Olivia Munn opens up about how one paparazzi moment triggered her disorder

Actress Olivia Munn has opened up about a deeply personal and painful experience that began with a single paparazzi photo, revealing how it triggered her struggle with trichotillomania — a condition that causes individuals to compulsively pull out their hair when under stress or anxiety.

In a candid conversation on the Armchair Expert podcast with Dax Shepard, the 44-year-old actress shared how an unexpected moment during her brief relationship with actor Chris Pine led to a downward spiral that affected her mental health.

“It all began with that one picture,” Munn said, recalling a photo that appeared in the tabloids featuring her and Pine. It marked the first time she had ever been in the tabloid spotlight — and the impact was immediate and profound.

Munn described how the intense scrutiny and judgment sparked a compulsive behavior she couldn’t control. “There’s a sensation. It’s probably not even real, but I’ll feel like, ‘Oh, this eyelash feels like it’s gonna come out,’ even though it’s not,” she explained. “And then when you pull it, there was a quick second of pain. And then there’s a satisfaction and then immediate regret.”

Munn, who is now married to comedian John Mulaney and shares two children with him — Malcolm and baby Mei — said the reaction to the photo only worsened the situation. Friends and acquaintances speculated that she had orchestrated the moment for attention, which intensified her emotional distress.

“They found this blue old prom dress with big pom poms on the side,” she recalled. “And I was like, ‘Oh, wonder if I can make it into the worst best dressed list?’” She continued, “There were paparazzi outside his house because he had been in Star Trek and all this. And they took photos of me. I was like, ‘Oh my god.’

And when it got out, one of my friends was like, ‘Hey, you’re dating Chris Pine.’ And they were like, ‘I think she set this up. Who’s carrying a clutch during the day?’ That began my trichotillomania.” The actress, known for her roles in The Newsroom and X-Men: Apocalypse, has become increasingly vocal about her mental health in recent years, hoping to bring more awareness to conditions like trichotillomania and break the stigma surrounding them.

Munn’s story underscores the hidden emotional toll that media exposure and public scrutiny can have, even on those in the spotlight, and the importance of compassion in how we treat one another, both online and off.