Carnal+ Exclusive Zac Steele: Handling Autism in the Adult World

Carnal+ Exclusive Zac Steele: Handling Autism in the Adult World

Just in time for the holidays, premier gay adult studio Carnal+ has given us a gift with a pretty bow and package. Recently, the studio announced the addition of yet another stellar talent to their list of Carnal+ Exclusives. 19-year-old Zac Steele is bringing his hot twink energy to the studio and will be featured on CarnalPlus.com, BarebackPlus.com, and FTMPlus.com. He made his debut earlier this year and has already filmed with powerhouses Jordan Starr and Legrand Wolf. Joining the studio is a dream for Zac, who has been a fan of the studio for a while now. In addition to bringing his fresh energy and youthful spirit to the studio, he is also talking about being diagnosed with autism. He is using is platform to bring awareness to his diagnosis and he balances that with his porn and personal life. In his Fleshbot Gay exclusive debut, we talked about how he got into the industry, what it's like to join Carnal+, and how he is acclimating to the adult industry. Check it out!

Photos Courtesy of IG: @Zac_Steele

Your mom is responsible for getting you into the adult industry? Tell us the story!

It’s such a funny story, but first I must preface I am a yapper. I talk a lot so get ready for a long interview! I completely understand how funny the statement is, but it’s all true! While sitting in my small hometown's only restaurant, my mom looked over at me scrolling through the grid on Grindr. Her immediate response was “If you are sending your nudes for free you might as well make an Onlyfans and make some money. I mean if I didn’t have kids I would have done it at your age!” This whole situation was a shock but I then set it up that night and haven’t looked back since!

What do you wish you would have known before starting in the adult world?

I feel like I was blessed with all of the mentors I have had in the industry. had a Chaturbate model show me the ropes there, I had my first collab partner Jordan Starr help me with Onlyfans, and along the way I’ve had incredible experiences with models like Joel Someone who I recently met and has been incredibly supportive and helpful! I got a unique path set for me where I didn’t get many shocking revelations about the industry. One thing I wish I knew was how cool all of these models are! I always felt these larger-than-life characters were unapproachable but it’s just not true! Some of these models have truly become some of my best friends!

What has surprised you the most since getting into the industry?

I’ve struggled with self-image and body dysmorphia my whole life. Going into porn I had zero expectations of being well-received or thought of as attractive. I really did it because it was artful for me and I needed a sexual outlet. Growing up as the only gay man in a small town I never got compliments from my peers. I was always told how I was different and never got the validation for beauty. I know how cliche and frustrating it is to hear self-deprecation from someone, especially in the porn industry but I truly never felt attractive. Quickly I was given compliments and people seemed to like my looks! I’ve had to quickly learn how to accept a compliment. I think that’s what shocked me the most.

What do you think sets you apart from other models in the industry?

This is a great question actually! When I first started growing a fanbase and treating this as work I knew I had to find something that set me apart from the rest of the crowd. In an over-saturated market, you need to be unique to find any success! I feel I bring a lot to the table on and off camera that most of my peers don’t. I feel that on camera what sets me apart is my essence of purity alongside my absolute love and capability for sexual interaction. This duality creates an incredible scene of intimacy and passion crossing over amazing sex. When my scenes come out pay attention to my face and more specifically my eyes. That should show you exactly what I mean.

What was filming your first scene with Carnal like?

I had the best time filming my first scene! I was incredibly nervous and didn’t know what to expect. I walked into the set with no expectations and sitting across from award-winning porn stars was intense and terrified me. To be in the same room as Adam Snow and Sean Xavier and know I have to be just as great or I might not be filming more was scary! This nervous energy I had became exactly what made me succeed though. I had a moment of realization that I could hold my own in a room of industry royalty. I had great conversations with all of the cast and crew and just ended up having a blast!

What do you love most about working with Carnal?

Some of my favorite parts of filming for Carnal are not on screen. This community that Legrand has created under the Carnal brand is an incredibly unique, talented, passionate, and just awesome group of men! The incredibly interesting off-camera stories I have been told by awesome models have been so informative and interesting. Reece Scott and I shared a room for my filming for Boy For Sale and he has been one of my favorite models for a while. He’s so interesting and his passion for everything he does is inspiring! I’ve made some incredible friends here and I’m proud to be a part of the Carnal family!

