Jordan Young (pornographic film actor)

BIlly Kemp
Born (1977-05-25) May 25, 1977
Montana, U.S.
Other nameJordan Young
Occupations
  • Actor
  • Model
  • Dancer
  • Television executive
  • Producer
  • Casting director
Years active1991–present
AgentPersons of Interest Productions

William "Billy" Kemp (born May 25, 1977) is an American actor, television executive, producer, and casting director.[1][2] After a prominent career in the adult entertainment industry during the 1990s as a performer, screenwriter, and producer under the professional pseudonym Jordan Young, Kemp successfully transitioned to mainstream Hollywood unscripted television.[3][4] Over a career spanning more than 25 years, he has served as a senior talent executive for major global production companies, including FremantleMedia and Banijay Studios, and is the co-founder of the casting and packaging agency Persons of Interest Productions.[3]

Early life and education

Kemp was born in Montana to a multiracial family; his mother is Korean and his father is Greek.[1] During his fourth-grade year, the family relocated to Wyoming so that his father could reside and work closer to his twin brother.[1] Kemp attended high school in Wyoming, where he participated in gymnastics and played football as a tailback.[1] Following his high school graduation, he relocated to Denver, Colorado, to attend college and lived with his brother.[1] While in Denver, Kemp worked as an exotic club dancer.[1]

Career

Discovery and modeling

Kemp's distinct multiracial aesthetic attracted talent scouts early in his youth, leading to commercial modeling opportunities for brands such as Calvin Klein and Banana Republic starting at age 14.[1]

While working in Denver, Kemp compiled a modeling portfolio and sent it to director John Rutherford at Falcon Studios.[1] Rutherford referred Kemp to a localized adult talent agent based in Denver, who subsequently introduced Kemp's materials to prominent adult film director Chi Chi LaRue.[5][1] LaRue recognized Kemp's screen presence and distinct look, noting a lack of representation for Asian and multiracial stars in the industry at the time, and orchestrated his relocation to Los Angeles, California. Upon moving to Los Angeles, Kemp briefly resided as LaRue's housemate.[1][6]

On-camera and creative credits

Kemp entered the adult film industry under the pseudonym Jordan Young.[1] He made his on-screen debut at age 18 in the 1994 production Strung Up, followed closely by a prominent appearance in Mustang's Nightwatch II.[1] During his active performing career, he modeled for numerous gay erotica and adult lifestyle magazines, and authored a monthly industry commentary column titled "New Kid on the Cock" for Skin Flicks magazine.[1] He was also featured in filmmaker Ronnie Larsen's documentary Shooting Porn, which explored the lives of adult industry performers and screened at the Berlin International Film Festival.[1][7]

Young quickly expanded his work behind the camera, focusing heavily on screenwriting and physical production.[1] Collaborating with LaRue and major studios such as Falcon and All Worlds Video, he penned several feature scripts, including The Taking of Jake (1997), Like Father, Like Son, and Hardcore (1997).[1] He achieved his first official producing credit on the feature Lost in Vegas, a production for which he also wrote the screenplay.[1] Young's contributions to the adult film industry earned him one Grabby Awards also a nomination as an award from Men in Video Awards and two nominations for the GayVN Awards.[8]

Mainstream and Early Unscripted Television work

In the early 2000s, Kemp decided to try the mainstream television so he left the adult film industry to pursue mainstream entertainment, reverting to his legal name, Billy Kemp.[3] He entered television production at the ground level, working initially as a researcher for daytime talk shows.[3] He steadily climbed the ranks of the unscripted television landscape, securing casting department leadership roles on several major 2000s reality, dating, and lifestyle formats, including ElimiDate (Syndication), Wife Swap (ABC), Temptation Island (FOX), and Nanny 911 (FOX).[3]

FremantleMedia North America

Kemp was appointed Vice President of Talent and Casting at FremantleMedia North America, a position he held for a decade.[3] In this executive capacity, he supervised the comprehensive casting architectures, specialized recruitment, and celebrity talent bookings for some of the highest-rated competition and game show formats on American television, including American Idol, America's Got Talent, The X Factor, The Price Is Right, Let's Make a Deal, and The Great Christmas Light Fight.[3]

During his tenure at Fremantle, Kemp also designed and implemented internalized talent-tracking databases to identify and groom emerging broadcast personalities.[3]

