Olivia Munn might be an accomplished actress, but if you ask her husband, John Mulaney, her true full-time job is keeping him out of bizarre, hypothetical dangers.
During the InStyle Imagemaker Awards in October 2024, the comedian playfully exposed his wife’s chronic overprotectiveness. While presenting Munn with the Woman of Impact honor, Mulaney read aloud some of the warning texts she has sent him throughout their relationship.
"Here is a text she sent me when I was going to the Tom Ford store in Chicago: 'Baby, be so careful today. You can get monkeypox trying on clothes at a store and/or not washing your new clothes.'"
Another memorable exchange happened when Mulaney was taking their son for a stroller walk. Munn texted him out of the blue to "be so careful" because "crazy things can come out of nowhere." When Mulaney texted back asking for an example, Munn simply replied, "Crazy cars."
But while Munn worries about runaway vehicles and dressing room viruses, Mulaney stepped into the role of fierce protector when it mattered most: during Munn’s 2023 breast cancer diagnosis.
Speaking on CBS News Sunday Morning, Munn called her husband the best person in the world, noting that he insisted on attending every single one of her doctor's appointments. Even in the darkest moments of her health battle, Mulaney used his comedic gifts to keep her spirits up, keeping a notebook handy to jot down jokes that would help them laugh through the trauma.
This unshakable mutual support is a far cry from the chaotic and heavily scrutinized beginnings of their relationship.
After Mulaney completed a stint in rehab and separated from his then-wife Anna Marie Tendler in early 2021, the internet quickly spun rumors when news broke that he was linked to Munn. However, Munn recently clarified to GQ that their initial dynamic was far from a traditional romance. Having met years prior at Seth Meyers’ wedding, they reconnected simply because Munn was helping him find a safe living situation post-rehab.
Even when they announced they were expecting their first child, Malcolm, their relationship was rooted more in a co-parenting commitment than a definitive romantic partnership. Munn admitted that at the time of her unexpected pregnancy, she "barely knew him."
The rapid sequence of events—Mulaney's rehab, his divorce, and the pregnancy—fueled intense online speculation. Mulaney eventually cleared the air on Late Night With Seth Meyers, outlining a timeline that proved he and Munn connected well after his separation. He credited Munn with holding his hand through absolute hell.
For Munn's part, she adamantly refused to entertain the digital gossip. In a 2021 interview with the Los Angeles Times, she explained her decision to stay silent regarding the public's false narratives.
"If I try to say anything, I run the risk of being called messy or not telling the truth. The only way to win, for me, is to pull back and to not play the game at all."
By drowning out the noise, Munn and Mulaney have been able to build a remarkably strong, loving, and humorous foundation. Today, the couple shares two children—4-year-old Malcolm and 18-month-old Méi—and continues to navigate life's unexpected hurdles side-by-side, perfectly content to let their laughter (and occasional text warnings) shield them from the outside world.