Parks, and Kyle Ross) | Won | ||||
| Best Supporting Actor | "Vegas Nights" | Nominated | |||
| Hottest Flip | "Blazing Bareback" (with Andy Taylor) | Nominated | |||
| Best Three-Way | "Vegas Nights" (with Corbin Colby and Joey Mills) | Nominated | |||
| 2021 | Performer of the Year | Himself | N/a | Nominated | [19][20] |
| Best Actor | "A Murdered Heart" | Naked Sword | Nominated | ||
| Best Duo | "Lips Together, Six Feet Apart" (with Sean Ford) | CockyBoys | Nominated | ||
| Best Group | "Tom of Finland: Pleasure Park" (with Sean Ford, Joey Mills, River Wilson, and Tannor Reed) | Men.com | Nominated | ||
| Hottest Bottom | Himself | N/a | Nominated | ||
| Best Versatile Performer | Himself | N/a | Won | ||
| Hottest Body | N/a | Nominated | |||
| 2022 | Best Duo | "Let's Get Cocky" (with Dallas Preston) | CockyBoys | Nominated | [21] |
Str8Up Gay Porn Awards
editThe Str8Up Gay Porn Awards are hosted by the gay porn new site of the same name from 2017 to 2022. Rivera has won five awards from twelve nominations.
| Year | Category | Nominated work | Studio | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Best Newcomer | Himself | N/a | Nominated | [22][23] |
| Best Butt | N/a | Nominated | |||
| Best Group Scene (with Joey Mills, Josh Brady, Corbin Colby, Luke Wilder, and Cameron Parks) | "Splash" | Helix Studios | Won | ||
| 2019 | Favorite Gay Porn Star | Himself | N/a | Nominated | [24] |
| Favorite Versatile Scene | "Wet Dreams" (with Colby Tucker) | Men.com | Nominated | ||
| 2020 | Performer of the Year | Himself | N/a | Won | [25][26] |
| Best Lead Actor | "A Murdered Heart" | Naked Sword | Nominated | ||
| Best Cum Facial | "Making Moves" (with Arad Winwin) | HotHouse Studios | Won | ||
| Favorite Quarantine-Themed Scene | "Lips Together, Six Feet Apart" (with Sean Ford) | CockyBoys | Won | ||
| "Model Behavior: How To Make A Porn" (with Boomer Banks) | Naked Sword | Nominated | |||
| Favorite Duo Scene | "Aiden Breeds Angel" (with Aiden Ward) | Guys in Sweatpants | Won | ||
| 2022 | Best Duo Scene | "Zach Astor Fucks Angel Rivera" (with Zach Astor) | CockyBoys | Nominated | [27] |
Listicles
edit| Publication | Year | Title | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pornhub | 2024 | Most Viewed Performers | 24th | [28] |
| Str8Up Gay Porn | 2018 | Best Butts | Listed | [29] |
| The Best Gay Porn Scenes | Listed | [30] | ||
| Most Searched-For Gay Porn Stars | 39th | [31] | ||
| 2021 | 14th | [32] | ||
| 2022 | 20th | [33] |
References
edit- 1 2 Jensen, Brady (February 6, 2019). "Angel Rivera on Finding a New Purpose ... and Happiness". AVN.
- ↑ Blocks, Iris (January 18, 2018). "New Helix Studios Exclusive Angel Rivera Talks About Porn Career". AVN.
- ↑ "Angel Rivera Announces Departure From Helix Studios—At Which Studio Would You Like To See Him Performing Next?". Str8Up Gay Porn. January 29, 2019.
- ↑ Alexander, Terrie (October 20, 2020). "Fleshlight Launches Megan Rain, Angel Rivera Exclusive Toys". AVN.
- ↑ Smithberg, Allen (August 21, 2020). "CockyBoys Premieres Debut Scene of New Contract Star Angel Rivera". AVN.
