Shannon Elizabeth, best known for her role in the 1999 comedy 'American Pie', has revealed the moment she decided to leave the United States and move to South Africa. The 52-year-old actress has lived in South Africa since 2016, where she runs a wildlife sanctuary.
In a recent interview, Elizabeth described a pivotal moment in New York City that confirmed her decision. 'I remember this moment of standing at a crosswalk. Everybody’s looking down at their phones... The crosswalk changes, and everybody just starts rushing each way. Nobody’s paying attention except to whatever is in their hand at that moment,' she said.
She contrasted this with her experiences in Africa, where she felt the problems were more real and urgent. 'I just had this feeling come over me of feeling like I had just been to Africa, and the problems there felt so real — and they are real,' she recalled. Elizabeth felt that daily life in New York did not feel as crucial as the 'war that’s happening with wildlife' and the people in need in South Africa.
After launching a dog and cat rescue called Animal Avengers in 2001, Elizabeth’s activism led her to travel abroad in 2015. She now lives in Cape Town and serves as president of the Shannon Elizabeth Foundation, which runs the Khusela Endangered Wildlife Sanctuary.
