Olivia Munn Shares Another Predictable Story of Men In Hollywood
Are we surprised?
Olivia Munn recently recounted a wild story about a male co-star who absolutely refused to be saved by her character in a scene, bringing production to a standstill for nearly an hour. The Hollywood actress shared the incident during a recent appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, shining a light on yet another frustrating example of on-set ego.
According to Variety, Munn explained that she has often played characters like a CIA agent or a cop, roles that sometimes require her to be the one saving another character. The particular scene in question involved Munn and her male co-star fighting side-by-side in a bunker. She described the script as having both characters guarding their respective sides, then switching positions.
A bad guy was coming for her co-star, set to shoot him in the back, and Munn’s character was supposed to step in and save him. However, when it came time to film, it seems her co-star hadn’t quite grasped that specific plot point. Munn recalled the moment he realized what was happening, saying, “Wait, wait, wait. Hold on. She can’t save me. No, no. She can’t save me.”
This realization brought production to a screeching halt
Munn detailed how her co-star then became “combative with the director” over the scene, stopping everything for what felt like an eternity. She mentioned that he had “no insecurity about being obnoxious and everyone hearing this and being like, ‘She can’t save me! We’re not doing this.’”
After a solid 45 minutes of this ridiculous standoff, Munn stepped in with a clever solution. She suggested, “OK, how about instead of my character saving you, it’s just that we switch because it’s time for us to switch and so this is my guy to get.” Thankfully, he finally agreed to that compromise, allowing filming to resume.
This isn’t the first time Munn has shared a less-than-ideal experience with a male colleague in Hollywood. She previously spoke about a director from HBO’s The Newsroom who allegedly tried to sabotage her chances of landing a film role. Munn was apparently “on the one-yard-line” for the movie when her manager called, explaining that another director, known to the studio, had claimed Munn was “really combative” and consistently late while filming.
Munn was quick to dismiss these accusations, stating, “I lived seven minutes from there. I was never late. I was like, ‘I know who this is.’” She felt the director was simply trying to bash her due to their previous conflicts over how they approached a role. Despite the attempt to derail her, Munn still secured the role, but the incident clearly left a lasting impression on her.
These stories underscore a broader issue Munn has observed throughout her career regarding the distinct experiences of men and women in Hollywood. She once reflected on a question she used to get asked frequently in interviews about the difference between being a man and a woman in the industry. For years, she considered it a silly question, but eventually, it clicked.
Munn explained that for her, and she believes for many women in any industry, there’s a conscious effort to strategize communication. “Before I speak up, I immediately in my head think of three different ways to say what I’m going to say,” she detailed, noting that this isn’t a common practice among her male colleagues.
Munn has previously spoken about similar issues she has come across
Another frustrating example from her past was during her time working on X-Men: Apocalypse in 2016. Munn appeared as the mutant Psylocke in the movie, which was directed by Bryan Singer. Even before production began, Singer had faced lawsuits alleging sexual abuse, though these accusations were later dismissed.
She recalled a particularly strange incident during filming where Singer allegedly walked off the set in Montreal for about 10 days to fly to Los Angeles, claiming he had a “thyroid issue.” This left the entire production scrambling without a director. Instead of seeking medical attention in Montreal, a major city with excellent healthcare, Singer apparently insisted on going to Los Angeles.
Munn remembered returning from lunch during a big scene, only for one of Singer’s assistants to show the actors a text message on a cell phone. The message from Singer read, “Hey guys. I’m busy right now. But just go ahead and start filming without me.” Munn admitted that at the time, she didn’t realize how truly abnormal this behavior was, though she certainly thought it was strange.
What really bothered Munn was how Singer continued to “fail up” in Hollywood despite these kinds of incidents. The same studio that released X-Men, 20th Century Fox, hired him to direct the Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody. He was later fired from that production in late 2017 for allegedly not showing up to work and clashing with actor Rami Malek.
For Munn, these experiences highlight a pervasive problem in the industry. She firmly believes that “no one in the world is so talented that it merits disrespecting other people and their time.” She pointed out that there are countless talented individuals waiting for an opportunity, and holding people accountable would open doors for many more deserving artists.
Munn is a strong advocate for greater accountability and representation in Hollywood, not just for women but for minorities as well. She believes that representation truly matters. “You don’t know if things are possible until you see other people doing it,” she explained.
(featured image: Gage Skidmore)
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