Traci Lords, born Nora Louise Kuzma on May 7, 1968, in Steubenville, Ohio, grew up in a working-class Ukrainian and Irish family with an abusive, alcoholic father, leading to a turbulent childhood. At age 10, she moved with her mother and siblings to Redondo Beach, California, after her parents’ divorce. By 15, she began modeling and stripping, using a fake ID to enter the adult entertainment industry, initially posing for nude photos in magazines like Penthouse. Her adult film career started in 1984, where she did a few movies at age 15 before turning 16 in May of that year. Her paperwork and ID had claimed she was 20. She quickly became a prominent figure, appearing in approximately 100 adult films and videos between 1984 and 1987, including Talk Dirty to Me Part III, New Wave Hookers, and Beverly Hills Copulator. She worked with major studios like VCA and Caballero Home Video and performed alongside stars like Christy Canyon and Ron Jeremy. Her standout scenes were noted for their intensity and sexual fire, with films like Traci, I Love You (1987), her only legal adult film made after turning 18, becoming iconic. Her youthful appearance, blonde hair, and energetic performances made her a fan favorite and she was called "The Princess of Porn". In 1986, authorities discovered she was underage in all of her adult film work, sparking a major scandal. The revelation led to legal actions, with producers facing charges and her pre-18 films being pulled from distribution in the U.S., costing the industry millions.