Shannon Elizabeth Explains Why She Is Stepping Into OnlyFans

American Pie star Shannon Elizabeth is stepping away from the usual Hollywood system and trying something that gives her more control over how she presents herself. This time, she says she wants to shape the story in her own way through OnlyFans.

Elizabeth, now 52, became widely known after playing Nadia in the first American Pie movie in 1999. That role quickly made her one of the most recognizable sex symbols of the early 2000s and kept her name tied to that era of pop culture for years.

After American Pie, she also appeared in Scary Movie as Buffy Gilmore. While that character remained popular with fans, she is not returning for Scary Movie 6, which is scheduled to hit theaters on June 5, even though cast members such as Anna Faris and Regina Hall are coming back.

So what is Elizabeth doing instead? She is launching an OnlyFans page, and as of April 16, it is officially live. Rather than waiting for traditional projects, she is putting her attention into a platform where she can speak and create more directly.

Speaking to PEOPLE, the actress explained why she had decided to join the same platform already used by celebrities like Bella Thorne and Denise Richards. Her comments made clear that this was not a random move, but something she sees as part of a bigger shift in her career.

American Pie star Shannon Elizabeth is now on OnlyFans Tiffany Rose/Getty Images for GBK Brand Bar

She said: "I've spent my entire career working in Hollywood, where other people controlled the narrative and the outcome of my career. This new chapter is about changing that, showing off a more sexy side no one has seen, and being closer to my fans."

Elizabeth continued: "I'm choosing OnlyFans because it allows me to connect directly with my audience, create on my own terms, and just be free. I really do think this is the future."

Her talent agent also commented on the move and backed the same general idea behind it. In his view, the platform gives Elizabeth a new way to stay close to the people who have followed her career for years.

"Shannon has always been someone who genuinely enjoys connecting with and giving back to her fans, and this allows her to do that in a more direct, meaningful way than ever before," Andy Bachman told Variety.

"It's a powerful model, and right now, there's nothing more effective at facilitating that connection than OnlyFans."

The actress seen with her American Pie co-star Jason Biggs in 2019 Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic

His comments framed the decision as a business move as much as a personal one. Instead of relying on studios, networks, or producers to shape how fans see her, Elizabeth now has a platform where she can decide that for herself.

That is a big part of why more celebrities have shown interest in OnlyFans over the past few years. For some, it is not only about money, but also about ownership, independence, and more direct access to the people who support them.

Elizabeth also gave Variety an added statement and hinted that she plans to post content fans will not be able to find anywhere else. She made it clear that the page is meant to offer more than just recycled material from other platforms.

"OnlyFans gives me the opportunity to offer something more — a behind the scenes, unfiltered look at my life and a genuine connection that no other platform allows," she added.

It is not yet clear who, if anyone, will be helping Elizabeth create that content. Other celebrities on the platform have had close partners or spouses involved behind the scenes, which has sometimes become part of the story as well.

Why OnlyFans appeals to celebrities

OnlyFans has grown into something much bigger than its original public image. While many still connect it mainly with adult content, a number of celebrities have used it for behind-the-scenes access, niche fan material, music promotion, and more personal updates.

That is likely part of what makes the platform appealing to someone like Elizabeth. It offers direct communication, subscriber-based income, and a level of control that many actors and public figures do not get through more traditional entertainment channels.

For performers whose public image was shaped early in their careers, that control can matter a lot. It gives them the chance to decide how they want to be seen now, instead of staying stuck in the version of themselves people remember from years ago.

"He's so supportive," the model and actress said last year about Aaron Phypers. "He knows what men love, and he'll go through all the photos and say, 'This is good. Do this. This is what guys like'."

That example showed how some celebrities have treated the platform almost like a team effort at home. But things later changed for Richards and Phypers, and he filed for divorce in July 2025.

The mention of Richards serves as a reminder that celebrity use of OnlyFans often ends up blending business, relationships, and image management all at once. In some cases, the people helping behind the camera become part of the public conversation too.

Celebrities who have joined OnlyFans

Bella Thorne

Former Disney Channel star Bella Thorne became the first person on OnlyFans to make $1 million in just 24 hours after signing up. Even so, she no longer uses the account now, six years later, which shows how different celebrity relationships with the platform can be over time.

Instagram/@bellathorne

Lily Allen

The 'Smile' singer said in 2024 that she was 'dipping her toes' into the OnlyFans world. On the Miss Me? podcast, she explained that she had considered it after her pedicurist told her she had a five-star rating on WikiFeet, a website where users post and rate celebrity foot photos.

"[My pedicurist said I] could make a lot of money selling foot content on OnlyFans, and I'm like, 'Not no'," Allen said.

But after her split from husband David Harbour, Allen stopped using the platform because she said it simply was no longer fun for her. That made her run on the site short-lived, even though it drew a lot of attention.

Lily Allen had been doing OnlyFans Dave Benett/Getty Images for De Beers Group / EBPR

Jessie Cave

Harry Potter actress Jessie Cave launched her OnlyFans account in 2025 as a way to help get herself out of debt. Her page was aimed at people with hair-based kinks, building content around what she said was her niche, which is her very long hair.

Although Cave said the content would not be 'sexual', she explained that she wanted both to stretch herself creatively and to make material for people interested in that specific area. Her version of the platform showed how personalized and unusual some celebrity pages can be.

Instagram/@jessiecave

Cardi B

The 'Bodak Yellow' rapper first joined the platform in 2020 as a way to promote her single 'WAP' at the time. For her, OnlyFans worked as another direct channel to speak to fans while keeping control of what she wanted to show.

"On my OnlyFans, I will be putting the [behind the scenes] of the music video — not only the day of that music video — but the whole process of it," Cardi said.

"I want to know what my fans would like to see there — what type of content would they like you guys to see there. We will be talking about personal stuff… straight-up real-life content."

Instagram/@cardib

Even with that early push, Cardi no longer uses her OnlyFans. Her case is another example of how some stars treat the platform as a short-term tool tied to a specific moment rather than a permanent part of their brand.

Drea De Matteo

Best known for her work in The Sopranos and Desperate Housewives, Drea De Matteo turned to OnlyFans in 2024 to help support herself financially during a rough stretch in her acting career. Her decision showed how the platform can become a practical income source as well as a publicity talking point.

"I kept putting more pictures up. I was like, holy s**t. In five minutes, I was able to pay back Compass Real Estate who kept the sale of my house," she told the New York Post.

Instagram/@dreadematteo

Put together, these examples show that there is no single reason celebrities join OnlyFans. Some do it for money, some for creative freedom, some for closer fan access, and some for a mix of all of those things. Elizabeth now appears to be entering that same space on her own terms.