Hollywood isn't always the glamorous dream it seems, and for Olivia Munn, a single scene revealed just how persistent gender bias can be on set.
"There have been a few times where I've been filming something, and my character was either like CIA, or a cop, or something, and there's been scenes where my character has been the one to save the other character," Munn said, according to People.
Instagram/oliviamunn | Olivia Munn says the issue had halted filming for nearly an hour. Olivia Munn's male co-star refuses to be saved in action scene
The confrontation occurred during a bunker fight scene. The script was clear: both characters defend their positions, then Munn's character intervenes to save her co-star. But he apparently didn't read the script."If you read the script, he was guarding his side, I was guarding mine, and then there's a guy coming for him, so I shoot him," she explained.
Her co-star stopped mid-shot and declared: "'Wait, wait, wait. Hold on. She can't save me. No, no. She can't save me.'" According to Munn, this sparked "45 minutes of just stopping down," with her co-star becoming "combative with the director."
Olivia Munn takes control amid on-set sexism
Rather than letting the disagreement derail filming, Munn suggested a compromise. "I said, '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,' and he was like, 'OK.'""Now, here's the interesting thing," she added. "Nothing changed. It's just what he thought. I was doing the exact same thing."
This moment highlighted not only the persistence of sexism on set but also Munn's ability to handle conflict with professionalism and strategy.
Instagram/oliviamunn | This moment highlighted the persistence of sexism on sets. Olivia Munn chooses roles that empower women in Hollywood
Munn has committed her career to projects that highlight strong female leads. "I've looked at so many different scripts and a lot of times the women are portrayed in kind of a naggy way," she said."I had this thing that I decided at one point early in my career, like, I only wanted to do projects where she would exist even if he didn't exist. You know, that it wasn't just his story." Her choices show a dedication to portraying independent, multidimensional women who drive the story.
Olivia Munn stars as independent lead in Your Friends & Neighbors
On Apple TV's Your Friends & Neighbors, Munn plays Sam Leavitt, a self-made woman navigating a wealthy, morally complex community. Sam's character exists independently of her male co-stars, proving that female empowerment can be central to the narrative.The series follows Andrew "Coop" Cooper (Jon Hamm), a hedge fund manager who resorts to theft to maintain his lifestyle. Munn's presence ensures the show remains layered, dramatic, and balanced, highlighting contrasting paths of ambition and morality.