# Brent Corrigan
**Brent Corrigan** is the stage name of **Sean Paul Lockhart** (born 1986, [Lewiston, Idaho](https://www.edgepedia.org/lewiston-idaho)), an American actor, director, and producer who began his career as a performer in gay pornographic films and later moved into independent mainstream cinema, appearing in *[Milk](https://www.edgepedia.org/milk-2008-american-film)* (2008), *Judas Kiss* (2011), and *Triple Crossed* (2013).[1](https://entertainment.ie/person/brent-corrigan/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1851320/) His early career, his dispute over his screen name, and the 2007 murder of his first producer became the subject of the 2016 film *King Cobra*.[3](https://www.them.us/story/brent-corrigan-massive-seizure-life-support)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Real name | Sean Paul Lockhart, born 1986 in Lewiston, Idaho[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1851320/) |
| Adult film debut | *Every Poolboy's Dream* (2004), made at age 17 for Cobra Video, followed by seven more Cobra films[1](https://entertainment.ie/person/brent-corrigan/) |
| Underage controversy | He altered his license and birth certificate to appear 18; the films were pulled from distribution after disclosure[3](https://www.them.us/story/brent-corrigan-massive-seizure-life-support) • [4](https://www.outinperth.com/brent-on-success/) |
| Bryan Kocis murder | Cobra Video's founder was found stabbed 28 times with his throat cut in January 2007; Harlow Cuadra and Joseph Kerekes received life sentences[1](https://entertainment.ie/person/brent-corrigan/) |
| Mainstream credits | *Milk* (2008), *The Big Gay Musical* (2009), *Judas Kiss* (2011), *Chillerama* (2011), *Triple Crossed* (2013, as director)[3](https://www.them.us/story/brent-corrigan-massive-seizure-life-support) • [5](https://filmow.com/brent-corrigan-a170879/filmografia/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1851320/) |
| Awards | GayVN Best Pro/Am Film for *Summit* (2008) and GayVN Web Performer of the Year (2010); Grabby Lifetime Achievement Award (2017)[6](https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/models/brent-corrigan-net-worth/) • [7](https://www.xbiz.com/news/220475/falcon-studios-wins-big-at-grabby-awards) |
| Health | Hospitalized after a massive seizure on February 17, 2023, placed on life support, and released in July 2023 after a long recovery[8](https://www.queerty.com/boy-do-i-have-an-important-life-update-to-share-brent-corrigan-reveals-why-hes-been-off-social-media-for-two-years-20251029/) |
## Early career with Cobra Video
Lockhart entered the adult film industry at 17, appearing in his first film, *Every Poolboy's Dream* (2004), for Cobra Video and featuring in seven more films for the studio.[1](https://entertainment.ie/person/brent-corrigan/) Cobra Video, founded by [Bryan Kocis](https://www.edgepedia.org/bryan-kocis), was known for its twink-themed films, and Corrigan became one of its central performers.[8](https://www.queerty.com/boy-do-i-have-an-important-life-update-to-share-brent-corrigan-reveals-why-hes-been-off-social-media-for-two-years-20251029/) In most of his adult work he used the name Brent Corrigan, with the exceptions of *The Velvet Mafia* parts 1 and 2 and *Best of Roman Heart*, where he appeared as Fox Ryder.[9](https://tv.apple.com/ca/person/brent-corrigan/umc.cpc.1xcac04z9nz4mqjv0fj3dmfvh)
The stage name itself was chosen by chance. His producer pulled out a magazine with the performer [Brent Everett](https://www.edgepedia.org/brent-everett) on the cover and suggested "Brent"; Lockhart then took "Corrigan" from a phone book, wanting a surname consistent with his Scots-Irish heritage.[10](https://www.adultfyi.com/the-gay-industrys-traci-lords-brent-corrigan-the-underage-work-was-wrong-altogether/)
## Underage disclosure and the name dispute
After turning 18, Corrigan publicly disclosed that he had been underage when his first films were made; he had altered his license and birth certificate to appear to be 18.[3](https://www.them.us/story/brent-corrigan-massive-seizure-life-support) In a later interview he called the underage work "wrong altogether" and said he remained apologetic about the decision he made as a 17-year-old.[10](https://www.adultfyi.com/the-gay-industrys-traci-lords-brent-corrigan-the-underage-work-was-wrong-altogether/) The distributor voluntarily pulled all of his early films from distribution.[4](https://www.outinperth.com/brent-on-success/) The Association of Sites Advocating Child Protection, alerted in September 2005, informed the industry, and all titles and promotional materials were removed from circulation both online and offline.[11](https://www.xbiz.com/news/106572/industry-debates-lucas-corrigan-war-of-words)
