Grabbys Spotlight: Mao Berlin
Targeting trophies in Torremolinos.
As we count down towards the Grabby Awards in Torremolinos, we caught up with Mao Berlin.
Mao Berlin is nominated in eight categories:
- Best Bottom
- Best Versatile
- Fetish Actor of the Year
- Submissive Fetish Actor of the Year
- JustFor.Fans European Fan Favourite
- Collaboration of the Year
- Group Scene of the Year
- Scene of the Year
You've said that being nominated for an award at the Grabbys will help you to keep sharing your message of a healthy sober kinky lifestyle - why is that important to you?
Something is happening in our community. We’ve lost too many people to substance abuse, and chemsex has become normalised. As someone in recovery, I know firsthand the struggles, the triggers, and the lack of real information and action out there.
When I got sober in 2020, I thought my kinky sex life was over. That changed when I heard another sober kinkster share his experience on a podcast. In that moment, I chose to rediscover my body and my limits — this time without chems.
Sex can already be vulnerable. Add fisting, submission, domination, or other kinks, and the triggers and fear of relapse can grow. From day one, I’ve been open about my sobriety, and over the past two years many sober or struggling kinksters have reached out.
I’m honoured to use my voice to support our community and even just being nominated now increases my reach for this message.
Sobriety doesn’t mean your kinky life is over or that you’re boring. It means you get to discover who you are beyond drugs. And I’m proud and still very much turned on, by the person I am today.
How did you discover and start to explore that performing on camera and content creation was something that you're passionate about?
I like to put on a show, for sure - being watched while having sex has always brought an extra fire inside me.
So when I started, it was like a small “let’s see what happens” project.
Right now, I’m very happy with the results, I’ve met and collaborated with great people and that has helped me to talk about my sobriety journey on podcasts, interviews and magazines.
What was your relationship with your body like when you were growing up?
Very early on, I was let known by others that I was not pretty - I was too skinny, my ears and nose where too big - high school wasn’t a great period for me personally, but I was good in school, so I focused on that.
My goal was to get out of there, get a degree and live my life. It hasn’t been easy but that’s exactly what I did.
My relationship with my body changed a lot during my sobriety - it's amazing what you can do when you are not fighting the come-downs - if there was ever one.
Therapy helped a lot in the way I saw my entire self, body and mind.
I started working out more, eating healthier and - more importantly - I forgave myself for all the damage and suffering I'd caused myself.
I’m happy to look in the mirror and see me.
I workout a lot because that helps relax my mind take ease - any side-effects on my body are just a bonus.
How has your work in the adult entertainment industry changed your relationship with your body?
Is 2026, we are more accepting of different body-types. For me, it's more about how hot and kinky a scene could be - how the body looks isn’t as important for me.
Bodies change like seasons - sometimes a bit more flesh, sometimes a bit less - but what’s important is that I’m happy with my body, no one has a say in it but me.
When you are happy with your body and you enjoy what you do, it translates to the camera, 100 percent.
What makes a good collab?
For me, it's about clear communication and manners - talking before, during and after, learning about each other and using that to make sure the scene is as authentic as possible. Being respectful goes a long way.
Gareth Johnson
Beyond the Grabby Awards, what else is on your vision-board for the months ahead?
I’m working on some personal projects focused on sobriety, kinky lifestyle, fetishes, and living in Berlin.
I want to share my thoughts and experiences.
Gareth Johnson