Olivia Munn Has a Black Belt in Karate, Works Out More Than You

Olivia Munn turned heads when she said she had to be lubed up to slip into her Psylocke costume for the upcoming X-Men: Apocalypse. While Munn is known for her roles in The Newsroom and Magic Mike, ta...
Olivia Munn Has a Black Belt in Karate, Works Out More Than You
Written by Mike Tuttle
  • Olivia Munn turned heads when she said she had to be lubed up to slip into her Psylocke costume for the upcoming X-Men: Apocalypse. While Munn is known for her roles in The Newsroom and Magic Mike, tackling a superhero role in a skintight suit will be a whole new game.

    It’s a good thing Olivia Munn stays in shape.

    “I’m the fourth of five children,” Munn said recently. “All of us started karate at around age five and studied it until we were about 16 — and we weren’t allowed to stop practicing until we had achieved black belts. The things that stayed with me the most from that training were the discipline not to give up when something feels too hard and the confidence that comes from knowing that if I keep working hard, I’ll achieve my goal, even if it feels impossible.”

    While Munn’s martial arts background has given her the confidence necessary for a Hollywood career, she still has anxiety issues. She started seeing a therapist for those, but got a surprise benefit at one session.

    “I was going to a hypnotist to help me with my OCD and trichotillomania. One day I told him I didn’t work out, and he said, ‘What do you mean?’ I replied, ‘I don’t know. I just kind of don’t. I yo-yo.’ He said, ‘You have to! It’s good for your anxiety and depression.’ So during one of our sessions, he hypnotized me.”

    What happened after that may well be something Munn was grateful for the day they lubed her into that Psylocke costume.

    “I’m not exaggerating: That was on a Friday, and by Monday I was working out every day at 6 a.m. If I missed a session, I’d double up and do it the next day. Now I feel so much stronger. I remember running up the steps one day and thinking, This is strange. I could do this a hundred times and be totally OK.”

    Olivia Munn is in a well-known relationship with another person who has to stay in great shape, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. He also pushes Olivia Munn to be and do her best.

    “My boyfriend’s healthiness inspires me. Aaron is different than every other man I’ve ever met … there’s so much I could say. Everything a good person can be, he is. He’s in such great shape, and especially lately, he’s been eating so well and working out. Having somebody in your life like that is so motivating.”

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