The Untold Truth Of Olivia Munn
The following article mentions sexual misconduct and child abuse.
It's safe to say that Olivia Munn has had quite the career over the years, from finding fame as a TV host to becoming the major movie star she is today. The Oklahoma native has been working in show business since the early 2000s, landing her first role in the 2004 horror film "Scarecrow Gone Wild," before later playing a teen surfer on "Beyond the Break." Yet it was hosting G4's live talk show, "Attack of the Show" that helped launch Munn into stardom since it seemingly led to bigger gigs, like "The Daily Show." "It put me on a different level," Munn explained to Reuters.
Around that same time, Munn's acting career also took off, and what began as smaller parts in movies like 2012's "Magic Mike" eventually became starring roles in TV series like the Aaron Sorkin-produced HBO hit, "The Newsroom," as well as the 2016 blockbuster movie "X-Men: Apocalypse." Since then, Munn has continued to work steadily in Hollywood, even if it's her personal life that's what kept her in the headlines more often.
It's part of the business that Munn doesn't seem to particularly like, especially when what's reported isn't true. She told ET, "There's a lot of people who see you one way and no matter how much good you try to do in the world ... There is a perception that is put onto you." So with that said, let's go past that perception and get to know the real Olivia Munn by breaking down her untold truth.
Olivia Munn had a rough childhood
Olivia Munn apparently had a tough time growing up, mainly due to her verbally abusive stepfather whom her mother had married when Munn was just two. Munn not only referred to him as "the Devil," but dished to Ocean Drive (via E!), "He would always say, 'You're not smart enough, pretty enough, you have no talent,' and it would knock me down." She even told Self how he tried to crush her dreams in particular, saying, "I remember being in kindergarten and him telling me it was stupid to think I could even be an actress."
Munn didn't have it any easier at school either because her family had moved around so much. She revealed, per UPI, "I was in a military family and I was always the new kid." She continued, "One of the hardest things as a kid, I think, is finding a group to hang out with and have lunch with."
Yet Munn was seemingly close to her siblings, who inadvertently helped her hone her talents when she tried to comfort them. "When [my stepfather] would be screaming his head off in the living room, I would hustle everybody into my room and launch into imitations of teachers or do scenes from movies," she recalled. Munn eventually decided to go by her middle name (her first name is Lisa) to distance herself from her past. She explained on her website, "I didn't have the best childhood and there were lots of family issues that I was trying to escape from."
If you or someone you know may be the victim of child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.
The Newsroom star began her career in journalism
Before Olivia Munn became an actor, she pursued journalism, interning at both a local news station and Fox Sports while attending the University of Oklahoma. Munn reminisced about those intern days at the Fox Studios in LA on Instagram, writing, "Everyday I would log tapes of hockey games and file newspaper clippings and then on my lunch breaks I would ... just walk around the lot amazed."
Munn later became a sideline reporter for Fox Sports, but admitted that it wasn't a good fit. She explained to G4TV, "That's not my voice and not my cadence and I was trying to be something I wasn't, and that made me really uncomfortable on live TV." While Munn left reporting, that experience with live TV came in handy when she hosted "Attack of the Show." "I'm a much more chill person now that I know who I am and know my own voice, so I don't really get nervous with live TV at all," she said.
Even with acting, you could say Munn still put her degree to good use. She told The Wrap, "I went from 'The Daily Show' pretending to be a fake reporter then went to 'The Newsroom' pretending to be a real reporter and majored in journalism so like everything was kind of gearing me up to do something like this." She reiterated that to Rolling Stone, saying "Instead of mimicking some idea of what a journalist does ... I could pull things from my own experience."
Olivia Munn's rocky romance with Aaron Rodgers
Olivia Munn's love life has definitely gotten people's attention over the years, considering "The Rook" actor has been linked to stars like Chris Pine and Justin Timberlake. Yet you could say it was Munn's 2014-2017 relationship with NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers that was the most interesting since Munn was very open with how smitten she was. She once gushed to Good Housekeeping, "Aaron is different than every other man I've ever met ... Everything a good person can be, he is." She even shared the sacrifices she made to be with him with E!, saying, "There's a lot of traveling, a lot of driving ... I end up having to say no to some work."
Their romance did come with drama though, like Rodger's family allegedly not liking Munn. A source told Us Weekly, "His family told him they didn't trust her and thought she wasn't with him for the right reasons." The couple eventually broke up and presumably not on good terms because multiple outlets, like Radar, reported that Munn was probably referring to Rodgers when she later spoke about a past toxic relationship on a podcast.
While Munn didn't name names that time, she did suggest on "Radio Andy" that Rodgers actually enjoyed the attention their relationship brought him. She dished, "Before [I'd] go on a talk show, it would be like, 'Yeah, you can say something about me if you want,'" adding, "He actually didn't mind it, he kind of liked it."
