One of the top adult stars of the 2020s has an announcement to make.

“I’m ready to be Gia again,” says Gia Derza, and there’s a giddiness in her voice—an energy—that even she admits has been buried the past few years.

Derza told PornCrush Tuesday that she’s returning to porn full-time and has chosen surging agency InVision Models as her representation. Derza was one of the industry’s most prolific performers from 2019-2022, averaging more than 100 scenes per year during that span. The Ohio native has taken a step back the past two years, working only occasionally while battling personal issues.

“I fell into a bad loop of partying,” Derza, 25, told PornCrush. “I’m super open about it. I have no shame. It happens more often in this industry than not, honestly. Now that I’ve cut that out of my life, I can see things more clearly in terms of what I want.”

Derza insists she is now “Cali sober,” which means she has eliminated all drugs from her life except weed. The lifestyle change has rejuvenated Derza, who says she will resume shoots with the same zeal and enthusiasm that helped her career skyrocket early on.

It was long ago, after all, when Derza was considered porn royalty. Something about her scenes just felt … different. Derza gave viewers more than a show; she gave them an experience. The squirting, the gaping, the tears, the coos, the sweat, the eyes that rolled toward the back of her head. Perhaps more than any talent in the industry, Derza absorbed herself in her shoots. They all felt so real.

If Derza had been named AVN or XBIZ Performer of the Year in 2021—and even more so in 2022—no one would’ve batted an eye.

“An argument could be made that Gia was the top performer in porn during that time,” one veteran director told PornCrush. “Her scenes were unique, they were extreme, they were ones you remembered. Whether you liked her raunchy style or not, you had to respect it.”

And then, out of the blue, Derza began to fade.

She’d occasionally pop up with a scene for Evil Angel or Brazzers, giving fans hope that she was back on track. But then another hiatus would follow. For nearly two years, Derza didn’t shoot with any consistency.

“I became kind of depressed,” she said. “I thought that it was mostly my mental health, but it turns out it was the drugs and the partying. I was hanging out with the wrong people, and I was also going through a hard time. I’ve had a lot of losses and bullshit and breakups over the last couple of years. I didn’t always handle it well.”

Toward the end of the summer, Derza experienced an awakening of sorts. Along with cutting out drugs, she began eating healthier and resumed sessions with her therapist. She attends yoga classes multiple times a week and has returned to horseback riding, which was once a source of joy.

“I’m probably going to lease a horse,” Derza says. “I get to meet him this week and I’m so excited. All of those things have really helped.”

The strides Derza has made in her personal life have revived her mentally and physically. There’s a twinkle in her eyes, a glow to her skin. Her smile was constant during Saturday’s Second Annual PornCrush Pool Party, where she bounced around the premises, mingling and dancing with colleagues. She also commanded the stage during a twerk contest. Multiple onlookers commented that her body looks hotter than it ever has.

“Being in an environment like that made me so happy,” Derza said. “It was just what I needed at just the right time. I went through a stretch when I felt like everyone in the industry was against me. But that storm cloud was lifted (Saturday), and I felt that sense of community again.

At the party, Derza met InVision agent Tiffany Ray. The two hit it off, and Derza agreed to terms with the agency less than 48 hours later. Derza’s addition bolsters a roster that already includes high-profile stars such as Richelle Ryan, Nicole Aniston, Leana Lovings, Jane Wilde, and Ryan Keely.

“The companies I’ve spoken with are thrilled she’s back,” Ray said. “The value that she brings is huge. You put Gia Derza in a scene, and you know your numbers are going to be high. She has a solid fan base will follow her anywhere.

“This is the happiest and healthiest she’s ever been. We’re thrilled to have someone of her caliber on our roster.”

Derza was one of 15 finalists for AVN’s prestigious Performer of the Year awards in 2021 and 2022. She has 17 career nominations on her resume, including five consecutive recognitions for Best Sex Anal Scene from 2019 to 2023.

Derza–arguably the top backdoor performer in the industry—said she’s anxious to resume the shoots that helped her make her name.

“I have an addictive personality,” Derza said. “Shooting and fucking are my main vices. Porn has been my passion and my dream since I was in the seventh grade. I quickly became obsessed with it. I idolized porn stars and looked up to them like you would celebrities. I cried when meeting some of them for the first time.”

If Derza returns to form and shoots consistently, there will likely be up-and-comers who regard her similarly.

“I’m really excited—and I’m horny!” Derza says with a laugh. “I’m just listening to what my body and my heart—and my holes—are calling me to do. I’m ready to be the nastiest slut that I want to be.

“I’m ready to be Gia again.”