Shannon Lee Tweed Simmons (born March 10, 1957) is a Canadian actress and model. One of the most successful actresses of mainstream erotica, she is identified with the genre of the erotic thriller. Tweed lives with her husband Gene Simmons, co-lead singer of the band Kiss, and their two children; Nicholas Adam Tweed-Simmons and Sophie Alexandra Tweed-Simmons. Tweed is also known for Gene Simmons Family Jewels, a television reality show that portrayed the life of her family from 2006 to 2012.
Tweed was born in Placentia, Newfoundland to Donald Keith Tweed, a mink rancher, and Louise (Wall) Tweed. She was raised on a mink ranch in Markland. She is one of seven children and has three sisters, including actress Tracy Tweed.
After her father fell into a coma after a car crash, Tweed moved the family to her mother's home in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, studying nursing while the family survived on welfare. She became involved in beauty pageants following breast enhancement surgery at age 20. In 1978, she was third runner-up in the Miss Ottawa event and won the Miss Canada talent competition for her singing.