Nina Mercedez is an American pornographic actress. Born in Corpus Christi, Texas, Mercedez' family background is a combination of Italian and Mexican. She claims she was neither popular nor attractive as a teenager; she appeared on a segment of The Jenny Jones Show titled "From Geek To Chic" contrasting her "then and now" appearance. She dropped out of school and worked a variety of jobs, including Denny's, OfficeMax, and Barnes & Noble. She later became a bartender and worked as a Budweiser swimsuit model and Tejano calendar girl. Answering an ad in the newspaper, she began stripping at a club called Heartbreakers. After a few years working as a dancer, she was photographed for the June 2000 issue of Penthouse. Around this time, she also began entering nude pageants. She won "Miss Nude North America" and "Miss Nude International" in 2001, "Exotic Dancer/Entertainer of the Year" in 2002, and "Miss Nude Universe" in 2003. She also has been named for two F.A.M.E. Award for best breasts and best body. Mercedez worked exclusively for Vivid from the start of her video career but in early 2006 she left them. She then set up her own production company Heartbreaker Films which is distributed by LFP Video Group. Mercedez has been seen in major adult magazines like Penthouse (June 2000), Hustler Honeys (August 2004 and Holiday issue 2003 centerfolds), Club International (December 2003 cover), Fox (holiday 2003 cover and centerfold), Club (November 2003 centerfold) and on the covers of Busty, Gent, D-Cup, Playtime, Xcitement, Exotic Dancer Directory and AVN magazine (May 2003). She has done mainstream appearances on The Anna Nicole Show, Pony shoes Model, a regular in Muscular Development magazine including a cover in the May 2003 issue with a 20 page spread, magazine appearances in Men's Fitness, King, Blender and The New York Times. Mercedez has her line of products, a mold of her vagina and buttocks put out by Doc Johnson along with her own line of dildos. Mercedez appeared in the Vivid comic on vividcomix.com. She also is co-author of the hit book How to Have a XXX Sex Life. She met industry marketing executive Raymond Balboa during her Vivid contract days, as of June 2008 they are husband and wife.