Hyapatia Lee Interview

I recently was able to secure a brief interview with Hyapatia Lee.  Hyapatia is a porn starlet from the 80’s and is considered one of the most important adult film actresses from the golden age of porn.  She is known for her Native American heritage and is one of the most uniquely beautiful women to ever perform in hardcore adult films.  Several years ago she walked away from the the business that made her famous and settled down in the Midwest.  In the interview we discuss her early life, her marriage to porn actor and director Bud Lee, and her life as it is today.

Where were you born?

I was born on the west side of Indianapolis, Indiana.

I read that your mother was very young when she gave birth to you and that you were raised by your grandmother. What was your home life like early on?

I grew up with only my grandmother in the house. My mom was a big fan of race car drivers (I grew up next to Speedway, Indy 500, ya know) and she followed them around on the road. My grandmother was very close to her sister and we went over to her house often.

Where did you live?

I lived in Indianapolis until my mother got married and I moved with my step-father, half brother and mother to Cape Coral Florida where I was in a drum and bugle corps.

Hyapatia Lee High School Graduation

How many siblings do you have?

I have no complete siblings, only half brothers and a half sister.

What were you like as a young child?

As a young child I was shy with others, but loved being on stage. I did my first solo tap dance at the age of 4. One of those dance recitals, you know. I studied ballet and tap first, gymnastics for a short time, and then jazz or modern dance.

I also read that your grandmother was full-blood Cherokee. Was your mother or father full-blooded Cherokee as well?

My father is half Cherokee and half Irish. Mom is full blood.

Which makes you…

That makes me 75% Cherokee, 1/4 Irish.

I read that you eventually lived with your mother and stepfather and that your stepfather was abusive. What exactly happened and how has that affected your life?

As far as my step fathers abuse and how it affected me, that would take a book to answer. As a matter of fact, I have written it. but in a nut shell, it affected me just like psychiatry says it does. One feels dirty and that one is only good for sex.

How long did you live with your mother and stepfather and where did you move to immediately after?

I moved to Indianapolis to live with my grandmother again after having spent 5 years with my biological mother.

Hyapatia Lee Photo Shoot

Where was your biological father? Did you have a relationship with him?

My biological father was in Indianapolis although I did not know him. I had to look his name up in a phone book not knowing if he still lived in Indy or not. We do not have a relationship.

Describe your teenage years. What type of a person were you?  What were your interests?

In my teenage years I was a theater nut, I did 72 different plays and musicals in 3 years. I was always in two or three things at once. I did all my acting in local community theater and some in my high school.

How old were you when you lost your virginity?

I lost my virginity at 16 to a guy I was acting opposite of in a musical.

Did you experiment with drugs?

I did not experiment with drugs. I was an overachiever, a straight A student.

Where did you go to high school and did you graduate?

George Washington high school, yes I graduated, in 3 years. I got all the credits I needed and they gave me a diploma. I did not have to go my senior year at all.

Did you go to college and if so where? Did you graduate?

I took singing, ballet, tap, jazz, modern dance at Butler University. That is the extent of my college education.

How did you first become involved in the adult entertainment industry?

I started dancing, stripping, in a local club with a girl I had worked with in theater.

How old were you at the time?

19.

What factors in your life do you feel lead you to the adult business?

I got raped 2 months after moving out of my grandmothers house. I lived next to a theater and a man broke into my apartment while I was sleeping. From there I went to a mental patient half-way house and into lots of therapy and therapeutic drugs. I have split personalities which intensified during this time as a result of what happened and a new personality was born – Hyapatia.

Bud Lee, Hyapatia's ex- husband

How did you meet Bud Lee and when did you marry him?

Through my therapist. We went on the road together as a feature stripper and were introduced to magazine work via the Miss Nude Galaxy contest, which I won, twice. From there it was an easy step to the movies.

I read that he took your last name “Lee” following Cherokee tradition. Is this true?

Yes he took my last name.

What were some of the adult magazines you posed for?

I was in every men’s magazine on the market at least once. Including Playboy and Penthouse.

You performed in a lot of girl-girl scenes. Are you truly bi-sexual in your personal life?

I am not bi, never have been in a relationship with a woman or whatever, but my mother is.

How many children did you and Bud Lee have together?

We had 2 children, both boys.

Why did you get divorced from Bud?

We got divorced for the same reasons any couple gets divorced, we fell out of love… and into hate.

Was he abusive?

Yes Bud was abusive. He still owes me over $20,000 in back child support.

So what is your relationship with Bud like now?

We remain friendly to each other only out of necessity.

Was he ever supportive you and your children? Is he actively involved in his children’s lives?

He was not supportive while they were growing up, but he did pay for the oldest’s college education.

Why did you quit performing in adult films? What factors lead to your retirement?

I got out because of AIDS and companies no longer being willing to work with condoms.

I read that you “faked your own death” in 1998. Is this true or just Internet rumor? If it is true why did you do it?

I closed my fan club because I was tired of answering letters for free which lead to the whole “faked her own death thing.”

The Secret Lives of Hyapatia Lee

I heard that you are also a musician and have performed as the lead singer in a couple of rock bands. Please tell us more about your musical career.

My music career with my band took me all over America, and we released a CD. Before that, I had done a record with a country music record company, SRO. It was fun, but exhausting. I could make far more money dancing for a lot less effort.

Tell us about your book. What parts of your life does it focus on? What can readers expect when purchasing the book?

The book was written with the help of my journals, 12 in all, that I kept through the years. That is the only way I could keep it all straight and remember what I was supposed to be doing.

Where do you live now?

I live in Indiana.

What is your life like today?

I lead a normal life, I suppose. Except for my multiple personality thing.

Do you work or stay at home with the kids?

Now I am a stay at home mom. I have a 7 year old I home-school. I home-schooled my other two also. My oldest was valedictorian when he finally went to public school. He is going to graduate UCLA this year as a physics major.

What are your interests, activities and hobbies?

I do a lot of theater and garden a lot.

How can your fans stay in touch with you?

Fans can reach me at myspace (http://www.myspace.com/hyapatialee1) or at hyapatialee@gmail.com. They can purchase my music and book there. I bill through Paypal.

Thank you for the interview.

Hyapatia Lee Recent Photo

Hyapatia Lee

Hyapatia Lee High School Graduation

Hyapatia Lee Recent Photo

Hyapatia Lee Magazine Cover

The Secret Lives of Hyapatia Lee

Bud Lee, Hyapatia’s ex-husband

Hyapatia Lee Photo Shoot