Banijay Studios North America

Kemp later joined Banijay Studios North America as the Vice President of Talent Development.[3] At Banijay, he managed the casting strategy across the studio's entire active programming slate while contributing directly to unscripted format development.[3] He created and sold the reality series What Happens at The Abbey (E!) and scouted public figures Teyana Taylor and Iman Shumpert.[3] This development led to the VH1 reality series Teyana & Iman, on which he served as an Executive Producer.[3] His portfolio at Banijay also included overseeing casting and development for Child Support (ABC), The Secret Life of Kids (USA), and Big Fan (ABC).[3]

Persons of Interest Productions

Kemp partnered with veteran television executive Katie Krim to co-found Persons of Interest Productions, a full-service Hollywood talent relations, celebrity booking, and casting agency.[9] Operating as an independent entity, Kemp and his agency develop unscripted formats and spearhead nationwide casting calls for major network programs, notably managing ongoing casting cycles for ABC's The Bachelor and The Bachelorette franchises.[3]

Personal life

He resides and works in the Los Angeles metropolitan area.[1] His personal interests include outdoor recreation, specifically hiking, which he has pursued alongside his early athletic background in gymnastics.[1]

During his time working in the adult film industry under his pseudonym, Kemp's high-profile personal relationships included dating fellow adult performers Tom Katt and Logan Reed.[1] He was also in a relationship with Sam Dixon, a former police officer who later transitioned into adult industry work.[1]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1994 Strung UpJordan Young
1995 Night Watch 2Jordan YoungDebut
1995 Butt Buddy BonanazaJordan Young
1995 Jim Steel's PickupJordan Young
1995 The Best of EduardoJordan Young
1995 Naked TruthJordan Young
1995 Pick UpJob Applicant
1995 Love MoneyJordan Young
1995 Point of ViewJordan Young
1995 Inches AwayJordan Young[10]
1995 Total Corruption 2: One Night In JailJordan Young[11]
1995 The Ryker FilesJordan
1995 Touched By an AnalJordan Young
1995 Fresh Buns 9Jordan Young
1996 Idol in the SkyCowboy[8]
1996 Rescue 69-11Jordan Young
1996 Dino Dreams OnJordan Young
1996 DaxJordan Young
1996 Men OnlyJordan Young
1996 Hung Riders 2: The Heat is OnHop Sing
1996 The Company We KeepJordan Young
1996 Driven: No Turning BackJordan Young
1996 White HotBlonde in Corvette
1996 AmbushJordan Young
1996 My Sister's HusbandBar Patron
1996 Chained DesiresJordan Young
1996 Lost in VegasJordan Young[12]
1996 Lip LockJordan Young
1997 Our TrespassesSeminarian
1997 Big As This Box 5Jordan Young
1997 Needy & Meaty 2Jordan Young
1997 Positions of Mine 69Jordan Young
1997 Beefeaters 2Jordan Young
1997 Hawaiian LeiJordan Young
1997 Hawaiian IllustratedJordan Young
1997 Hard CoreJake's boyfriend
1997 Initiation 2: Hell WeekJordan Young
1997 The FreshmenLate Jock[10]
1997 Tales from the Backlot 2Jordan Young
1997 Summer ReunionJordan Young
1998 Sticky BunsJordan Young
1999 Cockstar 3Jordan Young
1999 Ball GravyJordan Young
1999 Anal NitrateJordan Young
2002 The Backseat BoysJordan Young
2004 Bottom Boy Bonanza 2Jordan Young
2004 WidespreadJordan Young
2005 LaymenJordan Young
2005 Man TalkJordan Young
2006 The Best of Tom Chase 1Jordan Young
2011 Self-Sucking StudsJordan Young
2012 My Big Fucking Dick 12: Mike BransonJordan Young

Director

Year Title Role Notes
2002 Earth Guys Are EasyDirectoras Jordan Young

Producer

Year Title Role Notes
1995 Lost in VegasCo-producer (as Jordan Young)
1998–2008 Headliners & Legends with Matt LauerProducer
1999 DreamMakerAssociate Producer
2000 Lover or LoserAssociate Producer
2001 Who Knows the Band?Producer
2002 Temptation IslandCasting Producer[3]
2003 The Wade Robson ProjectProducer (pilot episode)
2003 Anything for LoveSegment Producer
2003 Girl Makes BandTalent Producer
2006 America's Got TalentTalent Producer[3]
2017 What Happens at The AbbeyExecutive Producer
2018 Teyana & ImanExecutive Producer[3]

