LAS VEGAS—After 10 years in the adult industry, trans icon Aubrey Kate finds herself at a crossroads.

She can either retire.

Or build a bigger mantle.

Kate won a ceremony-high five trophies—including one for Trans Performer of the Year—at last month’s AVN Awards, giving her 24 for her career. When the future Hall of Famer returned to her Vegas mansion the following morning, she lined up all of her golden statues above her fireplace.

“They all fit, but just barely,” Kate, 35, told PornCrush. “There’s not enough room for even one more.”

Kate’s latest haul was impressive on a variety of fronts. Along with capturing more 2026 trophies than any other model, Kate became just the second person in history—in any genre—to be named Performer of the Year for a fourth time.

Cherie DeVille is a five-time MILF Performer of the Year, while Angela White (Female POY) and Charlotte Stokely (All-Girl POY) have won three Performer of the Year awards in their respective categories.

Kate, who debuted in 2017, has now been named Trans Performer of the Year four times. Her 24 overall trophies are believed to be the second-most by a performer in AVN history, trailing only Angela White's 72.

Kate has captured at least one AVN award each of the past 10 years.

“Aubrey is an undeniable legend,” said Brittney Kade, AVN’s 2025 Trans Performer of the Year. “Her work ethic, longevity, and success truly speak for themselves.”

There was a time—not too long ago—when Kate’s career appeared all but finished. Burned out from studio shoots and feeling as if there was nothing left to accomplish, Kate stepped away from mainstream porn in 2021 and moved to New York.

“I was kinda going down a bad path, mostly with some of the partners I was choosing and just with life overall,” Kate says. “People started bad-mouthing me and telling me I was a has-been, and that I would never be anything more than I already was.

“I just needed to leave Vegas and get away from it all.”

For nearly three years, Kate focused all her attention on her OnlyFans platform. The strategy proved lucrative, as Kate maintained a seven-figure income that enabled her to live a lavish lifestyle filled regular shopping excursions on Fifth Avenue, fine dining at the Plaza Hotel, and vacations in the Hamptons.

Still, as much as she enjoyed all the caviar and Louis Vuitton purses, there was a part of Kate that felt unfulfilled. Shooting content for OnlyFans brought financial freedom, but she missed the camaraderie she’d come to love on studio sets. And while a break from the limelight was necessary at the time, Kate was ready to thrust herself back into it.

Fueled by the support of her new husband, Austin Rex, whom she married in the spring of 2023, Kate moved back to Las Vegas in 2024 and embarked on one of the most aggressive shooting schedules of her career. And she wasn’t shy about vocalizing her biggest goal: winning Trans Performer of the Year for a fourth time. A highly competitive person, Kate said she became even more motivated after watching Emma Rose win the award in 2023 and 2024.

“Seeing someone else get close to me, with two (trophies), gave me an extra push,” Kate laughed. “I wanted to create a little more separation.”

Throughout 2025, Kate repeatedly demonstrated why she’s regarded as the top trans performer in history. She shot more than 40 studio scenes—a large number for a trans talent—but it was the versatility she displayed that impressed critics the most. Whether she was starring in a pregnancy scene for Adult Time, engaging in BDSM for Kink, or taking two dicks in her backdoor for Evil Angel, Kate covered every base in 2025.

No one can say Kate’s latest Performer of the Year trophy was won because of her popularity or because of her “big name.”

It was, without question, something she earned.

“I wanted to come back bigger and better than ever,” Kate said. “I was determined to do everything I could to get to where I am right now. And I knew performing wasn’t enough.”

Indeed, crazy as it sounds, what Kate accomplished behind the camera last year may have been more impressive than anything she did in front of it.

In 2025, Kate wrote, directed, and starred in two movies that received AVN nominations for Best Trans Movie; one of them, "Transtoinette," won the trophy.

Kate funded the $40,000 project out of her own pocket. The movie—which features Kate, Kade, and Angellica Good in starring roles—pays homage to the fascinating figure of Marie Antoinette but also resonates with contemporary themes of identity and rebellion. With French-inspired costumes and set designs, the project is arguably the most elaborate, aesthetically-pleasing effort in the history of trans porn.

“I wanted to do something high-end for trans performers, kinda like the 'Pirates' movie,” Kate says. “There’s never been, like, stuff with a big budget for trans girls.

“When I first started, we felt so segregated, almost like we were a laughingstock. There were times when I thought, ‘Are people buying our porn because they actually enjoy it? Or are they sitting around in a fraternity house and laughing at us?’

“I didn’t like how we were portrayed, because I think we’re beautiful creatures of the earth. We’re unicorns. So I wanted to make pretty porn for trans girls.”

Along with an AVN award, “Transtoinette” helped Kate secure a director contract for Evil Angel. Entering 2026, Kate plans to devote most of her time to that role and will be much more selective about studio shoots.

That could open the door for a different name to take home AVN’s Performer of the Year trophy in 2027. Rose and Kade are planning to resume studio shoots after lengthy layoffs; Ariel Demure, Jade Venus, Zariah Aura, and Kasey Kei continue to marvel fans and critics with their work ethic and consistency; and newcomers such as Avery Lust, Leah Hayes, and Belle Joie have people excited about the future.

That includes Kate, who takes pride in how much more accepting and open-minded the industry has become since her debut a decade ago.

Back then, she says, trans performers didn’t even feel welcome at the AVN Awards. Last month many of them were seated in the first few rows. Even though she wouldn’t admit it, that’s largely because of pioneers like Kate, who wore a wedding dress to last month’s ceremony.

Kate smiled when asked to explain her outfit.

“Married to the game,” Kate said. “This industry changed my life. I can’t imagine where I’d be without it.”