Matthew Meier is riding high. At the 2025 Euro XMAs, he not only took home a Best Sex Scene trophy for the second year in a row, but was also crowned Male Performer of the Year.
“I was shocked to win,” confesses Meier. “It still feels like a dream, like I’m sleeping or something. When they said my name, I got goosebumps. When I went on the stage, I was frozen for a few seconds. I just needed to breathe.”
When he started out in the business in early 2022, Meier figured he’d have to shoot for at least five years before he could even dream about winning an award that prestigious.
“Luckily for me, my career went really well,” he marvels. “It was difficult in the beginning, but once I began learning from my mistakes, it went better and better.”
Meier says it took him about a year to get fully comfortable on camera.
“Working with three crew people is easy,” he explains. “But on big sets, where there are sometimes 10 people between all the assistants, camera guys, photographers and makeup artists, it can be so difficult to focus. You feel all this tension and pressure. Sometimes I’d make a simple mistake. At first, I was worried they’d judge me, but eventually, I calmed down and realized that we’re all there working as a team.”
Even now, Meier adds, he continues to learn and grow as both a person and a performer.
“I think it’s an infinite process,” he reflects. “I’m still learning new things and trying to evolve.”
Overcoming Limits
Meier was born and raised in Ukraine, but is currently based in Budapest, Hungary.
“There are so many productions based in Budapest compared to other European cities,” he observes. “It’s like the capital of the porn industry.”
For a male performer, Meier says, he had a relatively easy path into the industry. After emailing different production companies to no avail, as well as content creators on Instagram, he managed to get in touch with award-winning producer/director and talent agent Julia Grandi, with whom he shared his portfolio — which at the time consisted of a few nude pictures and a short video of Meier having sex.
“At that point, I was so shy that I wore a motorcycle helmet in pictures, because I was scared of sending full nudes with my face visible,” he laughs. “She thought it was funny and said I’d be a good fit for the industry, but that next time, I should show my face.”
The two chatted for a couple of months before Grandi eventually helped Meier book a handful of test shoots. That led to a few VR shoots, and after eight or nine productions, a shoot in the Dominican Republic for Vixen.
“Julia understood that I’m a responsible performer, that I was ready to take the risk and that I could handle the pressure of people watching me perform,” he recalls. “But she told me that I was really lucky to have written to her at a good moment, because usually productions don’t give chances to guys who are complete beginners.
“It can be a huge risk because the production might lose a lot of money if a performer doesn’t perform well, or freezes because of the pressure of the cameras and everything,” he adds. “The penis can be unpredictable! But lucky for me, everything worked out, and I started working more and more. Yes, it took me nine months to start working — but once I proved myself, my confidence took off, and so did my career.”
Not that the process was instantaneous. It still took Meier a while to find his footing, especially when it came to certain genres and activities.
“Some producers want really hardcore performers who are really rough,” he says. “They need to be able to summon that raw, animal energy. In the beginning, slapping a girl’s face or her boobs, or doing something in that aggressive style, was tough for me — even just a light slap. I had to overcome the limits in my head and understand that every type of movie has its own fans who enjoy that kind of content and really love that niche. But adapting to those niches wasn’t so easy for me when I was starting out.”
Meier advises aspiring performers and industry newcomers to know their strengths and work on their weaknesses. He also warns them not to compare themselves to other performers — just to the person they were yesterday, or a week ago, to see if they’ve made improvements.
Passion and Chemistry
These days, Meier shoots mostly for Dorcel, Vixen, Little Caprice Dreams and Porn World, a French company with frequent shoots in Budapest. He also does some VR productions.
“Dorcel has a crew in Budapest, and one in Paris as well, so I’m working with them a lot, and our work has won a number of awards,” he notes, giving a particular shoutout to Dorcel directors Franck Vicomte and Hervé Bodilis.
Asked about favorite co-stars, Meier first names Shalina Devine.
“I’ve been working with her since my first year in the business, and I wind up shooting with her every three or four months,” he shares. “She’s so good and really professional. It’s just easy to work with her.”
Meier worked with Devine on an orgy scene in the Dorcel feature “Pigalle” — the one that scored him that Best Sex Scene trophy.
“Everyone was free to do whatever they liked, so there weren’t a whole lot of boundaries,” he recalls. “We had to keep the passion and the intensity going because Dorcel doesn’t do a lot of cuts, and I’m so grateful to the company because they allowed us to participate with our brains as much as our bodies.”
Another favorite is Meier’s frequent Vixen co-star Agatha Vega. He recalls shooting the final episode of the Euro XMA-nominated feature “Long Con” on a boat with her and Eve Sweet.
