American Pie's Shannon Elizabeth left Hollywood for three years and started unconventional new career

Shannon Elizabeth was the focus of one of the most iconic scenes in American Pie, and yet she made more money on a second career than she did from her appearance in the film.

Elizabeth has made headlines again after revealing she was set to start an OnlyFans account, an announcement that came just days after she quietly filed for divorce from her husband Simon Borchert.

The actor has stated that American Pie changed her life but was only paid a ‘couple of thousand’ for her appearance. That shouldn’t come as a massive surprise to fans of the film series however, with Stifler actor Seann William Scott having been paid just $8,000 for his starring role.

Elizabeth however has made a whopping $250,000 from her second career, and even quit Hollywood for three years to move away from her home country of the United States.

Elizabeth became an incredibly successful professional poker player

Whilst the title is disputed, some believe Elizabeth to be one of the greatest celebrity poker players around, and she has walked away with $247,851 in prize money from official tournaments in her career as a poker player.

She made headlines when she appeared in the National Head’s Up Poker Championship, a former annual tournament that features celebrities alongside some of the best poker players around.

Shannon Elizabeth once won $125,000 in one tournament (Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images)

Elizabeth won $125,000 at the tournament, though her reaction was simply to state that she wishes she had gotten more.

Speaking to Michael Rosenbaum on the Inside of You podcast, she said: “I was so bummed though because I should have gone to the finals, I was so upset.”

The finals of the tournament would have given out $250,000 and $500,000 for first and second place. Elizabeth has stated in the past that her poker playing was in part a way for her to fund her charity work.

The American Pie actor moved to South Africa to launch a charitable foundation

Elizabeth's foundation focuses on conservation efforts in South Africa (Instagram)

Elizabeth moved in 2016 and did not appear in any projects for three years after this, instead launching the Shannon Elizabeth Foundation in 2018. This came 17 years after she launched a charity Animal Avengers in Los Angeles which rescued dogs and cats.

The foundation is focused on animal rights and conservation, stating in her mission statement as: “Over time, I realized the greatest threat facing animals was not just neglect at home, but extinction in the wild. Poaching, habitat loss, and the relentless illegal wildlife trade were pushing iconic species to the brink.

“In 2016, I moved to South Africa to answer a calling I could no longer ignore. Two years later, the Shannon Elizabeth Foundation was born—dedicated to protecting endangered species, preserving critical habitats, supporting rangers on the frontlines, and building lasting solutions for conservation.

Shannon Elizabeth still works occasionally as an actor, but stopped for 3 years to set up her foundation (Instagram)

“Our vision is clear: every life matters, and saving one can be the beginning of saving them all. With your support, we can protect wildlife, restore wild places, and build a future where nature and people thrive together.”

Elizabeth spoke to people about her new third career on OnlyFans, and stated she is still based in South Africa and dedicated to her conservation work. She said in a statement, per Page Six that it still ‘remains incredibly close to my heart’, but added: “This feels like the perfect moment to open up my world to the fans who have been with me throughout this journey. I’m so excited for this.”