Olivia Munn Opens Up About Turning Down Seven Figures to Stay Silent After ‘Traumatic’ Set Incident
Olivia Munn recently shared a powerful story about turning down a multimillion-dollar offer from a studio because it required her to sign a nondisclosure agreement. Speaking on Monica Lewinsky’s “Reclaiming” podcast, Munn recalled a “traumatic” experience on a movie set that led her to file complaints with the studio.
While she did not name the movie or go into details about the incident, she revealed that the studio attempted to resolve the matter with a financial settlement—one that came with conditions she refused to accept.
“They offered me a lot of money,” Munn said. “Seven figures to accept, I guess, their apology and them taking acknowledgment of it, but it came along with an NDA. Not that I ever would talk about it truly, because I wanted to move past it all. But I said I’m not signing an NDA, and they said I have to.”
She explained that she found the situation deeply unfair, especially considering the timing. This all took place during the early days of the #MeToo movement, when the industry was undergoing a major reckoning following the exposure of Harvey Weinstein’s abuses. Munn feared that if she signed an NDA, it could be used against her in an attempt to discredit her voice.
“This was like the reckoning, the Harvey Weinstein reckoning that began it all,” she said. “This was that time period, and this was when people were targeting anyone who signed an NDA saying, ‘Oh, you only did it for the money,’ so I was afraid that my voice and speaking up would reverse any kind of validity to my voice.”
She also worried that the studio could leak news of her NDA to manipulate public perception. After consulting with lawyers, she decided to reject the offer and left the meeting without signing anything.
“I remember feeling so proud when I walked out—so proud of myself,” Munn said. “I did not think about negotiating. I did not think about anything besides how disrespectful that was.” She admitted that her anger fueled her decision, saying, “Was it the right thing to do? Do the people in my life think that I did the right thing and are proud of me for that? Yes. It’s not that I wouldn’t have ended up with the same decision, it’s that I made that decision based on anger, and that is something I had to learn how to rein in and use for my benefit.”
Munn has been outspoken about injustices in Hollywood. In 2017, she accused director Brett Ratner of sexual harassment, telling The Los Angeles Times that he had masturbated in front of her in his trailer while she visited the set of “After the Sunset” in 2004. She later exposed that director Shane Black hired his friend, registered sex offender Steven Wilder Striegel, for a role in 2018’s “The Predator.” After Munn reported it to 20th Century Fox, Black apologized.
Reflecting on her experience with the NDA offer, she mentioned that California later made such agreements illegal in cases involving workplace harassment. While she stands by her decision, she acknowledged that it taught her an important lesson about managing emotions in high-pressure situations.
Munn’s story sheds light on the difficult choices many actors face when confronted with injustice in Hollywood. What do you think about her decision? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
You can listen to the whole podcast below:
