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Shannon Elizabeth is an American actress, model and poker player, best known for films including American Pie, Scary Movie and Love Actually. [1] She has played poker since the early 2000s, finished runner-up on Celebrity Poker Showdown in 2004 and reached the Final Four of the 2007 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship, a run worth $125,000. [11][3] In recent years she has hosted the Rhino Rumble, a charity poker tournament in Las Vegas for the Shannon Elizabeth Foundation. [8][11]
Shannon Elizabeth: key facts
| Name | Shannon Elizabeth |
|---|---|
| Born | September 7, 1973, Houston, Texas [6] |
| Country | United States [1] |
| Known for | Nadia in American Pie; Scary Movie; Love Actually [1][10] |
| Largest cash | 3rd, 2007 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship, $125,000 [1][3] |
| WSOP bracelets | 0 [2] |
| Best result at the WSOP | 2nd, $5,000 Ante Up for Africa charity event, 2010, $80,737 [4] |
| Live tournament earnings | $247,851 as of October 10, 2026 [1] |
| Charity poker | Host of the Rhino Rumble for the Shannon Elizabeth Foundation (2024, 2026) [8][11] |
From Waco to American Pie
Elizabeth was born in Houston and went to high school in Waco, Texas, where she wanted to become a professional tennis player until a role in a music video filmed in her hometown led to a modeling career in New York. [6] Television work on shows such as Arli$$ followed, and her breakout came in 1999 as Nadia in American Pie. [6][10] She went on to appear in Scary Movie, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and Love Actually. [1][10] Her acting and poker careers met on screen in Deal, a poker film starring Burt Reynolds, and in The Grand, an improvised poker comedy with Jason Alexander, Woody Harrelson and Doyle Brunson. [6]
How she started playing poker
According to PokerListings, Elizabeth first played stud and draw games with her family in Texas. When she was introduced to Texas Hold’em in Hollywood she disliked it, because it offered no chance to discard and draw new cards. That changed in 2003, when she befriended the professionals Antonio Esfandiari and Phil Laak and began to learn the game from them, playing in Los Angeles home games and on television. [6] In a 2024 interview with PokerNews she talked about playing poker with the cast of That ’70s Show, about Celebrity Poker Showdown and about falling in love with the game. [10]
Her first television success was on Celebrity Poker Showdown, where she finished runner-up in 2004. [11] PokerListings reports that she later won the first Nicky Hilton New Year’s Eve Poker Tournament at Caesars Palace, outlasting 91 other celebrities and professionals, and finished sixth at the W Las Vegas Poker Invitational. In 2005 she entered the World Series of Poker Main Event, survived the first day and finished just short of the money. [6] By 2006 she was in Las Vegas several times a month. “Poker has become my second career,” she told PokerListings at the time. [6]
Poker results
Elizabeth has not won a WSOP bracelet. PokerNews, using Hendon Mob data, lists $247,851 in live tournament earnings as of October 10, 2026. [1][2] Her best documented results are below.
| Year | Event | Result | Prize | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship (64 players) | 3rd (Final Four) | $125,000 | [3][1] |
| 2010 | WSOP $5,000 Ante Up for Africa charity event (84 entries) | 2nd | $80,737 | [4] |
| 2007 | WSOP Event #25, $2,000 No-Limit Hold’em (1,619 entries) | 150th | $3,828 | [2] |
2007 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship
The largest result of her career came in the 64-player NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship in March 2007. On the way to the Final Four she beat Jeff Madsen and Barry Greenstein, whom Card Player described as heavy favorites, and then Humberto Brenes, when her king-ten held against his king-three. She was the first player to reach the Final Four. [3] In the semi-final against Paul Wasicka she built a chip lead of about five to one, but Wasicka won a key all-in pot with a straight on the river and eliminated her when his ace-king held against her six-five. Wasicka went on to win the title. [3] PokerNews lists her finish as third, for $125,000. [1]
2010 Ante Up for Africa
At the 2010 WSOP, Elizabeth finished second in the $5,000 Ante Up for Africa charity tournament at the Rio, which drew 84 entries and a prize pool of $408,240. She moved all in on the button with king-ten, Phil Gordon called with queen-three and paired his queen on the flop. Gordon took the $130,641 first prize and Elizabeth won $80,737. [4] Gordon donated all of his winnings. Elizabeth, who was the only Hollywood player to cash, said afterwards: “I wish the rest of my WSOP had gone the way this tournament went.” [5]