- ↑ DeFellipo, Mike (2024-08-25). "Gay Porn Stars Unite Against Common Threat in 'X-Rated: NYC 3'". Instinct Magazine. Retrieved 2026-01-21.
- ↑ "Hi I'm Angel, I'm a Pansexual male in a Gay relationship and that's just me. I appreciate my fans who accept me for my interests". Twitter. September 26, 2019.
- ↑ "Angel Rivera on turning a family negative into a personal positive". Instagram. February 22, 2025.
- ↑ "Breaking the Cycle with Angel Rivera". The Rainbow Crossing Podcast. February 19, 2025.
- ↑ Blocks, Iris (December 3, 2018). "Nominees Announced for 2019 GayVN Awards". AVN. Archived from the original on July 19, 2019. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
- ↑ AVN (2019-01-21). "2019 GayVN Awards Winners Announced". AVN. Retrieved 2019-03-15.
- ↑ AVN Staff (December 4, 2019). "2020 GayVN Awards Nominees Announced". AVN. Archived from the original on February 25, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
- ↑ AVN Staff (November 28, 2020). "2021 GayVN Awards Nominees Announced". AVN. Archived from the original on July 10, 2022. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
- ↑ "Angel Rivera, DeAngelo Jackson & More Score Big at the 2021 GayVN's". Instinct. JR Pratts. January 19, 2021. Archived from the original on June 21, 2022. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
- ↑ "2022 GayVN Award Nominees Announced". AVN. November 27, 2021. Archived from the original on November 28, 2021. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
- ↑ "Nominees Announced for 2026 GayVN Awards". AVN. November 21, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Grabby Awards 2019 Nominations Announced". Queer Me Now. March 17, 2019.
- ↑ "2019 Winners". Grabby Awards. Retrieved June 10, 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "2021 Winners". Grabby Awards. Retrieved June 10, 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Bullock, Tony (May 28, 2021). "2021 Grabby Awards Stream Live May 29". The Gay Goods.
- ↑ "Grabby Awards America 2022: Nominees Announced". Queer Me Now. April 12, 2022.
- ↑ "Here Are The Nominees For The 2nd Annual Str8UpGayPorn Awards". Str8Up Gay Porn. August 21, 2018.
- ↑ "CockyBoys, Austin Wilde, And Joey Mills Sweep 2nd Annual Str8UpGayPorn Awards: Complete Winners List". Str8Up Gay Porn. October 22, 2018.
- ↑ "Here Are The Nominees For The 3rd Annual Str8UpGayPorn Awards". Str8Up Gay Porn. October 31, 2019.
- ↑ "Here Are The Nominees For Str8UpGayPorn's Best Of 2020 Awards". Str8Up Gay Porn. November 20, 2020.
- ↑ "Str8UpGayPorn's Best Of 2020 Awards: Here Are The Winners Of Best Movie, Performer Of The Year, And More". Str8Up Gay Porn. December 23, 2020.
- ↑ "Here Are The Nominees For The 2022 Str8UpGayPorn Awards". Str8Up Gay Porn. December 9, 2021.
- ↑ "2024 Year in Review - Pornhub Insights". 2024-12-05. Retrieved 2026-01-28.
- ↑ "Year In Review: Gay Porn's 30 Best Butts Of 2018". Str8UpGayPorn. December 14, 2018.
- ↑ "Year In Review: The Top 10 Gay Porn Scenes Of 2018". Str8UpGayPorn. Retrieved 2026-01-28.
- ↑ "Year In Review: Here Are The 100 Most Searched-For Gay Porn Stars Of 2018". Str8UpGayPorn. December 19, 2018.
- ↑ "Year In Review: The Top 21 Most Searched-For Gay Porn Stars Of 2021". Str8UpGayPorn. Retrieved 2026-01-28.
- ↑ "Year In Review: The 22 Most Searched-For Gay Porn Stars Of 2022". Str8UpGayPorn. Retrieved 2026-01-28.
External links
edit- Angel Rivera at IMDb