She currently lives in Cape Town, South Africa and runs the non-profit animal rescue organization she co-created in 2001, Animal Avengers.[2]
Early life
Elizabeth was born in Houston, Texas, to a father of Lebanese-Syrian origin,[3][4][5] and to a mother of German, English and Irish ancestry.[6] She was raised in Waco, Texas, from 3rd grade through high school; Elizabeth graduated from Waco High School in 1991.[7] In high school, she was a member of the tennis team and at one point considered a professional tennis career. Elizabeth worked as a model for Ford & Elite models before she began a career in film.[8]
Career
Acting
Elizabeth along with two marine participants of the poker tournament, prior to an event in 2006 that thanked the troops of the U.S. Military
Elizabeth appeared in several films and television shows before being cast in 1999's American Pie in the role of Nadia. It was a major box office success. Elizabeth subsequently appeared in several Hollywood films, including Scary Movie, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, and Tomcats. Elizabeth starred in the UPN series Cuts until the show was canceled in May 2006. Cuts and its parent show, One on One, were two of the many shows not to be picked up by The CW. Elizabeth recurred in That '70s Show for a number of episodes.
In 2006, Elizabeth described poker as her second career and was called "one of the leading celebrity poker players."[12] At that time, she visited the Las Vegas Valley up to three times each month to participate in poker games with top players. Elizabeth does not appear to have been as active a poker player since scoring 12 tournament cashes from 2006 through 2010 – she has only one tournament cash (in 2013) thereafter.[13]
Elizabeth played in the Main Event of the 2005 World Series of Poker under the guidance of Daniel Negreanu, and won a special tournament celebrating the opening of a new poker room at Caesars Palace hotel in January 2006, beating out 83 celebrities and poker professionals to win $55,000.[14] She also cashed four times in the World Series of Poker in 2006 and 2007, but again busted out of the Main Event early. In 2007, she advanced to the semi-finals of the NBCNational Heads-Up Poker Championship in a field consisting of the top poker professionals before losing to eventual champion Paul Wasicka.[13]
She is an environmentalist and vegan. She is a cousin of New York-based television host and relationship coach Tamsen Fadal.[17]
Charity work
Animal Avengers, a non-profit animal rescue organization founded by Elizabeth and her then-husband Reitman,[8] is dedicated to rescuing and finding a home for homeless pets, reducing pet overpopulation, promoting responsible pet guardianship and preventing animal cruelty. Among the many fundraising events, Team Bodog raised over $50,000 for Animal Avengers in a celebrity poker night on October 8, 2005. The event was hosted by noted tournament director Matt Savage. In 2016, she began participating in numerous other Bodog-sponsored charity events as well.[18] The organization, based in Brazil, lead 3D printing of prosthetic body parts for animals, including a beak for goose Victoria.[19]
Elizabeth has served as the spokesperson for Farm Sanctuary's Adopt a Turkey program, urging people to adopt a turkey instead of eating one for Thanksgiving.[20]
Elizabeth uses social media, particularly Instagram posts, to raise awareness about rhino poaching at the Poached Rhino fundraiser.[21]
