Olivia Munn confirms breast cancer diagnosis in emotional Instagram post

olivia munn
Olivia Munn shares breast cancer diagnosisPhoto: Steve Granitz/Getty Images

X-Men star Olivia Munn has confirmed her breast cancer diagnosis in an emotional Instagram post.

The actress shared with fans on Wednesday (March 13) that she has had four surgeries over the past 10 months after being diagnosed with an "aggressive form" of the disease.

Munn initially tested negative for the cancer-linked BRCA gene last year, but was told by her doctor she still had a 37% lifetime risk of being diagnosed with the disease.

"Two months later I was diagnosed with breast cancer,” Munn wrote on the social media site.

She continued: "We caught it with enough time that I had options. I want the same for any woman who might have to face this one day.

"In the past ten months, I have had four surgeries, so many days spent in bed I can’t even count and have learned more about cancer, cancer treatment and hormones than I ever could have imagined. Surprisingly, I’ve only cried twice. I guess I haven’t felt like there was time to cry.”

Olivia credited her partner John Mulaney for "the nights he spent researching what every operation and medication meant and what side effects and recovery I could expect".

"[I'm thankful to John] for being there before I went into each surgery and being there when I woke up, always placing framed photos of our little boy Malcolm so it would be the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes," she added.

The actress and comedian Mulaney welcomed their son, Malcolm Hiệp Mulaney, back in November 2021.

john mulaney and olivia munn
Kevin Mazur/VF24 - Getty Images

Munn is perhaps best known for starring in The Newsroom as journalist Sloan Sabbith, as well as playing the mutant Psylocke in X-Men: Apocalypse and reporter Chess Roberts in Marvel's Iron Man 2.

Other notable credits on her CV include a correspondent stint on The Daily Show, as well as an appearance in Tales of the Walking Dead and voicing Lady Bullseye in Marvel's animated Hit-Monkey show.


Breast Cancer Now's helpline (0808 800 6000) is open 9am-4pm Monday to Friday and 9am-1pm on Saturday.

More information or support about living with breast cancer or treatment is available from organisations including Macmillan Cancer Support, Coppafeel!, Cancer Research UK and Stand Up to Cancer.

You Might Also Like