Courtney Stodden Sets the Record Straight About Playboy [INTERVIEW]
If you’ve never heard the name Courtney Stodden, you must not own a television, or have access to the internet, but you're reading this, so we're probably all on the same page.
Regardless, the now 18-year-old bride of ‘LOST’ actor Doug Hutchison made headlines nearly everywhere just a year and a half ago when she married the actor at the tender age of 16. And it wasn’t just her age that caught the public’s attention; in her teens, Courtney had the assets and appearance of a fully-grown woman. At the time of their wedding Hutchison was 51, which sparked stories from various media outlets calling him an irresponsible pervert, because of the 35-year age gap.
On her 18th birthday – Aug. 29 – Stodden was overrun with offers from adult entertainment companies to appear in their films, which brought her right back into the media spotlight. She declined them all, though many of the offers were for very large sums of money.
Aside from the occasional TV interview, provocative photo shoot, YouTube video, or gossip magazine, Stodden chooses to keep to her family. However, she was kind enough to spend a few minutes with us talking about her marriage, the highly publicized porn offers and to set the record straight regarding her recent snafu with Playboy Magazine.
First off, happy belated birthday.
Thank you!
We’re pretty sure you didn't celebrate your 18th birthday like the typical teen. What did you do?
Actually, you’re right. Usually on your 18th birthday you’d make sure to live it up by clubbing, partying, making it as memorable as possible. But for me, spent it on the DL with my new little pup and my hubby. Went out for a sweet little dinner later in the day, stopped off at the beach for a bit and then later came home. Simple. Just the way I like it.
How mellow. Speaking of your husband, when you first married Doug Hutchison, were you at all surprised by the amount of press it received & how quickly the various news and gossip outlets picked it up?
Well, I was surprised about it all to a point. I was shocked by how quickly it took storm, but completely understood why it went so internationally viral.
It seemed to happen overnight.
I know. It all went down so quickly!
Were you a fan of his before you met him?
Actually, I had never even heard of the man to tell you the truth. To put things into perspective for you, I was only 5 years old when ‘The Green Mile’ was made! [laughs]
How about now? Have you seen his work?
I have! I've seen 'I Am Sam', 'No Good Deed', 'The Punisher', 'The Green Mile', etc. To keep it short, I've come to realize what an incredibly talented person I married. He is not only a beautiful man, but also a brilliant actor!
So when the two of you hooked up, was age ever an issue for either of you?
Age was never an issue for the two of us, no. In fact, we always had to stop and remind ourselves how vast our age difference actually was.
It is rather big. But why do you think the two of your clicked so well despite your age gap?
We have so much in common with one another. We're both creative spirits, share the same aspirations and goals in life, remain open-minded about a lot of things, both Christian, and lastly…We appreciate and love one another.
What was the reaction of your family and friends in the beginning?
For the most part, my friends and family remained pretty supportive throughout this transition in my life. I thank God everyday for blessing me with a group of wonderful friends and amazing parents.
That’s great, but we know his mother found it hard to deal with. Has that relationship improved?
Well, unfortunately, Doug’s mother seems to still have reservations about the whole thing, which frankly, is fine with me. Although, if she ever comes around and desires a relationship with me I’ll be there.
So of course, when you turned 18, the media was paying attention. Do you think you received more press attention when you announced your marriage at 16 or when your 18th birthday was announced?
Well, I think they were pretty much a toss-up. My 18th birthday sure caught many people’s attention due to the ‘jailbait bride’ not being underage anymore, and how many adult film offers I received in just one day.
Actually, there were also rumors you were offered a chance to pose in Playboy but now they are denying it ever happened. Would you like to set the record straight?
Yes! Playboy hasn’t even seen any pictures of me in the buff yet. I’m in early conversation with them right now, so it’s all in the early stages. Nothing has been accepted nor denied at this time.
Interesting. But if they came back offering you a spread, would you pose?
You’ll have to stay tuned.
And since you mentioned it, with your birthday, several news outlets reported that the porn offers came flooding in. We’re sure they tossed a bunch of money at you, so how strongly did you really consider it?
I was flattered by all of the desire to have me involved with their films, but in all seriousness, I would never consider the offers, even though the money was substantial.
Really? That’s bold. We don’t know how much was offered, but was it hard to turn down however much money?
Not at all.
Can you state which companies approached you?
Oh yeah! Vivid, Brazzers, Twistys, Babes and a lot more.
Wow, that’s quite a few names we're going to pretend we've never heard of. So ultimately, what made your decision for you?
I follow my heart always.
But even though you’re not doing porn, you are undoubtedly a sex symbol today. We’re curious about your opinions of that industry and the people/performers in it?
There are so many talented and artistic artists on the scene right now who are making an impact on that industry in a positive way. I respect that.
Are you a fan of the adult industry?
Personally, I’m not too familiar with it.
So now that you’re 18 years old and the ‘jailbait bride’ era is over, what are your hopes for the future, career-wise?
My hopes are that I continue to make a difference in this world for the better. It’s so important for a celebrity to use their platform for something good and to make a positive impact on many lives.
You’ve been married for a little more than a year now? How is the marriage going?
Married life is sweet. We love one another, adore our pups and most of all, we give all of our appreciation to God for blessing us so richly.
Do you have anything new coming up that you can talk about?
Well, I have a lot of exciting things in the works that I can’t touch upon at this moment. But VH1’s ‘Couples Therapy’ airs October 3rd at 10PM. You won’t want to miss it!