“They play spies who steal something of value,” he explains. “Someone is helping them the whole movie, and in the final episode, you find out it’s me. The scene we had was full of passion and chemistry, and I had a great time working with both of them because they’re both incredibly funny. Sometimes laughing a lot can ruin your chemistry or throw you off your game, but with them, it was easy to get back on track.”
Meier also fondly recalls shooting “Club Vixen Summit” in the Alps with Hope Heaven, Eve Sweet and Ashby Winter, alongside fellow male talents Alberto Blanco and Martin Spell.
“It was shot in an old chalet with mountains in the background,” he remembers. “The girls even had a helicopter for their intro. The whole setup was amazing, and it was an unforgettable experience.”
Meier speaks highly of both Blanco and fellow performer Christine Clay.
“They’re both real professionals to whom I’ll always be grateful,” he attests. “I managed to learn some simple things from them when I was first starting out. I’d never met them, but they immediately began speaking to me as a friend.
“It was also really amazing to work with Clemence Audiard, a female performer from France who was nominated this year,” he adds. “And I had a great time working with Little Caprice and Marcello Bravo too. They really know what they’re doing, so working with them was a real pleasure.”
When working with someone for the first time, Meier says, he tries not to make assumptions or have expectations before a scene.
“If a girl is passionate about the work and they really love what they do, the scene can turn out to be a masterpiece,” he says.
Of course, sometimes unforeseeable circumstances can get in the way.
“I remember shooting one scene when the zipper on my pants broke, and it was impossible to take my pants off,” he laughs. “The director yelled ‘Cut!’ and the whole crew and I burst into laughter. Ultimately, we had to break the zipper because there was something wrong with it.”
Everythingin Balance
“At this point in my life, my time is really valuable,” Meier reflects. “In my head, I imagine a wheel where I have different sections for friends, family, my hobbies… everything has to be in balance. That’s important for me.”
One long-standing priority in Meier’s life is his health. He grew up playing basketball and soccer, and swam competitively.
“When I was young, I dreamt of becoming a famous swimmer,” he confides. “But you have to train for four to five hours per day if you want to compete at a really high level. It just took too much time and energy. You really have to have a passion for swimming, which isn’t an easy thing to love because it’s kind of boring!”
These days, Meier maintains his buff physique by going to the gym several times a week, though shooting can get in the way. Overall, he tries to maintain a healthy lifestyle, from watching nutrition-themed podcasts about vitamins and superfoods to learning new habits for improving his sleep.
“We work a lot in this business, so it’s important to have a really good recovery regimen and keep yourself balanced, rather than overwork yourself,” he says. “Some people who train a lot start losing their libido from working out too much. I think the most important thing is to get eight or nine hours of sleep, take vitamins and superfoods recommended by your doctor, and check your hormone levels and the biochemistry of your blood. But the real secret to nutrition is that you have to enjoy eating healthy food.”
Meier learned how to make green smoothies through trial and error.
“At first, I just threw salad in a blender with water, and it tasted so bad!” he laughs. “So I had to add some apple, or maybe a little bit of syrup. In time, I grew to like it. I’ve heard from other performers that eating a lot of greens is really good for your libido and will help improve your performance.”
Endless Possibilities
Contemplating his next steps professionally, Meier says he hopes for a chance to work for Digital Playground, and with highly respected directors such as Kayden Kross, Laurent Sky and Derek Dozer.
In addition, now that he’s shot all over Europe and twice in the Dominican Republic, he says he’d love to shoot in New Zealand or the Maldives.
Also on his bucket list: playing a cop or a fireman.
“In Europe, the porn we’re shooting involves more realistic lifestyle situations, so it’s rare to have something full of action, like a Digital Playground production,” he shares. “They have fights and car chases and shootouts, and it’s amazing. I’d love to participate in a feature full of action and maybe even ride a motorcycle. I’m a real lover of the extreme.”
In the shorter term, Meier’s goal for the coming year is to expand from being “just a performer” and become a content creator as well.
“I’ve shot collaborations with others and sold independent content, but I’ve mainly focused on shooting studio productions,” he says.
This was partly due to self-imposed restrictions related to being in monogamous relationships, he explains, and partly due to some complications involving losing and then regaining control over his OnlyFans account. Now that he’s ironed out those issues — and now that he’s single again — he plans to ramp up shooting his own content again.
As for what else the future may hold, Meier is open to a range of possibilities.
“I hope to share health and wellness tips with my followers, and some other things I’ve learned,” he muses. “I’d also love to inspire some people to start their careers and produce content, and show them that this industry can be really creative. You don’t just show up, say a few words and fuck, because these days, porn movies are getting bigger and better thanks to modern technology.
“The possibilities are endless,” he says. “And I want to squeeze the most out of life.”
