"I'm not ashamed of making porn. It makes me a great income," says Tomáš Školoudík, the most successful Czech model to conquer the world. "I'd like to be gay," he adds
Tomáš, what do you consider to be your greatest career achievement?
When it comes to modelling, it is definitely working with Emporio Armani. It helped me a lot in my career. I worked with them for a few years and it was a global campaign that gave me a lot of visibility. I would also definitely mention the advertising campaigns for various perfumes, such as Trussardi or L'Oreal, and then the fashion editorials I shot with Steven Meisel. But I did those more to be seen. They weren't that well-paid jobs.
What do you see as the most important shoots in fashion editorials?
It was the Steven Meisel shoot. I was in Milan at the time, the fee for the shoot was 20,000 euros and we were shooting Vogue magazine covers. I also did a shoot with Linda Evangelista, which I'm very happy about in my career.
Is there anything problematic about being a model?
If so, it's in deciding which type of shoot is best for me at the time. There are either fashion editorial photo shoot assignments that don't pay quite as well, but still give the model the visibility they need. And then there is the classic campaign shoot, which although well paid, is no longer able to deliver the much needed visibility. I have often had to decide which type of shoot is best for me.
What exactly does "not well paid" mean?
That the pay is around $4000-5000.
How much can a model at your level make in an average month?
From 2012 to 2018, I was making around $30,000 a month. On average. But that was at a time when I had already established a name and a client base that I worked with regularly. When I was starting out and flying to Singapore or Tokyo as a kid, my average monthly salary was around $4,000.
But currently, I make most of my money from the real estate I've bought in New York and New Jersey during my career. I rent them out through Airbnb.
Could you say how modeling has changed in the last 10 years?
The biggest change I see is how clients are demanding models today. Whereas it used to be important for clients to have a portfolio of models and what they look like, today the most important thing for them is the image and reach of models on Instagram. 10 years ago, the brand teamed up with a successful couple of models, shot a collection with them and created an image for the brand with their help. Today, brands want to leverage the ready-made image of models on Instagram and use it for brand building.
Personally, I was also touched by this. There have been several times when a client has been more satisfied with my portfolio, however, in the end they decided to go with my rival just because that model boasted an Instagram profile with over 300,000 followers.
How do you keep in shape? After all, you're always getting commissions for shoots.
I go to the gym every day. In 2012, I also started doing Bikram yoga, which I do every other day. It gives my muscles a perfect rest. I also do cardio exercises like running or swimming. I just move every day. That way I can get in shape very quickly.
As far as diet is concerned, I currently eat a rather vegetarian diet and I also swallow supplements every morning. Some of them are even from your country (laughs).
You made a series of porn films when you were young. Did it happen to you that a client didn't decide to work with you because you made porn?
Yes. A lot of times. I've had several clients that I've done campaigns with. I was also booked to shoot other campaigns for the same client, however, the collaboration was cut off in a flash because the brand reps found out about my porn past. Mostly they found out from my former agent, who knew all about it. Alternatively, it came to them via the internet. As for brands like Vera Wang or Armani, they didn't care. The problem was mostly with the production companies that were in charge of shooting or filming the campaigns. They were often represented by conservative people.
Was it the gay porn you were shooting that was the problem?
Yeah, yeah, that's exactly it. The porn I did for Bel Ami back then. It was after the Armani campaign that clients found out about it the most. It was because of that campaign that I got a lot of exposure.
In retrospect, do you regret making that porn today?
I don't think so. It's true that I lost a lot of money because of it, and sometimes it hurt me, but I know who I am, I'm okay with it and life goes on. I don't see into anybody's head and it's everybody's business what they think of me.
What about my parents? Do they know that you did and still do porn?
They don't. But I think sooner or later it's gonna come out and someone's gonna start asking them about it. After all, they live in a small town and gossip travels fast.
Tomas in his biggest global campaign for Emporio ArmaniPhoto: Tomáš Školoudík / se svolením
Do you have anything ready to say?
Yeah, yeah. I'll tell them I enjoy it and I'm happy with it. My girlfriend and I mainly make our own videos, which we then post on platforms like Only Fans, JustFor.Fans, and PornHub. And the passive income from them is great. Which is actually what I enjoy most about making porn. Being the main designer of what the final work looks like. In modeling, I shot a campaign, got paid for it, and that was the end of it. There's money coming in from porn pretty much all the time.
How much money can you make in the porn industry?
It's hard to quantify. However, I know girls who make $40,000 a month. The best way is to make your own videos and monetize them yourself through your own channels. As for me, I was able to make even $20,000 a month just from Only Fans when I set up my profile there.
What was the primary reason for moving from modeling to the porn industry?
I started dating a girl who does porn for a living. And she introduced me to the monetization of porn content. And now I'm not just talking about the pay per film, but just the reward for distributing content through your own social media profiles. Like the Only Fans one. However, I also upload videos to PornHub.
Do you think it's possible to have a fulfilling relationship with someone who makes porn?
I admit it's harder in some ways, but it's possible. It's about communication and how you set things up in a relationship. Sometimes we fight over porn, but most of the time it's fine. We shoot at our house and try to be friends with the actors and actresses. It makes the whole process easier.
Is porn hard work?
It depends. The way I see it, we're kind of like YouTubers. It's a job like any other. I get up in the morning, log into about 10 sites and answer questions from fans. After that, I go to lunch, work on editing videos and uploading them, and then come up with new concepts for videos. It's a 24/7 job. In modelling I was mainly dependent on the work of agents who arranged everything for me. I just went to bookings and fittings and waited. Working in porn is much more active and I'm my own boss.
You do gay porn?
Not anymore, just straight porn. However, I was recently talking to a couple of guys who do gay porn and we were talking about doing some content for Only Fans. Maybe just us both being naked. That's enough. For gay fans only. There would be no interaction because we're both straight. We only make gay porn for the money.
As far as I'm concerned, I know I have a lot of gay fans. That's why I'm thinking about it too.
Tomas with his partnerPhoto: Tomáš Školoudík / se svolením
Thomas, once and for all. Are you gay or straight?
Actually, I'd rather be gay. Because talking to girls is just hard. I have a lot of gay friends, but I'm straight.
Do you want to stay in Los Angeles or do you plan to come back to the Czech Republic?
Actually, I've already thought about moving back to the Czech Republic. It's a fact that the porn industry is quite big here and I'm sure my partner and I would find a job. I'm considering it. Prague is great and I even know a few Americans who live in Prague and work in the porn industry. Anyway, the lifestyle in LA is just more open, relaxed and free. That's why I like it here. Also because nobody judges me too much for my work. Just like nobody's too judgmental about any subcultures. You'll have to wait for that in the Czech Republic. Everyone here doesn't care who does what. Everyone respects each other here, no matter what they do for a living. In the Czech Republic, anyone who is different is still a bit of an exotic and people point fingers at them. In the Czech Republic, people are still envious of each other. As soon as someone is successful, they are immediately suspicious and people start asking how they got there and what they had to do wrong to become successful. And it's going to take some time for that to change.
What are your plans for the future?
I would like to have my own company and start a website for it. I definitely still want to be in porn and I see myself in the business for the next 10 years.
