When American Pie star Shannon Elizabeth caught wind that Kylie Jenner plays poker seriously—and actually expects her opponents to show up ready to compete—she saw an opening. The 52-year-old actress, who’s racked up $247,851 in career poker earnings, doesn’t mess around at the table. She hates casual games where players drink, don’t focus, and treat the whole thing like a joke. So when she learned that Jenner, 28, feels the exact same way about poker nights with boyfriend Timothée Chalamet, something clicked.
“I feel exactly the same,”Shannon told Us Weekly on Monday, May 4.“I hate playing when it’s beginners and they’re not playing seriously, and they’re drinking and they’re not like focusing.”For Shannon, finding another player who takes the game seriously isn’t just refreshing—it’s rare. In a world where poker has become trendy among celebrities, most treat it like another Instagram moment. Jenner, though, appears to be the real deal, having raved about her competitive poker sessions in a March Vanity Fair cover story.
The timing is interesting. Shannon’s been on quite the career resurgence lately, having grossed a whopping seven figures in her first week on OnlyFans after joining in April. But poker remains her first love—the game she learned when it hit Hollywood, the one where she’s spent years honing her craft. She’s honest about her limitations too.“I’m not really a good player,”she admitted, despite what some might assume based on her tournament history. The landscape has shifted. Even professionals have had to completely overhaul their strategy. Some players are now using AI to gain edges. It’s a different game than it was even five years ago.
Shannon’s currently focused on fun rather than grinding the big tournaments. She gets halfway through, then hits a wall she can’t quite break through. But that doesn’t mean she’s lost her competitive fire—it just means she’s redirected it. This June 28, she’s hosting the 2nd Annual Rhino Rumble Poker Championship, an event tied to the Shannon Elizabeth Foundation, timed just before the World Series of Poker main event in Las Vegas. The South African pro community has her back. They showed up for her last year, and she expects them to return.
As for that poker date with Jenner? It hasn’t happened yet. But if Shannon’s track record is any indication, she doesn’t ask for much in life except respect, focus, and players who understand that poker is a game—one worth playing well.
About the Author
Ava Hart
Ava Hart is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
