In her porn films, Grey is known for pushing the boundaries of normal sexual acts. She maintains she's always in control — a trait Soderbergh believes suits her character in "The Girlfriend Experience." There are no sex scenes in the film, but Soderbergh believes she has an unmistakable ease in sexual situations.

"The movie to me is about control and the ways in which we delude ourselves into thinking that certain things are not important to address," says Soderbergh. "It's about how each of these characters have chosen not to see something about themselves in order to get by."

Grey is far from the first porn star to move into mainstream or indie cinema. Jenna Jameson became somewhat mainstream thanks to a best-selling autobiography and film roles. Traci Lords was a young porn star before forging a full career as a TV and film actress.

Grey says she never planned any such transition, but calls it a "happy accident" and says she "does enjoy exploring myself as an artist." She's now eager to do other films, but also notes she felt "more energy and more vigor" when she returned to pornography.

"Anything's possible when it comes to making a film, whether it be adult or mainstream," says Grey.

___

On the Net:

http://www.tribecafilm.com/