TV/Movie Star Is First Female Celebrity to Land Long-Term Poker Sponsorship Deal.

She learned poker from a “Poker for Dummies” card deck after not being allowed in a boys-only home game and today she still may not be barred – but for different reasons. Gorgeous Trishelle Cannatella now plays exclusively on Absolute Poker after joining the team as a celebrity endorser recently.

Raised in Cut Off, Louisiana, Cannatella was a guy’s girl growing up. She enjoyed fishing, hunting and following football with her father.

After high school attended the University of Southern Mississippi, majoring in marketing. While attending college, Cannatella heard a radio advertisement for an adventure show that was casting in New Orleans, and she immediately jumped at the chance to audition.

“I remember they said the winner gets $50,000 and I was like ‘I can do this and win and then pay off all my student loans!’ I drove down to the interview and skipped the line of like 500 people and completely talked my way ahead of everyone else to get the interview. They cast me for the show, but later told me the show was canned. Then about two months later I get a call from Bunim Murray Productions that someone had seen my interview tape and asked if I was interested in doing The Real World Las Vegas. It was so random, because I didn’t try out for the show, but I flew to Houston that week for my interview and the rest is history!”

Off to La-La Land

After finishing college, Cannatella moved to Los Angeles to pursue more television and film opportunities.

“I did a lot of reality television, TV hosting on competition shows, travel shows, modelling and acting in both TV and film. I also did an off-Broadway show in New York, which was really fun. I love what I do. I love having the freedom to either be myself one day or play someone else the next, and I really enjoy being on set and filming.” 

Any poker player who owns a TV will immediately recognise Trishelle from her more than 30 television appearances on a variety of popular reality TV series, dramas and specials. Since making her debut on MTV’s The Real World back in 2002, the actress and television host has appeared on Punk’d, Fear Factor, Criminal Minds, Ninja Cheerleaders, The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning, The Surreal Life, Dr. Steveo and more. She has also been featured in magazine spreads including Maxim, Stuff, Playboy, Spin and Elle Girl.

Still living in Los Angeles around 2003, a guy Cannatella was dating introduced her to poker.

“He and all his friends would sit around and play home games every Wednesday night, but no girls allowed! I would always complain that they never let me play, so for Christmas one of the guys got me the ‘Poker for Dummies’ card set. Instead of taking offense to such a crappy gift, I started studying the cards and taught myself how to play.”

After that, Cannatella started playing home games, and opened an account on the old Paradise Poker site. 

“I would play the dollar tournaments for hours! I literally would make hot chocolate and stay up until the sun came up playing online in those $1 tournaments while watching poker on TV. I was immediately addicted. That’s when I realised I really loved the game and I wanted to learn more.”

When “Trishelle_C” wasn’t working on a show or movie, she was honing her poker skills, and it paid off. She won the first tournament she entered at Caesars Palace on the Vegas Strip.

In 2005, the stunning beauty appeared on Celebrity Poker Showdown, furthering her desire to pursue a career in poker.

“I am always working on my game and I ask a lot of questions. I am lucky to be personal friends with some very good poker players and I just ask, ‘What would you do in this situation’ or ‘What could I have done better here?’ I’m still learning a lot. I also remember someone told me you have to lose a little respect for money to be a good poker player. And that’s a hard thing for me to do because I like money!”

With several movies under her belt, including The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning and Ninja Cheerleaders, Cannatella sometimes uses her acting chops to aid her poker skills.

“I like to think I’ve always been a good bluffer, and a good BS’er!” she says. “Acting definitely helps my poker game. You can’t just throw it all out there.”

The More Women, the Merrier

As the first celebrity female endorser of a poker site, Cannatella is thrilled about women flocking to the game.

“I just think it’s great! More power to us! I also think that women have a big advantage over men. Women are so intuitive…we have special powers that men don’t! I also like that there seems to be more and more ladies’ events, and I think that helps. Personally, I prefer to play with men and women, but I think some ladies who are just starting out think it might be less intimidating to play with only women, and that’s great if it brings more women to the game.”

Cannatella plans to play as much as possible in the next year and will continue to work on shows.

“I will be playing online and writing blogs and putting up video blogs for Absolute. As for live events, I will definitely play the WPT Celebrity Invitational, which I play in every year, along with the Aruba Poker Classic next fall. As far as TV/film, I just filmed a role in an upcoming comedy film called Melvin Smarty. I also have a music video shoot for a band called Vampires Everywhere, which I am excited about because I love doing music videos.

“I will also be doing more TV hosting, and I have a meeting actually for a pilot that’s sort of Curb your Enthusiasm meets Sex and the City. It’s scripted and should be interesting. I also have a few other things reality-wise that I am thinking about doing.

“All good things and I will for sure keep everyone posted!” 

And as for being the latest poker endorser?

“I have always dreamed of something like this and I am more than excited to be a part of Absolute. I can’t stop smiling! I just think it’s the coolest thing ever!”

You can play with Trishelle on Absolute Poker – her screen name is “Trishelle_C.”