With sunshine in her hair, a radiant smile and bright-eyed positivity, Scarlett Sage is all about uplifting her peers while bewitching fans with Sapphic seduction.
And her work ethic, not to mention her stellar performances, have earned her a strong reputation among top-tier directors and studios, who have showcased her talents in more than 235 scenes from the likes of Adult Time, AllHerLuv, Brazzers, Digital Playground and Girlfriends Films over the past five years.
Then, when she chose to focus exclusively on girl/girl in 2017, her career didn’t skip a beat, and she soon became one of the most prolific stars in the popular genre.
And as a Motley Models veteran, she treats their ever-growing roster of award-winning talent as family, and is poised to literally become family with owner Dave Rock, to whom she recently became engaged.
The dynamic duo, with a team of reputable agents like Dan Declan and Ryan Kona, are taking the booking business into the competitive modern age with a potent social media game and a mastery of adult.
After the multitude of releases that came out last year, in one of her strongest showings thus far, Sage was crowned 2021 XBIZ Girl/Girl Performer of the Year during adult’s biggest night this past January.
Now, with trademark humility and kindness, she shares her history and plans for the future in this exclusive interview.
XBIZ: Tell us about life before adult, growing up in a small Virginia town. What ambitions/dreams were you pursuing back then? Any unique mainstream talents or skills that folks might not know about?
SAGE: Before the adult industry, I was working at a local jewelry store, a restaurant as a waitress and volunteering at my local rescue squad on nights that I wasn’t working at the restaurant.
I was originally in college working towards my Bachelor of Science in Nursing, but with moving out on my own, I needed to work and had to make the decision to leave college.
I had great jobs and was looking into beginning my EMT course, but when Motley Models reached out, it intrigued me and made me re-evaluate my life. I thought more about my future, and I realized that I wanted to do something different than work 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
As far as mainstream talents, I can play the flute!
XBIZ: What led you to this industry, and what are the biggest ways you’ve evolved — professionally and personally — since your initial shoots five years ago.
SAGE: I watched porn, but for some reason I never realized there were people getting into the adult industry and getting paid to have sex. So when I was told that, I was super curious about it all.
I went from being the newbie to the veteran (which feels so weird typing that!) and I learned so much from my peers … sex tips, set tips and acting tips. I appreciated everyone who took their time to help me become a better performer.
So when that time came that I was the veteran, I made sure to help the new performers I worked with, and gave them the same tips I had gotten, plus tips that I learned with experience.
XBIZ: When did you begin focusing on doing girl/girl exclusively, and how has that shaped your overall brand?
SAGE: I started focusing on girl/ girl in the summer of 2017. I don’t think going girl/girl exclusively shaped my brand much, besides being known as a GG-only performer. In my opinion, I think it’s about giving it your all on set (within your own limits), engaging with your fans, being consistent on social media and promoting your scenes when they come out. That’s how I shaped my brand.
XBIZ: How did you become involved with Motley Models and in what ways has the agency helped accelerate your career?
SAGE: I was found by Motley Models on a dating app. At first, I thought it was fake. But I made sure the license and bonding for the agency was legit, and the person I was talking to, whose email was linked to the Motley Models website.
Once I got out to L.A., I didn’t want to leave! I’m a very sexual person, so the fact that I could have STD-tested sex, have a good time and get paid for just having sex ... wow it just felt amazing.
From the beginning with Motley, I was working for reputable companies, so I knew they had the connections to accelerate my brand. Dan, my agent, is amazing at what he does. From the beginning, he had great communication skills, like making sure I was testing, sending thorough call sheets and wardrobe requirements.
I knew that Motley’s professionalism showed to the companies as well. And as much as they could do for me, it was up to me to go on set with a professional attitude, bring the proper wardrobe and deliver an amazing scene for the director and company … and a scene I would be happy to put out there onto the internet!
XBIZ: Let’s talk about Dave Rock, to whom you recently became engaged! How do you two strike a work/life balance? In what ways do your differences and similarities complement one another?
SAGE: We just make time for one-on-one time, or spending time with family. We have work friends too, who we also incorporate into our off-work life activities. There’s no real secret sauce, haha, but we do make sure that we make time to do things for just the two of us.
Dave and I have many similarities, but we’re both open-minded people who are open to understanding our differences. Sometimes an independent hobby or preference can actually turn into a shared interest. All in all, I think it’s healthy to have differences though, because it allows us to do things on our own with friends, family, etc. who share our unique interests.
XBIZ: Any other stars in the industry who truly inspire you?
SAGE: I came into adult only knowing Dillion Harper. So for a while, she was my biggest inspiration. Then, I started meeting and working with amazing performers who gave me amazing tips when I was new, like Romi Rain, Kagney Linn Karter, Tanya Tate, Jelena Jensen, Cherie DeVille and Syren De Mer, just to name a few of the many amazing ladies.
XBIZ: You had one of the most prolific years in 2019-2020 in the all-girl genre, even with the shutdown slowing things. Having starred in numerous releases across a diverse array of studios, which standout shoots were the most memorable?
SAGE: “Pledge Night: Origins” for Missa X was one of my favorites. Working with Jenna Sativa was a dream, as always. And “Lesbian Seductions 57” for Girlfriends Films, where I worked with Tanya Tate; to this day, almost five years later, I still remember this sex scene. It was so sensual, but crazy!
Anything with Romi Rain is a good day. I’m pretty sure it was for Girlfriends Films, but I just remember the sex. So amazing. There are so many, and if I continue, my entire interview would be all of my favorite scenes, haha.
XBIZ: Discuss your social media marketing strategies. How do you keep fans engaged? Do you manage any other social media accounts besides your own?
SAGE: I’ve stayed consistent on social media, posting every day on my story, posting about scenes and also tagging the companies, while retweeting on Twitter, engaging with fans by liking their comments, etc. I really like seeing my fans engage with my posts. It’s really nice to see the love and support!
I also did Snapchat takeovers with high-following accounts on Twitter. I would drive them to add my Snapchat. Then, I’d share all of my other platforms to my Snap and have them to follow my Instagram and Twitter. I actually got deleted, but I had about 60K Snap viewers on average. It was a good run and was the first way I started marketing myself when I started in the industry.
And yes, I actually manage the agency’s Instagram. I started that in January 2017 at a thousand followers. So to see it at 204K makes me really proud! It’s my baby, haha. It also drives traffic to the girls, especially the new girls. I love that, because I remember how hard it was getting my followers up and how much time I had to put into it in the beginning, because your scenes haven’t come out yet.
XBIZ: Looking ahead at 2021 and beyond, what are your biggest career and personal goals?
SAGE: Honestly, I’m in a weird cusp where I’m figuring that out. I’ve gotten into skincare during the pandemic, and thinking about going to esthetician school. I did EMT training a few years ago, but it’s very different out here in the city than in my small hometown. So I had to re-evaluate that career path. Whatever it is, I will be happy to go to work. The adult industry taught me to do what you love, and you’ll never work a single day of your life.