The disclosure led to a second dispute: Bryan Phillips, also known as Bryan Charles Kocis, of Cobra Video, claimed the screen name "Brent Corrigan" and sued Lockhart for copyright infringement, cyber-squatting, and breach of contract after Lockhart launched the website BrentCorriganOnline.com.[1](https://entertainment.ie/person/brent-corrigan/) According to Corrigan's own account, he threatened to reveal his age unless Kocis released him from his contract and gave him the rights to the name.[12](https://www.hughryan.org/recent-work/2016/12/14/we-talked-to-christian-slater-about-gay-porn-man-crushes-and-king-cobra)
## The Kocis murder
In January 2007, before the lawsuit could reach a judge, Kocis was found stabbed 28 times, with his throat cut and nearly decapitated, and his home was set on fire to conceal evidence.[1](https://entertainment.ie/person/brent-corrigan/) Two producers, Harlow Cuadra and Joseph Kerekes, appear to have killed Kocis to free Lockhart from his contract so he could work for other producers under the name Brent Corrigan.[1](https://entertainment.ie/person/brent-corrigan/) Lockhart was never accused of conspiring with them, cooperated with authorities, and testified at the trial of one of the men, speaking for about 40 minutes before a court recess.[1](https://entertainment.ie/person/brent-corrigan/) • [10](https://www.adultfyi.com/the-gay-industrys-traci-lords-brent-corrigan-the-underage-work-was-wrong-altogether/) Cuadra and Kerekes were both given life sentences.[1](https://entertainment.ie/person/brent-corrigan/)
## Mainstream and independent film
From 2008 Corrigan built a parallel career in independent and mainstream film. He appeared in [Gus Van Sant](https://www.edgepedia.org/gus-van-sant)'s Harvey Milk biopic *Milk* (2008), starred in his second musical, *The Big Gay Musical* (2009), and the comedy *Sister Mary* (2011), played a lead in *Judas Kiss* (2011), and sang four songs as "Ricky" in the *Chillerama* segment "I Was a Teenage Werebear".[3](https://www.them.us/story/brent-corrigan-massive-seizure-life-support) • [5](https://filmow.com/brent-corrigan-a170879/filmografia/) He directed *Triple Crossed* (2013) and produced and starred in *Truth*, his first top-billed mainstream project under his real name.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1851320/) • [13](https://www.gaycalgary.com/magazine.aspx?article=3342&id=112) In 2008 he launched his own production company, debuting as a director with films including *Summit* (2008), *Brent Corrigan's Big Easy* (2009), and *Brent Corrigan's Heat* (2010).[5](https://filmow.com/brent-corrigan-a170879/filmografia/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1851320/)
He announced in November 2011 that he did not intend to return to adult film, saying he wanted a foothold in mainstream work first, and by 2013 described himself as transitional, still touring and maintaining his website while directing his first mainstream project.[13](https://www.gaycalgary.com/magazine.aspx?article=3342&id=112) He later returned selectively: in 2017, as a Falcon Studios exclusive, he received the Grabby Lifetime Achievement Award, an honor a representative said had been bestowed on only six industry figures in the previous 18 years, with Corrigan only the second performer to receive it.[7](https://www.xbiz.com/news/220475/falcon-studios-wins-big-at-grabby-awards) In 2022 he said he was not likely to return to studio work and had walked off a project with Falcon Studios.[3](https://www.them.us/story/brent-corrigan-massive-seizure-life-support)
