"Everything else is just extra"—Olivia Munn reflects on renewed appreciation for life after breast cancer diagnosis

Olivia Munn, who was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago, sat down for an exclusive interview with People Magazine for the promotion of her latest show, Your Friends & Neighbors. During the discussion, Munn discussed how the news of her cancer diagnosis and the subsequent treatment procedures changed her as a person and shifted her perspectives on everything.

The actress shared how much more she appreciated the people she had around her during this time. She emphasized the importance of finding joy in the little things and cherishing each moment. Munn said :

"Everything else is just extra"

In 2023, Olivia Miunn was diagnosed with breast cancer, the news of which was revealed in 2024. Since then, "The Newsroom" actress has had to undergo several surgeries to treat her stage one breast cancer.

More from Olivia Munn's interview, as she shares new perspective on life after cancer diagnosis

In 2024, Olivia Munn revealed that she had been diagnosed with stage one breast cancer one year earlier. She explained how she decided to do a test to check for cancer genes with her sister. They tested negative for every type. She discussed how she found out that she had cancer.

"That same winter I also had a normal mammogram. Two months later I was diagnosed with breast cancer. In the past ten months I have had four surgeries, so many days spent in bed I can't even count and have learned more about cancer, cancer treatment and hormones than I ever could have imagined."

She further added:

"Surprisingly, I've only cried twice. I guess I haven't felt like there was time to cry. My focus narrowed and I tabled any emotions that I felt would interfere with my ability to stay clearheaded."

Olivia Munn, who is now promoting her new series, said in her interview with People Magazine that it was not until her cancer diagnosis that she realized how insignificant some other moments in life were. She said,

"I don't think I realized how much I was focusing on things that didn't matter until I had a crashing moment in my life, which was being diagnosed with breast cancer."

She further added:

"It's unfortunate, I think, when something that big has to kind of turn your head around to look back at how you've been living and realizing like, ‘Oh, wait, these things don't matter.’ But, at the same time, that's, I guess, the blessing in those moments.”

Olivia Munn, who previously had a biopsy and double mastectomy to treat the cancer, said that she makes use of each day, adding that "there are good days and bad days." She explained,

"So when I have energy to get up in the morning and I have energy to be with my family and my friends, and I get to work with amazing people, it's truly, as saccharine as it might sound, when I get up and I'm here and I get to see the sky and I see my children playing and I get to talk to my friends — I just need that.”

During the interview, the "Date Night" actress further added that she is now a lot kinder to herself because of the journey she has been through over the last two years. Munn continued,

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"I give myself a lot of grace now with things like that. I don't worry about the house being a mess … I just wake up and really kind of give myself, I call them attainable goals instead of making really big goals that you end up feeling like I fell short … so I feel successful every day no matter how small it is.”

Olivia Munn, who is married to comedian John Mulaney and shares two children with him, had previously expressed how grateful she was to have them by her side during such a difficult period in her life. Munn, who has effortlessly raised awareness about breast cancer, was also included in the "TIME Women of The Year," list earlier this year.

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