On Wednesday, X-Men: Apocalypse alum Olivia Munn revealed that in 2023, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and that a month after her biopsy, she had a double mastectomy. The 43-year-old star, who was most recently seen at the Academy Awards on Sunday, wrote that her journey has significantly impacted her health, but that she hopes that others find inspiration and support in her story. Since sharing, a slew of celebrities have rushed to social media to support Munn and share their kind words and thoughts.
Munn shared photos of herself on Instagram undergoing treatments along with a breakdown of what her cancer journey has been like so far. She shared that she’s had four surgeries in the past 10 months, and has spent many days in bed. Munn went on to say that she felt the need to keep her diagnosis private because: “I needed to catch my breath and get through some of the hardest parts before sharing.” Despite the dire news, support from Munn’s peers and fellow stars has been pouring in. Retired competitive figure skater Michelle Kwan wrote:
“Thank you for sharing - you are so courageous and strong. You’ve got this We’re all thinking of you!
The actress, who appeared on Tales of the Walking Dead, also wrote that if it wasn’t for her OB/GYN, Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi, she would’ve found her cancer until a year later, when she had her next scheduled mammogram. She stated that Dr. Aliabadi decided to be proactive and calculated her Breast Cancer Risk Assessment score, which eventually led to a biopsy that showed that she had “Luminal B cancer in both breasts”.
Another one of the stars who reached out during this extremely tough time was Jillian Bell, who wrote:
Oh my gosh, honey I’m so sorry you’ve had to go through this. Sending you light, healing energy and peace.
Munn continued, stating that she’s a lucky case because she and her doctor were able to catch it early enough before it became too severe, allowing her to have more treatment options. She went on to thank her entire medical team, calling Dr. Aliabadi her “guardian angel”, along with her friends and family.
She also thanked her partner, comedian John Mulaney, writing: “I’m so thankful to John for the nights he spent researching what every operation and medication meant, and what side effects and recovery I could expect. For being there before I went into each surgery and being there when I woke up…”
Just by the comments, it’s obvious that her emotional post drove many to tears, and she has a huge community rallying around her. Ming-Na Wen wrote:
Made me cry. You & your doctor kicked cancer's ass! Love to you, John, Malcolm and your family and friends who helped you through this ordeal.
If their kind words weren’t enough, here’s what other celebrities wrote:
- Ariel Winter: Sending you and your family love & healing vibes. You are so strong
- Kaley Cuoco: Thank you for sharing this! Wow
- Reese Witherspoon: Beautifully said. Sending you and your family love
- Kerry Washington: Love you. Thank you for this
- Jenna Fischer: Love you
- Jaime King: I love you. You’re so beautiful and so strong and deeply loved.
- Amy Schumer: You are a warrior and I love you. Thank you for sharing this
- Jo Koy: You are going to defeat this 100%. Mahal kita Olivia
Olivia Munn’s cancer journey is absolutely shocking and heartbreaking. Hopefully, her story will inspire others to act early and talk to their doctors about testing and preventative measures. We wish nothing but the best for Munn and her loved ones during this time, and are hoping for a complete recovery.