Writer

Year Title Role Notes
1995 Fly Bi NightJordan Young
1995 Lost in VegasJordan Young
1996 Brother to BrotherJordan Young
1996 Street BoyzJordan Young
1996 Log JammerJordan Young
1997 HardcoreJordan Young
1997 Strip TeaseJordan Young
2000 EchoesJordan Young[13]
2001 The Missing LinkJordan Young
2002 Deep South: The Big and the Easy, Part 1Jordan Young
2002 Deep South: The Big and the Easy, Part 2Jordan Young
2017 What Happens at The AbbeyCreator / Writer
2018 Teyana & ImanStory Developer / Writer[3]

Casting director

Year Title Role Notes
2001 elimiDATECasting Director
2004 Next Action StarCasting Director
2004 How Clean Is Your House?Casting Director
2004 The Next Great ChampCasting Director
2004 DistractionCasting Director
2004 Wife SwapCasting Director
2004 Temptation IslandCasting Director[3]
2004 Nanny 911Casting Director[3]
2005 Property LadderCasting Director
2006 Love on the RocksCasting Director
2007 American InventorCasting Director
2007 Thank God You're HereCasting Director
2007–2008 TemptationCasting Director
2007–2008 America's Got TalentCasting Director / VP of Talent[3]
2008 Farmer Wants a WifeCasting Director
2008 Can You Duet?Casting Director
2008 Celebrity Family FeudCasting Director
2008 Million Dollar PasswordCasting Director
2002–2016 American IdolVP of Talent and Casting
2011–2013 The X FactorVP of Talent and Casting
— The Price Is RightVP of Talent and Casting
— Let's Make a DealVP of Talent and Casting
2013–2015 The Great Christmas Light FightVP of Talent and Casting
2017 What Happens at The AbbeyCreator / VP of Talent Development
2017 Big FanVP of Talent Development[3]
2018 Child SupportVP of Talent Development
2018 The Secret Life of KidsVP of Talent Development[3]
2018 Teyana & ImanExecutive Producer[3]
2020–present The BachelorCasting DirectorThrough Persons of Interest Productions
2020–present The BacheloretteCasting DirectorThrough Persons of Interest Productions

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result Ref
1997Adult Video NewsMen in Video Awards MostCuddly StudWon[8]
2001GayVN AwardsBest ScreenplayEchoesNominated[14]
Grabby AwardsWon[14]
2003GayVN AwardsDeep South: The Big and the Easy, Part 1 & Deep South: The Big and the Easy, Part 2Nominated[14]
Grabby AwardsNominated[14]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 HX Magazine. Two Queens, Inc. 1997. p. 39.
  2. ↑ "Showcase" Male Video Review Vol. 2 No. 4. MagCorp. 1996. p. 10.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 "Team". Person of Interest Productions. March 22, 2026.
  4. ↑ A View from the Bottom: Asian American Masculinity and Sexual Representation. University of California. 2008. p. 229.
  5. ↑ "Scatter Shots" Manshots Vol. 9 No. 3. FirstHand, Ltd. 1996. p. 4.
  6. ↑ "Manshots Picks" Manshots Vol. 9 No. 2. FirstHand, Ltd. 1996. p. 21.
  7. ↑ SkinFlicks Interview. MagCorp. 1997. p. 49.
  8. 1 2 3 "Manshots Picks: Idol in the Sky" Manshots Vol. 9 No. 7. FirstHand, Ltd. 1997. p. 59.
  9. ↑ "About". Person of Interest Productions. February 10, 2026.
  10. 1 2 "Jordan Young". Falcon Studios. June 2, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Manshots Picks: Total Corruption 2" Manshots Vol. 9 No. 1. FirstHand, Ltd. 1996. p. 59.
  12. ↑ "Manshots Picks: Lost in Vegas" Manshots Vol. 9 No. 3. FirstHand, Ltd. 1996. p. 41.
  13. ↑ Queer Horror: A Film Guide. McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers. 2024. p. 120.
  14. 1 2 3 4 The Best of Gay Adult Video. Champion Press. 2003. p. 81.
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