Chances are you know Maitland Ward from her starring role as Rachel McGuire in the hit sitcom Boy Meets World. Her career as a mainstream actress evolved to include cosplay, modeling, and eventually shooting sexy content for her fans on platforms like Patreon. Creating her own content encouraged Ward to push the boundaries and explore her true self, unleashing a wild and sensual side that’s just recently been revealed.
Maitland Ward has taken a huge step by pursuing a career in adult entertainment. She is starring in her first feature film, Drive, directed by porn powerhouse Kayden Kross. “At the time we were casting Drive, no one even knew Maitland Ward was an achievable option,” Kross explains. “I kept saying I needed someone who could act — really act — because anything less would just look silly given the role, and lo and behold, an accomplished, stunning, statuesque actress shows up out of nowhere. She sounded too good to be true.”
In a very short amount of time in the adult industry, Maitland has proven herself to be a passionate, dedicated professional with a clear appreciation for her fans. “I’m just so grateful and humbled by the amount of love and support I’ve received. I promise to always give my best to them.”
Rock Confidential sat down with Maitland Ward to discuss her personal and professional journey, the deep emotions involved while working on Drive, and what she hopes to accomplish in this exciting new phase of her career.
Thanks for taking time out for this Maitland – how are things going?
My pleasure! It’s such an exciting time for me right now with the release of Drive and just coming off of my big Blacked debut. I’ve happily been so busy really doing what I love and am passionate about. I can’t wait to share all the new stuff coming up, too.
Fans on social media have watched your interests evolve from sexy cosplay to nude photos to an official career in adult. Did you start shooting content for Patreon to test the waters or did you know then that you wanted to make the move to adult entertainment?
I did not have any clue that I would end up in professional adult entertainment, or that I would end up in such incredible productions. I’ve always been an exhibitionist and daredevil and of course a cosplay nerd. I started Patreon to share my sexy cosplay and nudes and more solo stuff, but I was curious and intrigued by it so much that I kept tasting more hardcore stuff and I wanted more. I’m a very sexual and sensual person and I love to explore and try new things. I started off doing girl/girl, which I love, and then I wanted to do hardcore boy/girl. So I produced many of my own boy/girl videos with Isiah Maxwell and Danny Mountain, as well as girls like Molly Stewart, Jayden Cole, Lily Love, and Desiree Dulce. Along the way, I found myself enjoying performing so much. It’s the actress in me along with my raw sexual nature that has allowed to me to unleash these parts of myself. I love all aspects of performing. I want more.
Maitland Ward in ‘Drive’
You developed quite the reputation years ago for having elaborate and always sexy cosplay costumes. How did that passion encourage you to push the boundaries with different phases of your career?
I’m a nerd at heart. A Star Wars and Wonder Woman fan since practically birth. So that world of cosplay was something fun for me. When I started getting a lot of attention for it, it shocked me that it was actually something I could do as part of my career. That was such a dream for me. And of course I’m an exhibitionist and performer, so I loved finding the sexiest and most provocative costumes of characters I liked. I started to get more and more comfortable with showing my body and my sexuality in front of the camera and I loved it. That was an instrumental part of me becoming who I am today.
Your journey from mainstream actress to adult star seems genuine – and it’s all been documented for your fans. Why was it important for you to make each step available that way?
Above all I always try to stay authentic with everyone. My fans who’ve been with me on this whole journey know that. I am who I am and I don’t like to be labeled. I really didn’t plot anything out. It was just my journey – me finding myself along the way and my fans watching me do it. When I did something new they were there for it. I like the fact that I have that long-standing intimate connection with my audience. So going step by step really allowed for that.
“Daring” and “confident” are two words that come to mind when thinking about you, especially when it comes to social media. Would that be a natural part of your personality or is it something that’s progressed over time?
Thank you! I really appreciate that. I think I’ve always been daring, but publicly I wasn’t confident enough to show it when I was younger. Over time that confidence evolved. A lot of it has to do with the journey I’ve been on, playing out over social media along the way. I am a natural risk-taker and I like to shock and surprise people. I never want to be complacent or boring to anyone, and especially to myself. But again, it’s been the step by step journey along the way that’s brought me to this place where I can be so daring and confident.
What do you remember about the first time you watched porn?
I think I was in middle school. It shocked me, as I was really innocent all through my teens. But, I did masturbate to it. I remember that. Back then, and in high school, I had all these sexual feelings emerging but I just didn’t know how to deal with them yet. Porn was so taboo but I was so intrigued and turned on. Some part of me always knew that this wild and sensual side was inside of me and it’s fully emerging now.
