Kristina Shannon has opened up about the challenging experience of living at the Playboy Mansion under Hugh Hefner’s supervision, according to RadarOnline.com.
Shannon, a former playmate, described Hefner as “extremely controlling,” enforcing strict rules for all the women.
Shannon recounted an incident where Hefner placed her on “room arrest” when she expressed a desire to travel to Rome, Italy, to collaborate on a project with director Sofia Coppola.
“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,” the 36-year-old revealed to OK!. “I was even put on room arrest because Hef wanted everyone back by midnight so he could have his orgies.”
She continued, “It was a rule he demanded everyone follow.” Shannon and her twin sister Karissa moved into the mansion after joining the reality show Girls Next Door in 2009, facing both highs and lows during their stay.
“Everything I did, from the moment I woke up until I went to sleep, was on camera while I lived at the mansion,” she shared.
“I was constantly being watched. I do appreciate some of the good things Hef did for me, but overall, everything was extremely controlled.”
Although Playboy helped Shannon reach a broader audience, she emphasized that her career had already started before her involvement with the magazine.
She stated, “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.”
“Playboy will always be a part of my life and, in many ways, my family,” Shannon added. “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.”
However, the sisters faced numerous challenges after leaving the mansion in 2010, battling issues with alcohol, pills, and weight gain. They also admitted to having suicidal thoughts.
“Everyone was saying we were going through our ‘Anna Nicole (Smith) phase,'” Kristina recalled to People, referring to the late icon who died at 39 from an accidental drug overdose.
She explained, “We gained weight. There was alcohol and pills. We were really unhealthy and lost and, even at points, suicidal. We had no one. It was just us, trying to figure it out after losing ourselves.”
During their time at the mansion, Kristina noted that tensions arose, mainly due to “jealousy.”
“We got a lot of jealousy from the other Playmates because we were twins,” she mentioned, adding, “We were the first twins to each get our own months, which made history. We were the youngest Playmates and the youngest girlfriends.”
Karissa suggested that the other Playmates’ envy was fueled by the “special attention” they received from Hefner.
“When we’re taking pictures, he would want to get in the middle of the twins to take a picture,” Karissa remembered. “Or he would be like, ‘Can you move the twins toward the front of the table? I want to sit next to them.’ So the girls started getting really jealous.”
According to Karissa, her sister often “cried” due to the “bullying” they faced.
