Traumatic

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Actress Olivia Munn is disclosing that a studio attempted to make her sign a confidentiality agreement (NDA) after an upsetting event on a movie set. Throughout her career in Hollywood, Olivia has been versatile, moving from journalism and television roles such as those on ‘Attack of the Show!’ and ‘The Daily Show’, to acting in series like ‘The Newsroom’ and films including ‘Magic Mike’, ‘X-Men: Apocalypse’. Beyond her professional achievements, she has also been vocal about anti-Asian harassment and assaults during the COVID-19 pandemic, advocated for animal rights, and revealed her personal struggle with breast cancer.

On Monica Lewinsky’s “Reclaiming” podcast, as reported by Variety, Olivia Munn discussed an unnamed incident on a film set where she decided against signing a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). She didn’t disclose the specific production or details of the event. In her words, “I had to file complaints with the studio, and there were various other aspects that followed suit. The situation escalated to a point where they offered me a substantial amount of money as an apology, but it was tied to an NDA. I didn’t intend to discuss it publicly anyway, as I wanted to move past everything, but the offer came with the condition that I sign the NDA.” Despite her resistance, Munn shared that the studio persisted in pressuring her to agree to the deal, saying “I refused to sign an NDA, and they insisted that I had to.

She elaborated, explaining the specific timeline connected to the Harvey Weinstein scandal and describing the general public’s perception towards those who had signed Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs).

I strongly sensed it was incredibly inappropriate, and what made it more significant was the context – right at the onset of the #MeToo and Times Up movements. This felt like a turning point, the Harvey Weinstein scandal being the catalyst for change. It was during this time when those who had signed Non-Disclosure Agreements were being criticized, with people claiming they only spoke up for monetary reasons. So, I harbored fear that speaking out could diminish the credibility of my own voice.

Munns apprehension about signing the Non-Disclosure Agreement stemmed from concerns that the anonymous film studio might publicize the information in an attempt to silence her. Yet, she acknowledged that her indignation over the NDA proposal served as a driving force for not putting her signature on it. Prior to the meeting with the studio, Munns consulted with legal advisors and eventually left the meeting without endorsing the contract. Munns words were: “I was worried the studio might use the NDA to mute my voice, but my anger at the offer fueled my decision not to sign.

I felt incredibly proud as I exited – proud of my own actions. I didn’t even consider negotiating. All I could think about was how disrespectful it was. … Now, did I act correctly, and does the people in my life believe that I acted rightly and are proud of me for it? Yes. It wasn’t that I wouldn’t have come to the same decision otherwise; rather, I made that decision out of anger, and I had to learn how to manage and channel that anger to my advantage.

Olivia Munn Will Not (and Should Not) Be Silenced

As a passionate cinephile, I must admit that it’s disheartening to learn about instances where actresses like Olivia Munn have faced harassment and inappropriate behavior at work. Back in 2004, on the set of “After Sunset,” director Brett Ratner allegedly exposed himself and masturbated in his trailer, an act he later boasted about in 2010, even claiming to have had sexual relations with Munn, which was untrue.

Fast forward to early September 2018, when it was revealed that Steven Wilder Striegel, who initially had a minor role in “The Predator,” was a registered sex offender. Upon discovering this, Munn approached 20th Century Fox and demanded the scene featuring her character’s interaction with Striegel be removed from the film, which they did. Unfortunately, during the release of “The Predator,” Munn found herself without much support from her co-stars, and she also rejected an apology from the film’s director, Shane Black.

Munn’s tale of being forced into a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) is unfortunately all too familiar. Sadly, when individuals who sign such agreements later reveal disturbing allegations, it seems that the initial response is often to disregard the offender and instead question the accuser. Munn deserves praise for her courage in standing up for herself, even though she faced an appalling level of harassment. The individual who harassed Munn and the studio that attempted to silence her should be thankful to her for not revealing names, as she certainly had the right to do so.

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2025-02-20 17:33