Together with Lukas Ridgeston, Johan Paulik is one of Bel Ami’s most enduring and popular stars. He retired from modeling in 2004 — although he does still turn up periodically in our documentaries as a cameraman — and yet his fame endures. In 2000, he and Lukas were inducted into the GAYVN Awards Hall of Fame in Los Angeles. It is something of a mystery to George Duroy — and to Johan himself! — as to how Johan became one of the world’s most recognizable porn models. Magazines all over the world have attempted to explain his appeal. George feels it has to do with the fact that Johan is a bright, witty and very charming guy from a solid middle-class family. He was brought up well and never lost a genuine empathy and curiosity about people and the world around him. Early in Johan’s career, he shot several photo sets and softcore films for Pride Video in England. He continues to be embarrassed at how the company has rather shamelessly repackaged those pictures and films over and over again. He feels they are deceiving their customers, but the upside is that he became a household name (among gay men) in the U.K. as a result. From the beginning — and we mean that literally, as he was part of the company from day one — Johan worked as a production assistant and all-around handyman, and today he is an important part of the Bel Ami family. He creates and edits the website Johan’s Journals and is very happy to remain behind the scenes.