Olivia Munn talks about focusing on health after 'emotionally abusive relationship'

Detroit — Actress and activist Olivia Munn said she had to learn to invest in herself and her career after removing herself from an "emotionally abusive" relationship while talking to young entrepreneurs in Detroit on Sunday.

Munn, a guest at Forbes Under 30 Summit held at the Masonic Temple in Detroit this week, was invited to speak on women's health and wellness. 

Munn, 39, began her career in broadcast journalism before turning to acting in 2006 on the series "Beyond the Break." She's known for her roles as Sloan Sabbith in the HBO drama "The Newsroom," "X-Men: Apocolypse," and as a correspondent on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show."

Officials invited Munn to discuss how she balances her passion, a Hollywood career with a healthy body image and fighting for causes that are important to her.

Munn was interviewed by Maggie McGrath, editor of ForbesWomen. A heavy amount of her talk Sunday involved a past relationship she called "emotionally abusive." While Munn did not name her ex-boyfriend and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers directly, she referred to events that occurred within recent years while she was filming movies like "The Predator." She and Rodgers split in 2017. 

"It wasn't until I had exited that relationship and I was able to look back and realize I had sold two different TV shows while I was in that relationship, which is extremely difficult to do," Munn said. "Because that relationship ended not having that support from him and him wanting me to just always be there to cater to every need of his and not be supportive of my needs ...

"I was left so empty at the end."

Rodgers' spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Munn said she puts a reminder on her phone each day to take a half-hour for herself.

"It's a conscious effort because it's not natural for me. It's not a natural feeling to take time to take care of yourself," she said. "Someone told me if you don't have 10 minutes to yourself every day, then God help you and, I thought, 'wow, that's dark,' " she said. 

"We never ask men how they do it all because they don't do it all," she said receiving a loud reaction from the crowd. 

Speaking on her health, Munn said she was very sick while traveling to film scenes, suffering from exhaustion, pain and she felt like she was "dragging herself through life."

In March, she was diagnosed with candida overgrowth, an abundance of yeast in the body that can cause pain. She said she had to surround herself with good, like-minded people and focus on what she wanted most. She advised others to do the same. 

When asked what she would tell her "under-30 self," Munn said, "Break up with that guy."

"As hard as it is, take time to do physical activity every day," she said. "Learn a new language and do stuff that will fill your toolbox and be well."

Munn also is set to speak at 11 a.m. Monday during the session called "The Secret (Investing) Life Of Olivia Munn," where she is expected to speak on being one of Uber’s earliest investors. She has gone on to invest in a host of other brands, even serving as the creative strategist for Wag, a dog-walking service.

The Under 30 Summit brings together more than 7,000 attendees from more than 70 countries through Wednesday.

srahal@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @SarahRahal_