Sunset Thomas is the stage name of an American pornographic actress; her real first name is Diane. She was runner-up for Penthouse Pet of the Year in 1998 and is a member of the Adult Video News Hall of Fame. She says the name "Sunset" was inspired by a comment of her then-husband Zachary Adams when he said "You know what, honey?...you're pretty as a sunset"; the name Thomas popped up when she was thinking of a good last name to go with it.
Born in Sikeston, Missouri as one of 11 siblings, Thomas moved around often in her youth with her family, living in various states including Virginia, Georgia, Texas, and Tennessee. She spent her teenage years in Daytona Beach, Florida. In Florida she became something of a wild child, sacrificing school and books for sunning and bikinis on the Florida beaches. She failed to graduate high school and also became addicted to methamphetamine. She lost her virginity at age 15 and had her first sexual encounter with a girl who was her roommate at age 17.
After high school, she moved to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, where she performed a variety of jobs, among them, modeling aside the championship trophy after the annual NASCAR race held there was over. In Ft. Lauderdale, she met aspiring porn actor Zachary Adams.Zach and Sunset became friends quickly, and their friendship soon turned into love. Five months later, they got married and moved to Los Angeles, where both of them would find porn film fame, using the last name Thomas.
She shot her first adult film when she was eighteen, appearing in "Mr. Peeper's 25th Anniversary" alongside her husband and another man. But she soon became a professional porn star and a favorite of director Michael Ninn, winner of the most Adult Video News awards, who made her the star of his epics "Latex," "Shock," "Sex," and "Sex 2."
Thomas had separated from her husband by the end of 2001 and, in 2002, established a friendship with talk-show host Howard Stern. That same year, she moved to Carson City, Nevada to begin offering her sex services for money at the famed Moonlite Bunny Ranch brothel. She and Stern filmed the first of Stern's shows on February 21, 2002, and she has returned more than ten times since then. She was also featured on The O'Reilly Factor during that time. 2002 also saw Thomas speaking publicly about her sex life in an HBO documentary entitled "Cathouse," and in 2003, she appeared in its sequel. She spoke about her specific sexual needs in a rather graphic and open way, stating that she needs sex constantly. In later episodes, we learn that she left the Bunny Ranch to go to the Kit Kat Ranch for a variety of reasons. In February 2005, she announced that she no longer will be working as a prostitute. She has since opened strip clubs in Nevada and Arizona.
In 2005, Thomas was featured in the documentary "Pornstar Pets" and made an appearance on Maury, in which she encountered a crush from her middle school days. The episode was titled 'I Was An Ugly Teen... Now I'm a Hot, Sexy 10!'
Thomas is the aunt of porn star Sunrise Adams, and during a visit by her niece convinced Adams to begin a career in adult films.
In 2006, Thomas obtained her own show on KSEX radio called "Sunset After Sunset" which airs every Thursday at 9:00pm (PST). In 2007, she appeared on the Montel Williams Show with her fiancé/boyfriend, Kent, to discuss her porn career and being a mother.
In June 2007, Thomas signed on with Vavoom Media. Thomas has a reality tv show in production (Sunrise to Sunset) and a radio show (The XXXtra Point). Vavoom Films is producing her final film (Into the Sunset) and Larry Flynt Productions is distributing the film. It's notable not only because it's Thomas' final XXX film but because she selected a fan to star alongside her in her final on-screen sex scene.
On January 16, 2008, she appeared on the Tyra Banks Show with her husband, Kent, to discuss her sex addiction and desire to make one final adult film, despite promising him that she would discontinue her adult career after their marriage.
Awards:
* 2010 XRCO Hall of Fame
