Olivia Munn has recently opened up about a contentious encounter she had with a male director during her tenure on 'The Newsroom.' During an appearance on Dax Shepard's podcast, 'Armchair Expert,' the 'New Girl' actress uncovered how the director attempted to derail her career.
Olivia recounted how the director "made numerous appearances" during her time on the show, and she was dissatisfied with her character's portrayal in a professional setting. "There was a romantic storyline between my character and Tom Sadoski's, where we were supposed to be falling in love," said the 44-year-old actress.
The 'Ride Along 2' star elaborated that the director pressured her to solely carry the romantic storyline on her shoulders. "He'd say things like, 'Can you look at him and smile?' I'd think, 'But she's busy with work here!' Or, 'Can you stop and cuddle up to him or flirt with him?' Or even, 'Can you give him a kiss?' And I'd reply, 'This is in the middle of a work setting!'" Olivia recalled vividly.
Furthermore, the actress was astonished to discover that this same director had undermined her career by discouraging other filmmakers from casting her in a movie role. "I was virtually assured of the role when my manager called and said, 'Hey, you're going to get the part. But apparently, there's another director they know who claims that you were always late and combative on 'The Newsroom,'" explained the 'Magic Mike' actress.
Olivia shared with Dax, "I lived just seven minutes away from the set. I was never late. I immediately knew who he was talking about. He was just trying to tarnish my reputation." However, she added that she would forever remember this director who sought to "destroy" her chances of securing any other role, primarily "due to our conflicts."
Currently, Olivia can be seen alongside Jon Hamm in the Apple TV+ series, 'Your Friends & Neighbors.'
