
The 'Newsroom' actress opens up about her battle with severe depression after giving birth to her first child with John Mulaney, detailing the emotional and physical tolls she's facing.
- Apr 13, 2025
AceShowbiz - Olivia Munn, well-known for her roles in "The Newsroom" and "Magic Mike," has endured significant health struggles that she's now opening up about. She especially highlighted her severe postpartum depression after the birth of her son, finding it more difficult than her cancer battle.
Olivia Munn's postpartum journey began after giving birth to her first child, Malcolm, in November 2021. What should have been a joyous period quickly became overwhelming, with Munn experiencing severe anxiety.
In a recent interview with Self magazine, she revealed onvr she stopped nursing her baby, "Your hormones drop, and postpartum can come in like a tornado."
Munn's struggle with postpartum depression was deeply physical and emotional. "My eyes pop open at 4 a.m. I'm gasping for air. I get the tightness in my chest, and it's like that all day long," she described. She likened the experience to the worst horror movie imaginable, where her body was in constant turmoil.
During this time, Munn found herself comparing her postpartum experience to other new mothers on social media. "It kicked into high gear when I hadn't lost the baby weight, and nothing was fitting," she explained.
"I would see people on social media, people I knew had babies around the same time. I reached out to some of them," she said, recalling feeling more isolated when the other moms seemingly had no problem bouncing back.
Adding to her difficulties, Munn was unable to produce sufficient milk, which she believed exacerbated her anxiety. Despite consulting multiple lactation coaches and trying various remedies, she struggled to fill even one bottle, making her feel defeated and inadequate as a mother.
Just as she began to navigate motherhood, Munn faced another tremendous challenge: cancer. Diagnosed in 2023, she underwent a double mastectomy, reconstructive surgery, an oophorectomy, and a partial hysterectomy. This series of surgeries was grueling, but Munn found strength in her family and the support of her partner, John Mulaney.
Unable to carry another child, Munn and Mulaney opted for surrogacy to welcome their daughter, Méi, in September 2024. Munn expressed her gratitude for their surrogate, describing her as "an incredible mother, an incredible human being, an incredible friend." The surrogate's understanding of Munn's health challenges made the journey less painful.
Reflecting on her turbulent experiences, Munn explained why she found postpartum tougher than cancer, describing her depression as an all-consuming force, making it impossible to seek help or take medication even when she needed it the most. "It was like I fell off a cliff, and I was just falling and falling and falling and falling," she said.