Shannon Elizabeth is proving that her biggest payday didn’t come from Hollywood.
The American Pie star, 52, has revealed that she made her first $1 million just nine days after joining OnlyFans in April, giving her a major financial boost after years of relatively little acting work.
Elizabeth told Variety that her earnings from the subscription-based platform have already surpassed what she made from some of her biggest movies, including American Pie, Love Actually, Scary Movie and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.
From Living Off Savings to Financial Freedom
Before launching her OnlyFans page, Elizabeth said she had largely been relying on her savings. Her acting career had slowed considerably, with her last regular television work dating back to 2013 and only a handful of low-budget streaming movies over the following decade.
She did return to the big screen for 2019’s Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, but otherwise had stepped away from the Hollywood grind.
Much of that time was spent in South Africa, where Elizabeth focused on her passion for wildlife conservation rather than chasing acting roles.
“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.
Now, she says the unexpected financial success has given her the ability to be more selective about her career.
Being financially comfortable enough to choose projects because she genuinely wants to do them, rather than because she needs the paycheck, has given her a new sense of freedom.
She’s Still Figuring Out Her Boundaries
While OnlyFans is known for adult content, Elizabeth says she isn’t currently sharing nude or sexually explicit material on her page.
That doesn’t necessarily mean those boundaries are permanent.
“I do all kinds of content, but I don’t even know what my boundaries will be,” she said, explaining that she’s still figuring out what she’s comfortable posting.
Elizabeth added that she plans to explore the platform further and may become more willing to push those limits as she gets accustomed to the experience.
Elizabeth Joins a Growing List of Celebrity Earners
With her reported earnings, Elizabeth has quickly become one of the highest-earning actresses to use OnlyFans.
My Name Is Earl actress Jaime Pressly also joined the platform shortly before turning 49, although she has not publicly disclosed how much she’s earned.
Denise Richards, meanwhile, launched her OnlyFans account in 2022 and reportedly made millions during her first few months on the platform. Recent court documents have also indicated that Richards continues to bring in close to $300,000 per month from the account.
Drea de Matteo’s OnlyFans Success
Another major celebrity success story belongs to Drea de Matteo, who is best known for playing Adriana La Cerva on The Sopranos.
The actress joined OnlyFans in 2023 after struggling to find acting opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her decision quickly paid off: She reportedly earned $75,000 within her first 75 minutes on the platform.
At the time, de Matteo said she had just $10 in her bank account. Her OnlyFans earnings helped her eliminate debt and save her family home.
More Stars Are Turning to the Platform
Elizabeth, Pressly, Richards and de Matteo aren’t the only recognizable names who have embraced OnlyFans.
Carmen Electra, Amanda Bynes and Whitney Cummings have also joined the platform, while Knots Landing veteran Donna Mills became one of its more unexpected celebrity creators at age 85.
For Elizabeth, however, the platform has already delivered something her decades-long acting career couldn’t: a newfound level of financial independence and the freedom to decide what’s next.
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