Olivia Munn was part of the #MeToo movement
It appears that Olivia Munn was an important part of the #MeToo Movement since she was among the women who accused prominent director/producer, Brett Ratner, of sexual misconduct. In 2017, Munn revealed to The Los Angeles Times that Ratner not only masturbated in front of her in his trailer but later told her that he ejaculated on her magazine covers, and falsely claimed they had slept together while on TV show. Because of that, Munn would seemingly go out of her way to not work with Ratner, admitting, "It feels as if I keep going up against the same bully at school who just won't quit." Ratner denied the allegations.
While Munn knew it was important to speak out, she later told Women's Health that the attention from it made her so stressed that she got a full body rash. Yet she continued to discuss the #MeToo Movement anyway, even going on "The View" in 2019 to talk about what needed to be done. She explained, per ABC News, "If someone is speaking out, I believe you, and I also want to see evidence that supports it."
That same year, Munn also called out A-list actors Ben Affleck and Casey Affleck, as well director Quentin Tarrantino, for not taking full accountability for their alleged misconduct. She dished to Buzzfeed News, "There are these certain men who, when they mess up they kind of go, 'Oops, sorry, my bad,' and then just resume their place in line."
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
Olivia Munn spoke out against Asian discrimination
Olivia Munn didn't just take a stand with the #MeToo Movement, she also spoke out against Asian discrimination, which saw a rise during the COVID-19 pandemic. She used her large Instagram following to spread awareness, writing in February 2021, "The racist, verbal and physical assaults have left my community fearful to step outside." She also used social media share information about a man who was wanted for attacking a Chinese woman in New York City, which led to his arrest. "It's an incredible feeling to have social media, NYPD, everyone mobilized for us," she told ABC7.
Munn continued to bring attention to challenges Asians face, even calling out Hollywood for its bias and its often fetishization of Asian women in particular. Munn explained to CBS News, "As an Asian American woman, the rules are: to be the submissive wife, or to be the out of control wife." She added, "For me, it has meant that I don't work as much as I would want to."
Munn also didn't hold back when the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum she was hosting got "Zoombombed" by racist images. She took to her Instagram to write, "While it momentarily disrupted our event, we later resumed because these malicious acts will not stop the conversation." Although Munn fought back, she admitted to "Today," "It was jarring for a lot of people," adding, "Images that we saw were really difficult and have stayed in our minds."
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Her controversial relationship with John Mulaney
Olivia Munn seemingly always had a thing for John Mulaney, gushing about him even back in 2015. The "Violet" star met Mulaney at a wedding then, and admitted to HuffPost, "I was just so obsessed with hanging out with and talking with him." Even when Mulaney checked into rehab in 2020, her devotion never wavered, since Munn tweeted, "Sending SO MUCH love and support to John Mulaney."
Yet fans were shocked when Mulaney confirmed on "Late Night with Seth Meyers" in September 2021 that he and Munn were expecting a baby. That's probably because he revealed that he had also gotten divorced, by referring to his ex-wife when sharing how he moved out of their home in October 2020, post-rehab. He continued, "Then in the spring, I went to Los Angeles and ... started to date a wonderful woman named Olivia." Many fans didn't buy that timeline though, with some taking to social media to accuse him of cheating. One person wrote, "John Mulaney who built a career on the cornerstone of loving his wife and not wanting children, only to cheat on his wife and have a child with his mistress."
Munn responded to the backlash, telling The Los Angeles Times, "There's no way anyone could know what any of his relationships were or what our relationship is." And while she refused to deny the cheating claims in order to not feed into a false narrative, she did acknowledge, "For whatever reason, it's easier to blame me."
Olivia Munn's struggles with motherhood
It appears that Olivia Munn has really taken to becoming a mom since welcoming her son in November 2021. She even gushed in an Instagram post, "I love you so much Malcolm Hiệp ... You lit up our whole world." While Munn is seemingly over-the-moon, she apparently wasn't always ready for motherhood. In fact, when she was pregnant, Munn told Today that when it came to welcoming her first child, she admitted, "l feel scared. I feel nervous." She reiterated her hesitations on "The Ellen Show" too, saying, "I'm not prepared ... I don't really know what to take in."
Of course, Munn has been figuring it out now that Malcolm is here, but that doesn't mean life's been any easier. A few weeks after his birth, she shared on Instagram Stories, (via E!), "I'm so so happy and at the same time I'm struggling." Munn went on to reveal that she not only was suffering from "horrible" postpartum anxiety, but she seemingly had issues with nursing too, writing "Breastfeeding is soooo hard, especially if you have low supply." She later shared how her body still hadn't "snapped back" months after giving birth.
It seems Munn's been open with her experiences in order to help other moms who may also be struggling. She gave them a special shoutout on Mother's Day, posting, "Happy Mother's Day ... especially to the moms who are struggling with postpartum depression/anxiety, still wearing their maternity clothes because you've realized that the snap back is bulls**t."
