Shannon Elizabeth Net Worth

What Is Shannon Elizabeth's Net Worth?

Shannon Elizabeth is an American actress and former fashion model who has a net worth of $5 million. Shannon Elizabeth rose to prominence with her breakthrough role as foreign exchange student Nadia in the 1999 teen comedy "American Pie," where her memorable scene instantly catapulted her to stardom and sex symbol status. This success led to roles in horror films like "Scary Movie" and "Thirteen Ghosts," as well as comedies including "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" and the sequel "American Pie 2."

Beyond acting, Elizabeth has demonstrated versatility throughout her career, becoming a recognized professional poker player who has competed in major tournaments, including the World Series of Poker. Her poker expertise led to hosting gigs and appearances on celebrity poker television shows, establishing her credibility in gaming circles.

Elizabeth has also built a substantial reputation as an animal rights activist, founding Animal Avengers (later renamed the Shannon Elizabeth Foundation), a non-profit animal rescue organization. Her conservation work expanded to South Africa, where she relocated part-time to focus on wildlife protection initiatives.

Her television appearances include competing on "Dancing with the Stars" in 2008, where she reached the sixth round, and participating in the first season of "Celebrity Big Brother" in 2018. Throughout her career, Elizabeth has successfully navigated the transition from 1990s sex symbol to respected activist, entrepreneur, and poker player, balancing entertainment work with her passionate advocacy for animals and wildlife conservation.

Early Life

Shannon Elizabeth was born Shannon Elizabeth Fadal on September 7, 1973, in Houston, Texas. She is of Lebanese-Syrian, Arab-Christian, German, English, and Irish ancestry. She is the cousin of New York-based TV host and relationship coach Tamsen Fadal. Shannon was raised in Waco, Texas, and graduated from Waco High School in 1991, where she was a member of the tennis team. At one point, Elizabeth considered turning tennis into a professional career. She worked as a model for Ford & Elite models before beginning her film career.

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Acting Career

Before her breakthrough, Elizabeth made her on-screen debut in the 1997 film "Jack Frost," where she was credited with the name she was born with. She then dropped the "Fadal" from her name. For the next few years, she took small roles in the films "Blast," "Blade Squad," "Seamless: Kidz Rule," and "Dying to Live."

Shannon made her breakthrough in 1999 after she played a voluptuous Czechoslovakian exchange student named Nadia in the teen comedy "American Pie." The film was an enormous box office success. The movie not only put Elizabeth on the map, but it also helped her establish herself as a sex symbol, securing appearances in "Playboy" and "Maxim" magazines. Her subsequent turns included such funny features as "Scary Movie" (2000), "Tom Cats" (2001), and "American Pie II" (2001), as well as the offbeat comedy "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back."

Apart from the above, Shannon has also appeared in horror movies like "Thirteen Ghosts" (2001) and "Cursed" (2005). She also starred in the UPN series "Cuts" until the show was canceled in May 2006. Elizabeth also had a recurring role on "That '70s Show" for a number of episodes. She also provided the likeness and voice for a character named Serena St. Germaine in the 2004 video game "James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing." Shannon was one of the celebrities on an episode of NBC's "Thank God You're Here" along with Tom Green, Chelsea Handler, and George Takei.

In its sixth season, Elizabeth partnered with Derek Hough on "Dancing with the Stars." She was the seventh star eliminated from the competition. In 2009, Shannon was the host of the comedy-burlesque series "Live Nude Comedy." In 2011, she was featured in Chris Brown's "Next to You" music video, playing his girlfriend. In 2018, she was a cast member of "Celebrity Big Brother" and finished in ninth place. In 2019, Shannon reprised her role as Justice in the "Jay and Silent Bob" reboot.

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Poker Earnings

In 2008, Shannon put her skills on display in the 2008 poker flick "Deal," as an accomplished poker player starring with Burt Reynolds. But it turns out Elizabeth loves to play poker when she is not working, and she even describes it as her second career. She is a common Las Vegas visitor, going to Sin City at least three times a month to play poker with some of the top players in the United States. In 2006, Shannon was called one of the top leading celebrity poker players. She scored 12 tournament cashes between 2006-2010.

In 2005, Elizabeth played in the Main Event of the 2005 World Series of Poker under the guidance of Daniel Negreanu. She won a special tournament celebrating the opening of a new poker room at Caesar's Palace in January 2006, beating out 83 celebs and poker professionals to win $55,000. Shannon also won four times in the World Series of Poker. In 2007, she advanced to the semi-finals of the NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship, beating out a field of top poker professionals before eventually losing to Paul Wasicka.

Shannon Elizabeth Foundation

Following her breakthrough success in Hollywood, Shannon Elizabeth channeled her passion for animal welfare into meaningful conservation work through her nonprofit organization. Originally established as Animal Avengers shortly after her "American Pie" fame, the charity evolved from focusing on domestic animals to addressing broader wildlife conservation challenges. In 2017, Elizabeth made a significant life change by relocating to South Africa to dedicate herself more fully to this mission, rebranding her organization as the Shannon Elizabeth Foundation. Speaking at Steel City Con in Pittsburgh in April 2025, the actress revealed the foundation's ambitious ongoing projects, including the development of a wildlife sanctuary. With particular pride, she discussed their care for a blind black rhino and plans for expansion to accommodate more endangered rhinos. This conservation work represents a profound personal evolution for Elizabeth, demonstrating how she transformed her platform from 1990s sex symbol status into a vehicle for environmental advocacy. The foundation's efforts highlight Elizabeth's commitment to wildlife protection and habitat preservation in Africa, establishing a legacy that extends well beyond her entertainment career.

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Personal Life

Elizabeth recorded a public service announcement after the attacks on September 11, 2001. In her message, she stated:  "I'm half Arab, but I am 100 percent American. What is going on affects me the same as everyone else."

Shannon was married to actor Joseph D. Reitman from 2002 to 2005.

She is an environmentalist and a vegan. Elizabeth and Reitman co-founded Animal Avengers, which is a non-profit animal rescue organization that aims to rescue and find homes for homeless pets, reduce the pet population, promote responsible pet ownership, and prevent animal cruelty and abuse. Among many fundraising events, Team Bodog raised over $50,000 for the charity in a celebrity poker night in October 2005. It was hosted by noted tournament director Matt Savage. The organization leads the 3D printing of prosthetic body parts for animals, including synthetic beaks for gooses.

Elizabeth also serves as the spokesperson for Farm Sanctuary's Adopt a Turkey program, which urges people to adopt a turkey instead of eating one for the holiday season. She uses her social media, in particular Instagram, to raise awareness about rhino poaching, among other causes involving the protection of animals.

Real Estate

In August 2001, Shannon paid $1.425 million for a home in LA's Los Feliz neighborhood. She first listed the home for sale in 2012 for $3 million, ultimately accepting $2.8 million in June 2014. She should have held on to the house because it sold in MArhc 2023 for nearly $6 million.

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