HOLLYWOOD—Moments after she entered the Avalon Nightclub for Thursday’s AVN Pre-Nominations Party, Gal Ritchie glanced toward the stage and saw a pre-recorded video of herself dancing on a movie-theater-sized screen.

She immediately snapped a photo and texted it to her mother back in England.

“She was proud of me,” Ritchie said. “It was surreal seeing myself like that. The whole night was very showmanshippy, very first class.”

Indeed, AVN pulled out all the stops in its first pre-nom party since 2019. The event—which took a four-year hiatus, primarily because of COVID—featured an open bar, complimentary hors d’oeuvres, a red carpet lined with photographers, and a high-end stage production that mirrored its iconic awards show each January in Las Vegas.

And the crowd turned out.

Whether it was A-list veterans such as Angela White, Kenna James, or Cherie DeVille to surging newcomers like Dan Dangler, Madison Wilde, and Rissa May, seemingly all of porn’s most prominent names flocked to the legendary venue on Hollywood and Vine, where fans and autograph seekers waited for hours outside in hopes of scoring face time with their favorite star. Event organizers estimated the attendance was between 600-800.

After mingling—and networking—for more than two hours, guests turned their attention toward the stage around 10:30 p.m. For the next 20 minutes, hosts Blake Blossom and Alex Knight and trophy girls Stella Lux and Molly Little unveiled the nominees in some of the AVN Awards’ most prestigious categories.

Anna Claire Clouds and Chanel Camryn tied for the most nominations of the night with 12 apiece, including one for Performer of the Year. Last year’s POY victor, Vanna Bardot, was also on the list along with show host Blossom.

Another highly-anticipated category was Best New Starlet, and including Ritchie on that list was probably the easiest decision the awards committee made in the entire voting process.

Ritchie has shot nearly 200 scenes since her debut in the Summer of 2023, turning in scorching efforts for Brazzers, Vixen, Adult Time and virtually every other reputable studio in porn. A former professional dominatrix in London, Ritchie said her work ethic and drive stem from a genuine love of sex and the industry as a whole.

“I just truly love performing, the physicality of the job,” Ritchie told PornCrush. “I was a porn fan before I ever joined the industry, so being able to work with people I’ve been watching for years has been amazing. I’m just a fan girl.”

While Ritchie’s resume stands out from the other 14 performers on the list, she knows she is up against some high-level talent such as Dangler, Wilde, May and others.

“it’s really tough competition,” Ritchie said. “Everyone on that list is 100 percent deserving. We’ll have to wait and see what January brings. Fingers crossed.”

Another performer who will enter January with high hopes is Jennifer White, who earned a second straight nomination for Female Performer of the Year.

White has shot more than 1,000 scenes since entering the industry in 2009, yet somehow—and this is seriously baffling—she has never won an AVN award. Yet White has continued to surge forward while producing some of the most sizzling content of her career.

“I love sex, so that’s a great motivator,” White told PornCrush. “In recent years I’ve really tried to improve my craft and get better at dirty talk and acting and that kind of stuff. So the recognition means a lot. It really does.”

White laughed when asked what she’d do with a trophy should she ever win one.

“I’m going to fuck myself with it,” she said. “I’ll film a solo.”

Speaking of surging models, Brittney Kade garnered six AVN nominations Thursday, the most of any trans talent. Kade is a finalist for Trans Performer of the Year, Best Trans One-on-One scene, and has three nominations for Best Trans Group Scene, one of which is an intense gangbang that Kade said is among the best work of her career.

“This year has been truly amazing being able to be a part of so many hot and sexy scenes with so many amazing people,” Kade told PornCrush. “To have that hard work pay off and to see it recognized is so rewarding for me.”

The AVN Awards will take place on Jan 25 at the Virgin Hotel in Las Vegas.