Erika Eleniak, best known for playing lifeguard Shauni McClain on “Baywatch” from 1989 to 1992, has earned almost $300,000 in three months on OnlyFans, putting her on track for roughly $1 million in her first year on the platform, according to TMZ.
Eleniak launched her OnlyFans profile in August. TMZ had previously reported she was earning about $10,000 a week shortly after joining and had more than 1,100 subscribers; the outlet now says she is making “far more” than that.
Speaking to Fox News Digital, the 57-year-old said she went in with low expectations. “When I first thought about joining OnlyFans, I honestly believed I was going to hate it,” she said. “But I have to tell you, I absolutely love it. It has given me this incredible opportunity to reconnect with so many wonderful people who have followed my career since the 1980s, from ‘E.T.’ to ‘Baywatch,’ my Playboy days, ‘The Beverly Hillbillies,’ and everything in between.”
She said the response has been emotionally significant. “I never imagined that joining OnlyFans would have such an emotional impact on me,” she said. “For the first time in my life, I genuinely feel loved, appreciated and empowered in a way I never have before. It’s an extraordinary feeling, and I honestly can’t believe how much happiness it’s brought into my life.”
Eleniak, who filmed much of “Baywatch” along the Southern California coast, said longtime fans have been a big part of the experience. “What has touched me the most is realizing just how many people have stayed with me throughout all these years,” she said. “Some have been there since the very beginning, and now we’re reconnecting in such a personal and meaningful way.”
From self-conscious to confident
Eleniak has previously said she sometimes felt insecure filming “Baywatch” in a swimsuit. Asked whether that discomfort has faded, she said the costume itself was never easy to work in. “When you’re working in a costume that’s basically a bathing suit, and you’re running and doing action and all kinds of things, it’s not the most comfortable uniform on the planet,” she said. “But I am 57 years old. I am comfortable in my body and in my skin. I love where I’m at right now. So I suppose that’s changed.”
She describes her OnlyFans content as “personal, playful and unfiltered,” and said she’s gotten some unexpected requests. “There are a lot of people who like feet,” she said. “Usually, when you get a request for something with feet, it can be a little funny. It can be a little odd, but to each their own. But I really was surprised feet was very popular.”
Eleniak said reaction to her new venture has been largely positive. “I’ve been pleasantly surprised,” she said. “I’ve had a really warm welcome, and a lot of cheering on from people just saying, ‘Go get it, have fun.’ And there’s always going to be naysayers… I just ignore it, honestly.”
She added that she sees the platform as giving performers more control. “It’s sort of like a modern-day fan club where you get to be directly with your fans. The content is right there. And especially as women in the entertainment industry, you want to have control over your own image. It’s so important.”
A return to Baywatch
Eleniak is set to reprise her role in a guest appearance on Fox’s upcoming “Baywatch” reboot, scheduled to premiere Jan. 6, 2027. “I am very excited to be a part of the reboot,” she said. “I think it’s going to be amazing. I’m definitely hoping they will get picked up for another season and bring me back for a more regular role. I would love that.”
“I’m back, and this time, I’m doing it for me,” she said.
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