Olivia Munn gets candid about her ‘terrifying’ breast cancer struggle, says it doesn't care 'who you are'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Olivia Munn, the 43-year-old actress, has opened up about her battle with breast cancer.

Diagnosed with cancer at the beginning of 2023, Munn is facing her struggle head-on despite the terrifying reality of the disease. 

Olivia Munn says having a two-year-old at home makes it 'more terrifying' 

Munn revealed that having her two-year-old son, Malcolm, at home made the situation even more daunting.

“Having a little baby at home made everything much more terrifying. It makes you realize, cancer does not care who you are,” Munn told People. 

“It comes at you, and you have no choice but to face it head-on," she added.

Despite the fear, she expressed gratitude for the "opportunity to fight the disease."

Olivia Munn: Finding joy in terrifying times with her two-year-old son 

Despite the struggle, she also credited her son for keeping her spirits high.

"When I’m with him, it’s the only time my brain doesn’t think about being sick," Munn said, adding, "I’m just so happy with him. And it puts a lot of stuff into perspective."

"Because if my body changes, I’m still his mom. If I have hot flashes, I’m still his mom. If I lose my hair, I’m still his mom. That’s really what matters the most to me, I get to be here for him," she explained.

Munn admitted that she was not someone who obsessed over death or was afraid of it before this experience.

Olivia Munn was put into a medically-induced menopause and the symptoms have followed 

Munn’s treatment hasn’t thus far included chemotherapy or radiation, but in November she began hormone suppression therapy to mitigate future risk, which has put her into medically-induced menopause.

 

“I’m constantly thinking it’s hot, my hair is thinning, and I’m tired a lot,” she said of the symptoms due to the menopause.

“I really tried to be prepared, but the truth is that nothing could prepare me for what I would feel like, what it would look like and how I would handle it emotionally. It was a lot tougher than I expected," Munn added. 

John Mulaney: Olivia Munn's support system 

Through it all, John Mulaney, the father of her son, has been by her side. “It would’ve felt like climbing an iceberg without him,” says Munn, adding, "I don’t think he had a moment to himself."

She explained how he was constantly busy, taking their son Malcolm to the park, ensuring he napped, driving to the hospital to be with her, then going back home to put Malcolm to sleep, and returning to the hospital to spend time with her. 

"And he did it all happily," Munn told the publication. 

Olivia Munn reveals why she kept her breast cancer diagnosis a secret

Munn revealed her cancer diagnosis in March 2024 in a lengthy Instagram post which she said was to “help others find comfort, inspiration and support on their own journey.”

The reason for keeping it "private for as long as I did allowed me time to fight without any outside noise at all,” she said.

The actress was diagnosed with bilateral breast cancer after tests revealed she had luminal B—a fast-moving, aggressive cancer—in both breasts.

It was just two months after testing negative following a genetic screening, Munn was diagnosed with breast cancer.

She was two weeks away from starting a new sci-fi film in Germany when she was diagnosed.

Munn revealed in March that she has since undergone four surgeries. “Surprisingly, I’ve only cried twice,” she wrote in the post.

“I guess I haven’t felt like there was time to cry. My focus narrowed and I tabled any emotions that I felt would interfere with my ability to stay clearheaded.”