MovieChat Forums > Olivia Munn Discussion > I normally don't go out on a limb to def...

I normally don't go out on a limb to defend a celebrity, but...


After doing some basic research and reading some excerpts from her book, I'm getting a better feel for why Olivia Munn is the way she is, and am even more sympathetic to her.

I never could understand the hate for this woman, and always thought she was pretty and funny, albeit a bit awkward. Every actor or actress has had to do something not great in the beginning to get a jumpstart on his or her career, and though her beginnings are not as common as most, it's no better or worse than for those of many actors or actresses out there. She's also not had a traditionally American upbringing, and that can contribute a bit to the awkwardness. She genuinely comes across as geeky, but it's not the stereotypical geeky that people want to see. She is definitely a looker, exotic because of her mixed racial makeup, but awkward, insecure, but blunt about what she says, to the point of being inappropriate. Obviously, she's started her career as a model because of her looks, but so have many other actresses, yet she's blamed for that while others don't, and some of these other actresses are no better than she is. She sometimes does come across as nervous and insecure and a bit uncomfortable, to the point of blurting out the wrong things, during shows and interviews at times, but who wouldn't be with all these people dumping on her or asking her horrible questions?

But this woman has skills. Her martial arts is decent, solid but not spectacular (and I've had 10+ years training myself, so I'm not just saying it to say it). I've watched her training videos (yes, even the sped up ones, which, really still don't discount the accuracy of her kicks or solidness of her stances). Very few people in the world have spectacular martial arts skills, even with all the training. But she is good; you can't fault her kicking or her sword work, as that is not easy to do without hurting yourself, even with a blunt sword. I've cut myself once with a practice wushu sword because I was swinging it very fast and got distracted. She was properly cast in the role of Psylocke. I can't think of any other actress who would fit the bill as easily.

When it comes down to it, she's a pretty but socially awkward, sexually forward woman who has the skills to make it in Hollywood, but she'll always have to be mentally strong, because the sexism and cliquey behavior in Hollywood are just nasty as they were in high school. In addition, she is being bullied and slut-shamed unnecessarily everywhere else, particularly by women who are supposed to stand by women. I suspect it's easier for them to stand by someone who has qualities that suit their agendas, rather than stand by someone who genuinely needs compassion and support.

The funny thing is, I never really paid much attention to Olivia Munn until her casting as Psylocke. There was the occasional thing about her, some negative, some positive, but it seems that the backlash against her lately has been pretty bad.

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I like her. She was funny on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and a bright light in Aaron Sorkin's The Newsroom. I was a little concerned when I saw a picture of her at a recent awards show. She looked so thin I wondered if she was sick. Hope not...I'd like to see her succeed. Go Olivia!

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I don't know much about her, but she appeared on Sunday Brunch this weekend (3 hour cooking/entertainment/magazine UK TV show) and she was brilliant.

Very quick witted, sarcastic and dry, and stole the show from the other guests who are arguably more well-known here than she is.

Maybe her personality and humour rub some the wrong way in settings where celebrities are expected to be polite and inoffensive, but I thought she was hilarious.

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I thought she was horrible on The Daily Show but I don't hate her. I don't like her either.

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I've managed to watch a number of her older shows on YouTube. I think she's great, and I suspect people are having a hard time reconciling someone with her looks and body confidence with someone who has her level of intelligence and her kind of humor; she's just not "Hollywood" enough, I suspect, for most people, but I really don't want her to dumb herself down. We have enough of clones as is.

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I just hope she doesn't visit her IMDB page, because it's really sad to see all the haters in full force here.

You don't see this behavior as much on male actors' imdb pages. Hmm, why do you think that is?

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