This past July you signed with an agency and your first major film role was released in August for Blacked. How do you remember your first time on a professional porn set?
I had such an amazing experience with Blacked. Jason Luv and Greg and all the crew were fantastic to work with and we made such a great scene. I’m so proud of that. I had been shooting pro videos along the way on my own on my Patreon, so I had camera people and stuff. But being on such a high end production was exciting. I think people don’t realize how much time and work are put into porn scenes, especially with Vixen. People think wow you just have sex and they film it and that’s it. It’s a lot of long hours and photo set ups and camera angles and it’s also rigorous physically. All that being said, it’s the best job. I mean, having sex with the hottest people, shot beautifully and getting paid for it. It’s amazing.
Maitland Ward in ‘Drive’
You’ve shot for a few different companies now – looking back, what was the biggest misconception you had about the porn industry?
I was floored by how professionally run everything is. People think porn is just people having orgies on sets all day. I didn’t really go that far to think that, but these are quality, professional work environments. I also didn’t expect to find such smart, deep, funny, talented people. I hate that porn has that perception in the general public. If I can, in any way, use my mainstream status to help bash that stereotype I would love to. My core belief is mainstream and hot porn don’t have to be, and shouldn’t be, mutually exclusive.
When you met with director Kayden Kross to discuss possibly being a part of Drive, what convinced you to sign on?
I was convinced I wanted to do it when I first read the script they sent to me. I was floored by how well it was written and how much of an in-depth acting opportunity this was, right off the bat. I literally got the script in the morning, met with Kayden at a Starbucks to discuss it, and by evening I was all in. Kayden is such a visionary and talented director. The script and her ideas for it was everything I was looking for in a project. Great writing, directing, acting, cinematography and the hottest sex scenes imaginable. I didn’t know something like this was possible.
Drive tackles some heavy subject matter – not what you’d normally expect in an adult film. Denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance – the five stages of grief as outlined by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross in her book On Death And Dying are explored in the film. There had to be some heavy moments as the story moved from script to performance.
This character is like nothing I’ve ever played before. Kayden, through dialogue and direction, was able to bring me to a place that was so dark, twisted and delicious that I found a new part of myself in this character. And working with Angela White was phenomenal. We really connected in the scenes in deep and emotional way. In this, we actually are one in the same, and it wouldn’t have worked if all three of us weren’t willing to get to the raw, deep gutted place. It was really powerful.
Maitland Ward in ‘Drive’
The trailer for the scene in Drive featuring yourself, Ivy Labelle and Manuel Ferrara shows the phrase “Find Your True Self.” That seems to tie in with your journey we’re talking about.
I’m telling you, I get the chills thinking about how this script mirrors so much of my own journey. Not only is it the type of project I’ve always dreamed of making, doing these scenes – and this deep sexual one in particular – really allowed me to express my sexual evolution. They were both fantastic to work with. It brought the scene to a really powerful place.
What was your favorite experience while working on Drive?
The powerful script. Being able to really explore and act in it. Taking it to a place and character depth that I never expected. And how awesome is it that three powerful, talented, kick ass women collaborated on this! Another reason why porn is better than mainstream.
Do you have a mental list of performers you’d like to eventually work with?
So many! Angela had been a top one I wanted to work with. Tori Black. Abigail Mac. Mick Blue. So many. I could go on and on.
We have to know – what music have you been listening to lately?
I listen to everything! Hardcore rap to alternative. I’m not a real country or metal kind of girl. I was just humming Lizzo. And I was listening before to The Rolling Stones.
2019 has been a monumental year for you and I can only imagine what you’ll accomplish in 2020. What’s next?
I have some really exciting things lined up and I’m open to any fun and exciting surprises. This film was the surprise of the year to me and I can’t wait to see how people react and receive it. I’m so proud to be a part of it. I really hope to do more features and scenes with good a plot and dialogue. I’ve been discovering that I’m more twisted than even I imagined. So I hope to walk down that path further in the coming year.
Thank you Maitland! What would you like to say to your fans to wrap things up?
My fans are the best! They are so engaged and vocally supportive. Some who have been with me since my first social media days and who have been champions and defenders along the way. Now I’m reaching a whole new audience and I’m just so grateful and humbled by the amount of love and support I’ve received. I promise to always give my best to them.
You can watch the trailer for Drive here.
Follow Maitland on Twitter, Instagram, Patreon and OnlyFans.