Sponsorships
Elizabeth played the 2006 WSOP as a sponsored representative of Full Tilt Poker, according to PokerListings. [6] In June 2010 PokerNews reported that CarbonPoker had signed her to represent the site in live tournaments, play online and write a blog. [7] Her PokerNews profile also lists MANSION Poker among her sponsors. [1]
The Rhino Rumble and the WSOP in 2024
On July 3, 2024, the Charity Series of Poker (CSOP) and Matt Stout held the first Rhino Rumble Championship at the Stirling Club in Las Vegas, with proceeds going to the Shannon Elizabeth Foundation, which began as a dog and cat rescue and now supports wildlife conservation. The buy-in was $300, with $100 rebuys and add-ons, and the winner received $5,000. [8]
Two days later she was part of Phil Hellmuth‘s themed entrance on Day 1c of the 2024 WSOP Main Event, dressed as one of his “karate apprentices” and taking a staged kick from Dan Cates. [9] During the same series she recorded an episode of the PokerNews Life Outside Poker show at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. [10] PokerNews also reported that she played the 2024 WSOP and the SunBet Poker Tour in South Africa. [11]
The Rhino Rumble did not take place in 2025 because of scheduling conflicts. The second edition was held on June 28, 2026 at the Stirling Club, in partnership with the CSOP, with Matt Savage as emcee and a No-Limit Hold’em tournament offering $5,000 in cash prizes. [11] PokerNews reported that the field included the Poker Hall of Famers Jennifer Harman, John Hennigan and Scotty Nguyen. [12] Before the event Elizabeth told PokerNews: “I do love the game.” She added that she hoped one day to shadow a professional for about a year: “Honestly, until I can shadow a poker player for maybe a year, I don’t see me getting better.” [11]
Video
Shannon Elizabeth on Life Outside Poker (PokerNews, 2024)
FAQ about Shannon Elizabeth
Does Shannon Elizabeth from American Pie play poker?
Yes. The actress who played Nadia in American Pie has played poker since the early 2000s and has $247,851 in live tournament earnings as of October 10, 2026. [11][1]
How old is Shannon Elizabeth?
She was born on September 7, 1973, in Houston, Texas, which makes her 53. [6]
What is Shannon Elizabeth’s net worth?
There is no reliable public figure for her net worth. What can be verified is her live tournament record: $247,851 in earnings as of October 10, 2026, according to PokerNews, which uses Hendon Mob data. [1]
What is Shannon Elizabeth’s biggest poker win?
Her largest cash is $125,000 for third place in the 2007 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship, where she beat Jeff Madsen, Barry Greenstein and Humberto Brenes before losing to the eventual winner, Paul Wasicka. [1][3]
Has Shannon Elizabeth won a WSOP bracelet?
No. Her closest finish at the World Series of Poker was second place in the 2010 Ante Up for Africa charity event, a $5,000 tournament won by Phil Gordon. [2][4]
Who taught Shannon Elizabeth to play poker?
She learned stud and draw with her family in Texas. According to PokerListings, she took up Texas Hold’em seriously in 2003 after befriending Antonio Esfandiari and Phil Laak. [6]
What is the Rhino Rumble poker tournament?
It is a charity poker tournament hosted by Elizabeth in Las Vegas for the Shannon Elizabeth Foundation, run with the Charity Series of Poker. The first edition was held in 2024 and the second on June 28, 2026. [8][11]
Sources
- PokerNews, Shannon Elizabeth player profile, accessed October 10, 2026.
- WSOP.com, Shannon Elizabeth player profile, accessed October 10, 2026.
- Card Player, Paul Wasicka Wins National Heads-Up Championship, March 5, 2007.
- PokerNews, 2010 World Series of Poker: $5,000 Ante Up For Africa live reporting, July 2010.
- PokerNews, 2010 World Series of Poker Day 37: Dan Kelly Wins First WSOP Bracelet and Phil Gordon Wins Ante up For Africa, July 4, 2010.
- PokerListings, Shannon Elizabeth player profile, accessed October 10, 2026.
- PokerNews, The Nightly Turbo: Shannon Elizabeth Signs with Carbon, June 30, 2010.
- PokerNews, Shannon Elizabeth Foundation to Host Charity Series of Poker Event in Las Vegas, June 30, 2024.
- PokerNews, Phil Hellmuth was Kung Fu Fighting in WSOP Main Event Grand Entrance, July 5, 2024.
- PokerNews, ‘American Pie’ Star Shannon Elizabeth Talks 25th Anniversary | Life Outside Poker #12, July 13, 2024.
- PokerNews, ‘American Pie’ Star Shannon Elizabeth is Bringing Her Wildlife Mission to Las Vegas, May 15, 2026.
- PokerNews, Find Out Which Poker Legends Turned Out For These Las Vegas Charity Events, July 7, 2026.
Last verified: October 10, 2026. Figures that change over time, such as career earnings, are given with the date they were checked.