What do you think sets the content created by Carnal apart from others in the industry?

This question has an obvious answer, it would be easy to talk about the individualized fantastical storylines that Carnal has managed to create. But that’s not the only thing Carnal brings to the industry. In my opinion, I’m not just a model when I’m on set for carnal. I am a collaborator and my input is not just welcomed, it is implemented! It makes the content way more enjoyable and allows the models to feel a part of the creation of these films!

What does it mean the most to you to be named a Carnal Exclusive?

To me, exclusivity means a lot! I’ve only been filming porn for 10 months and have worked really hard to get where I am. When I was asked to be an exclusive it felt as if my work was noticed and celebrated. It was validation that I needed at the time and I’m happy it happened. I was and still am having doubts about my work. I am a complete perfectionist and am incredibly hard on myself. So to be asked to be an exclusive felt as if my content and me as a person were good enough. It couldn’t have come at a better time!

You have talked about your early diagnosis of autism. How do you handle autism in the adult world?

I honestly had doubts about coming out about my diagnosis after I finished that interview. I knew that this could easily be used negatively against me. I don’t find autism as a negative thing in my life but there is a massive stigma attached to it. To me navigating the adult world with autism was fairly easy. The hardest part for me was growing up with the diagnosis. The shame attached to this idea of me being broken somehow. I’ve grown past that and realized that I’m just as capable as everyone else and even if I have to work harder than most I can do it. If you can take anything from my story take the idea that something that feels like a major hindrance will make you stronger in the end. Just keep fighting and you’ll find success!

What kind of awareness do you want to bring into the world of autism from the adult world perspective?

I really want people to see me and see a success story. I was nonverbal for a long part of my childhood but have worked hard and most people don’t realize my diagnosis until I bring it up. I want to show other people struggling with self-doubt that no matter what disability or ailment you have you can succeed in life! I went from a gifted child that couldn’t hold a conversation, to a personable lovable guy who has traveled the world shooting porn! If you put your mind to it, it will happen!

You grew up in a small town. What did growing up in that environment teach you most about life?

Growing up in a small town makes or breaks a person. Especially someone like me, an autistic gay nerd who no matter how hard they tried to fit in just couldn’t. The first thing I was shown growing up was not what made me special or interesting, it was what made me different and weird. With that being said it for sure taught me how to not care about other people's opinions. It also taught me how to quickly find a way to stand out in a good way in hopes of escaping. My hard work ethic comes from my small town. You have to work hard if you want to get to a larger more accepting city.

How do you balance your porn and personal life?

I’m still struggling to balance my porn and personal life. I struggle with work-life balance. This industry has a way to make you feel as if you aren’t working hard enough. You feel less fit, less productive, and less interesting than the rest of the industry. So for me, I’ve struggled taking time off to just live. So I guess what I’m saying is I’ll get back to you when I figure out how to do that!

What do you want most out of your porn career?

At the end of the day, I want my porn career to transfer me to the city. I’ve traveled overseas and all over the United States and I’ve found places that feel like home. I want to move to LA within the next year. Outside of that, I want my porn career to introduce me to more mainstream media. I want to be an Internet personality! My dream would be to be featured on podcasts and television. I idolize some of our queer influencers! I want to be the Trixie Mattel of gay porn! I want to escape the small-town Midwest and make a name for myself in LA!

What advice do you have for someone thinking about getting into the industry?

My first piece of advice for someone wanting to enter the porn industry is to first look within yourself. Understand how much work goes into this job. Try to imagine if you could work yourself to the bone and get not much from it but keep working in hopes of success. Also, look within and see if you have thick enough skin to have your intimate moments on the internet for criticism. It’s harder than you think to get your first hateful message or insult. Or someone debating whether or not you are attractive or unattractive. It’s hard! But if you can handle that my advice is to go to the award shows and try to make the most content. That introduces you to all of the industry quickly and can introduce quick success.

What is your message to your fans?

While I don’t have a large fanbase yet, I love all of my fans! I want to shout out all of the people who have been with me all the way through my journey! I want to say thank you for all of your support and encouragement this year it means a lot. You have changed my life for the better and I can’t say thank you enough.

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