Shannon Elizabeth defined the early 2000s. The beloved Y2K it girl starred in a string of hit films before stepping away from Hollywood to live a completely different life.
The actress, who appeared in the American Pie series, broke into the entertainment business when she was 26. Decades later, Shannon is a multimillionaire working in a different version of the industry.
Keep reading to learn more about Shannon's life since she was an it girl of the early 2000s.
© Getty ImagesJason Biggs, Tara Reid, Seann William Scott and Shannon Elizabeth pose together at the Deauville Film Festival
Shannon Elizabeth's life after Y2K fame
Shannon portrayed Czech foreign exchange student Nadia in American Pie (1999) and skyrocketed to fame in Hollywood. After the hit comedy, Shannon starred in films like Scary Movie (2000), Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001), and Tomcats (2001).
The actress was regularly featured in magazines during the early 2000s and was even a Maxim cover girl in 2008. Outside of acting, Shannon voiced Serena St. Germaine in the 2004 video game James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing.
© Getty ImagesShannon Elizabeth at the GQ / Calvin Klein Celebrity Poker Tournament benefiting Peace Games
Shannon Elizabeth's surprising career pivot
In 2006, seven years after American Pie's premiere, Shannon launched her career as a professional poker player. A year later, she won $125,000 for finishing third in the 2007 NBC National Heads-Up Championship.
Since then, Shannon has used her poker skills to host and participate in charity events, supporting the Shannon Elizabeth Foundation and wildlife conservation efforts in South Africa, where she lived with her ex-husband Simon Borchert.
© Getty ImagesShannon Elizabeth at the Universal City premiere of "The Mummy", May 1999.
How Shannon Elizabeth became a multimillionaire
In August 2026, Shannon revealed that she was a multimillionaire. And she became so in a very unique way. The actress joined OnlyFans in April, made her first $1 million in just nine days and has since earned millions, eclipsing the money she received for some of the biggest movies of her career.
"For the last ten years I've been living off of my savings for the most part because I haven't been as focused on work," she explained to Variety at the time. "To be able to get myself back to the point where I'm not struggling and am able to choose projects because I like them and not because I need the money – it's definitely giving me more freedom to do that."
© Getty ImagesShannon Elizabeth and her dog Peanut at the 19th Annual Savannah Film Festival presented by SCAD
Shannon's love of activism
The actress uses her fame and wealth for good. She is a vegan and an environmentalist and founded Animal Avengers, a non-profit animal rescue organization. For years, Shannon served as the spokesperson for Farm Sanctuary's Adopt a Turkey program, urging people to adopt a turkey instead of eating one for Thanksgiving.
© Getty ImagesSimon Borchert and Shannon Elizabeth at the 33rd Annual EMA Awards Gala in Los Angeles
Inside Shannon's love life
Shannon was married to actor Joseph D. Reitman for three years, before divorcing in 2005. The actress enjoyed her single life for 16 years before marrying her second husband Simon in 2021. The couple met in 2015 and bonded over their shared passion for animals.
But, in 2026, after just five years of marriage, Shannon filed for divorce just after she went public with her OnlyFans account.