## King Cobra and public image
The beginnings of Corrigan's career were dramatized in Justin Kelly's *King Cobra* (2016), with [Garrett Clayton](https://www.edgepedia.org/garrett-clayton) as Corrigan and [Christian Slater](https://www.edgepedia.org/christian-slater) as Kocis, renamed Stephen in the film; [James Franco](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-franco) also starred.[3](https://www.them.us/story/brent-corrigan-massive-seizure-life-support) Corrigan sat out the premiere and criticized the film, calling it "Hollywood's attempt at bastardizing my early years in porn".[3](https://www.them.us/story/brent-corrigan-massive-seizure-life-support) • [14](https://www.queerty.com/5-lives-sean-paul-lockhart-aka-brent-corrigan-20160722/) His 2009 confrontation with performer and director Michael Lucas at a GAYVN Awards afterparty, in which Lucas denounced Corrigan's past as an underage model, drew wide industry debate.[11](https://www.xbiz.com/news/106572/industry-debates-lucas-corrigan-war-of-words) A 2021 academic study of gay-for-pay career longevity cited his industry savvy and connection with gay culture as reasons his relevance outlasted the typical trajectory of performers in his category.[15](https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12119-021-09897-8.pdf)
## Health and later life
After more than two years away from social media, Corrigan revealed in October 2025 that he had been hospitalized following a massive seizure on February 17, 2023, placed on life support, and initially showing no registrable brain activity; he was released in July 2023 and had to relearn walking, eating, and other daily activities.[8](https://www.queerty.com/boy-do-i-have-an-important-life-update-to-share-brent-corrigan-reveals-why-hes-been-off-social-media-for-two-years-20251029/) In 2026 he responded to online comments about his appearance by identifying himself as a traumatic brain injury survivor, noting that March is TBI Month and describing his ongoing recovery.[16](https://www.outinperth.com/brent-corrigan-raises-awareness-about-traumatic-brain-injuries/)
## References
1. [Brent Corrigan – About, Entertainment.ie](https://entertainment.ie/person/brent-corrigan/)
2. [Sean Paul Lockhart – IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1851320/)
3. [Adult Film Star Brent Corrigan Opens Up About "Massive Seizure" and 3-Year Absence, Them](https://www.them.us/story/brent-corrigan-massive-seizure-life-support)
4. [Brent on Success, OUTinPerth](https://www.outinperth.com/brent-on-success/)
5. [Filmografia de Brent Corrigan, Filmow](https://filmow.com/brent-corrigan-a170879/filmografia/)
6. [Brent Corrigan Net Worth, Celebrity Net Worth](https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/models/brent-corrigan-net-worth/)
7. [Falcon Studios Wins Big at Grabby Awards, XBIZ](https://www.xbiz.com/news/220475/falcon-studios-wins-big-at-grabby-awards)
8. [Brent Corrigan reveals why he's been off social media for two years, Queerty](https://www.queerty.com/boy-do-i-have-an-important-life-update-to-share-brent-corrigan-reveals-why-hes-been-off-social-media-for-two-years-20251029/)
9. [Brent Corrigan Movies and Shows, Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/ca/person/brent-corrigan/umc.cpc.1xcac04z9nz4mqjv0fj3dmfvh)
10. [The Gay Industry's Traci Lords, Brent Corrigan, Adult FYI](https://www.adultfyi.com/the-gay-industrys-traci-lords-brent-corrigan-the-underage-work-was-wrong-altogether/)
11. [Industry Debates Lucas, Corrigan War of Words, XBIZ](https://www.xbiz.com/news/106572/industry-debates-lucas-corrigan-war-of-words)
12. [We Talked to Christian Slater About Gay Porn, Man-Crushes, and 'King Cobra', Hugh Ryan](https://www.hughryan.org/recent-work/2016/12/14/we-talked-to-christian-slater-about-gay-porn-man-crushes-and-king-cobra)
13. [VIDEO INTERVIEW – Brent Corrigan, GayCalgary Magazine](https://www.gaycalgary.com/magazine.aspx?article=3342&id=112)
14. [The 5 Lives Of Sean Paul Lockhart, AKA Brent Corrigan, Queerty](https://www.queerty.com/5-lives-sean-paul-lockhart-aka-brent-corrigan-20160722/)
15. [Going Bareback: Time and Aging in a Gay-for-Pay Porn Career, Sexualities](https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12119-021-09897-8.pdf)
16. [Brent Corrigan raises awareness about traumatic brain injuries, OUTinPerth](https://www.outinperth.com/brent-corrigan-raises-awareness-about-traumatic-brain-injuries/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Adult and pornographic film performers › American adult film performers, video era › Surnames A to K*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license