Olivia Munn's net worth
Olivia Munn is clearly a Hollywood success story, yet she may be worth more than you think. Celebrity Net Worth reports that the "New Girl" actor is worth a whopping $25 million. It can be assumed that a lot of that has come from acting since Munn has steadily worked in show business for almost 20 years and had a few notable successes, like the hit HBO series, "The Newsroom." Munn even told Self, "I knew that if I held out for [creator Aaron] Sorkin, my life could change." Yet, Munn admitted she's also lost money taking certain roles too, like when she left "Attack of the Show" for "The Daily Show." "I took an 80 percent pay cut," she dished.
Outside of acting, Munn has seemingly brought in money from various partnerships, having worked with brands like Neutrogena, Nike, and Pepsi. In 2014, she even became the face of the skincare line Proactiv. But Munn made some pretty good financial decisions too, dishing to InStyle, "I'm one of the original investors of Uber." She's since invested in the dog walker app Wag, the supplement Vital Proteins, and Bulletproof Coffee. "If I can find a need in [a company or its products], I will invest," she told Forbes.
It's also apparently important for Munn to save some of her money. She told InStyle, "I would say the biggest advice that I'd give anybody about money is, it's not how much you make. It's how much you save."
Olivia Munn has a black belt
Olivia Munn can probably kick some serious butt, considering the "Buddy Games" actor has a black belt in karate, which she started training for when she was only five-years-old. It was something she had done with her siblings, telling Good Housekeeping, "We weren't allowed to stop practicing until we had achieved black belts." It apparently taught her some valuable life lessons though. "The things that stayed with me the most from that training were the discipline not to give up when something feels too hard," she said.
Munn's skills later came in handy in her acting career when filming "X-Men Apocalypse." She dished to Women's Health, "The stunt double for me was very athletic but she had never done fighting in her life." She continued, "So I trained every day for six or seven hours and I did all of my own fight scenes." These days, Munn uses martial arts to stay in shape by incorporating it into her everyday workouts. She explained to Men's Journal, "It's a total-body workout not just on the physical side but on the mental side as well."
That mental side seemed to particularly help Munn when she was suffering from postpartum anxiety after the birth of her son. She shared when she took her first postpartum capoeira (Brazilian martial arts) lesson, which seemingly had made things better. She wrote on Instagram Stories, via People, "Getting back to martial arts made me feel a little bit more life myself."
Olivia Munn is passionate about animals
From the looks of her charity work, it seems that Olivia Munn has a major soft spot for animals and is very passionate about protecting them. In 2012, for example, she joined PETA in pushing for a sick elephant to be freed from a traveling circus, by publicly calling for the USDA to step in. She even wrote an op-ed about the situation in the HuffPost, where she pointed out, "Elephants are known for having a great, long memory. But what if all you could remember is a lifetime of pain?"
That wasn't Munn's only work with PETA since in 2012 she stripped down for their "I'd rather go naked than wear fur campaign." "It broke my heart to learn just how terribly animals suffer and die on Chinese fur farms and that there are no penalties for this abuse," she revealed. In 2021, Munn also worked with the Humane Society International by taking part in a film based on their #SaveRalph campaign, which, per Deadline, pushed for a ban on animal testing.
Munn has used her platform to help pets as well, by partnering with PetCo to raise awareness about their mental health after the COVID-19 pandemic. She explained to People, "There is a lot of social and separation anxiety happening with our dogs." It seems that campaign was extra special to Munn, who has two dogs of her own. "My dogs are definitely like people to me ... I just love them so much," she said.
Olivia Munn believes in the supernatural
It seems past events in Olivia Munn's life have led her to finding spirituality, like meeting The Long Island Medium, Theresa Caputo. Munn told Good Housekeeping that she knew that Caputo was the real deal when she mentioned a special necklace Munn had lost that belonged to her deceased grandmother. She explained, "Not one person in the world knew. But Theresa did. She said, 'Your grandmother wants you to know that even though you don't have the original anymore, she's really happy that you had a replica made.'"
Caputo also apparently helped Munn "open up" after almost being in a plane crash left Munn very shaken. She revealed, "Now I believe in God, or whatever you want to call it. I believe that our souls exist past this." Munn has even credited her horror film "Deliver Us from Evil" for solidifying her beliefs too, after she watched clips of real life exorcisms. She dished, per Hit Fix, "I didn't believe in the supernatural before this movie. I'm a full believer [now]."
Munn admitted to Refinery29 that she believed ghosts were behind some unexplainable things happening at her house as well. "It used to scare me a lot, until I talked to a medium. She said that they were good spirits, and not to worry," she explained. It seems that Munn doesn't have too much to worry about these days, especially now that she has a family at home to keep her company if things do go bump in the night.