EXCLUSIVEPlayboy's Kristina Shannon Reveals She's 'Not Speaking' to Sister Karissa 'at the Moment': 'I Do Pray for Her Though'
Kristina Shannon is 'not speaking' to her sister Karissa, as they build their separate careers.
July 31 2026, Published 4:25 p.m. ET
Kristina Shannon revealed that she and her twin sister, Karissa Shannon, are currently not on good terms.
During an exclusive interview with OK!, the former Playboy Bunny was asked about where things stand with Karissa, who was also one of late Playboy founder Hugh Hefner’s girlfriends.
“At the moment, I'm not speaking to my sister, and I can't say why. I do pray for her, though, and I wish the best for her. I'm working independently now. We don't work as a team anymore, we work as two individuals,” she shared.
Kristina Shannon said she and Karissa Shannon are no longer working together professionally and are pursuing separate careers.
Kristina explained that she is now focused on building a career outside of the famous "Shannon Twins" brand.
“In many ways, it's made things easier because I can make my own decisions and do what feels right for me without having to discuss every move with her first,” Kristina added.
“At the moment, I'm focusing on myself and my own career, separate from my sister, while also creating a normal family home. It's hard to juggle being a celebrity and living a normal life at the same time. I'm doing my best and kicking a--, but I'm not gonna lie, it's hard!” she explained.
Kristina's Next Chapter
Kristina Shannon personally helped develop her AI digital twin by providing voice recordings, photos and videos to make it reflect her personality.
One of the biggest parts of her fresh start is launching her AI digital twin, Kristina AI, through the AI platform OhChat.
“AI is taking over the world, to be honest,” Kristina acknowledged. “Everyone's likeness is going to get used one way or another, so I wanted to get ahead of it and do this on my own terms with OhChat instead of it happening to me without any say in it.”
She said she played a hands-on role in creating the digital version of herself by providing voice recordings, photos and videos.
“My digital twin is spot on. She looks the same and has my personality,” she teased.
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Kristina Reflects on Her Playboy Years
Kristina Shannon credited Playboy with bringing her into the mainstream but said her career had already begun before meeting Hugh Hefner.
Elsewhere in the interview, Kristina pushed back on the idea that Hugh was solely responsible for kick-starting her career.
“First off, he didn't launch my career. I was 15, working at WingHouse, and had already appeared on billboards, menus, and in commercials. But yes, Playboy definitely helped bring me into the mainstream,” Kristina stated. “Being a Playboy Playmate and living at the mansion gave me a lot of exposure. It opened many doors and introduced me to a world I wasn't used to. One of my favorite memories was having 24/7 butlers at the mansion. I'm still friends with them to this day.”
Looking back, Kristina said her memories of the Playboy Mansion are both positive and painful.
“I have a mixture of good and bad memories from that time. Playboy will always be a part of my life and, in many ways, my family. A lot of good things happened while I was there, but a lot of bad things happened too, especially considering how young I was. Therapy and working with my psychiatrist have helped me tremendously,” she added.
Life Is More Authentic Today
Kristina Shannon said she is focused on building a happy future.
Kristina admitted she finally feels free after leaving the Playboy Mansion and described the strict rules she lived under at the time.
“Back then, I was so controlled,” she shared. “I remember one time Hef wouldn't let me go to Rome, Italy, to film a bigger part in the movie I was doing with Sofia Coppola. I was even put on room arrest because Hef wanted everyone back by midnight so he could have his orgies. It was a rule he demanded everyone follow. Everything I did, from the moment I woke up until I went to sleep, was on camera while I lived at the mansion. I was constantly being watched.”
Although she experienced difficult moments, Kristina said she has chosen to focus on the future instead of dwelling on the past.
“I do appreciate some of the good things Hef did for me, but overall, everything was extremely controlled, and honestly, I'm over talking about it. I'm focused on bigger and better things now. I'm happy, living authentically, and finally able to be myself,” Kristina shared.
“I want to have babies and get married someday, and I want to film it all. I'll never stop doing reality TV because I genuinely love it. And I'm not gonna lie, I love the attention. I also want to keep acting, modeling,” she continued.
