Canadian porn star August Ames has died aged 23, her husband has confirmed.

Her husband, director Kevin Moore, released a statement confirming the sad news, saying: “She was the kindest person I ever knew and she meant the world to me.

“Please leave this as a private family matter in this difficult time.”

Who was August Ames?

Ames was born Mercedes Grabowski in Nova Scotia and worked in a bar before she joined the adult film industry in 2013.

(Image: Twitter)

Since she began performing on camera in 2013, Ames has appeared in more than 200 films.

Her career kicked off in 2013 and she became one of the most popular porn stars on the internet.

This December, her videos on Pornhub had amassed more than 425 million views, making her the 9th most popular star on the site.

Was she controversial?

(Image: Twitter)

Friends of the star, who had appeared in more than 270 X-rated movies, said she had suffered from long-term depression and may have taken her own life.

Days earlier, she had found herself embroiled in a social media row after she said she had reservations about working with a porn star who had previously appeared in gay porn.

On December 3 she wrote: "Whichever (lady) performer is replacing me tomorrow... you’re shooting with a guy who has shot gay porn, just to let cha know. BS is all I can say Do agents really not care about who they’re representing?"

When a Twitter user wrote to her saying, "So you're homophobic?" she replied: "NOT homophobic. Most girls don’t shoot with guys who have shot gay porn, for safety.

"That’s just how it is with me. I’m not putting my body at risk, i don’t know what they do in their private lives."

(Image: Twitter)

A day later she replied to another Twitter user saying she wasn't going to apologise for her previous tweets.

"I don’t have anything to apologize for! Apologizing for taking extra steps to ensue that my body stays safe?

"F**k you guys attacking me when none of my intentions were malicious. I f**king love the gay community! What the f**k ever! I CHOOSE who I have inside my body. No hate."

One of her last tweets, posted on December 4, simply read: "F**k y'all."

What happened to her?

The Ventura County Medical Examiner confirmed to The Blast that August - real name Mercedes Grabowski - died of asphyxiation due to hanging.

Cops said she was pronounced dead at the scene and there was no indication of foul play, suggestion it was either suicide or misadventure.

Her devastated husband Kevin Moore said: “She was the kindest person I ever knew and she meant the world to me.

“Please leave this as a private family matter in this difficult time.”

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