Olivia Munn’s surrogate experiences have deeply reshaped how she views motherhood – and she’s not shy about it.
The actress, now 44, opened up in a raw and emotional interview with SELF magazine about her recent journey to motherhood through surrogacy. After undergoing a hysterectomy during her breast cancer battle in 2023, Olivia had no option but to turn to a surrogate to bring her second child, Méi, into the world – and it was an experience that left her feeling both grateful and humbled.
“I mean, she was a better pregnant woman than I ever could’ve been,” Olivia said honestly, adding that her surrogate is still part of their lives. “She doesn’t know any celebrities, which I loved. Above all else, I just wanted her to be kind. She’s an incredible human being – an amazing mom, friend, just a wonderful person.”
For Olivia Munn, surrogate motherhood wasn’t just a backup plan – it was a necessity. She made it clear to her surrogate that this wasn’t about convenience or vanity. “I needed her to understand that I needed to go this route. It wasn’t because I wanted to put my work first, or for some superficial reason. It was hard for me to do this,” Olivia admitted. “It’s your baby, but the baby is growing inside someone else. It makes me emotional just thinking about it.”
Olivia had frozen her eggs before the hysterectomy, knowing that if she wanted more children, this might be the only way. The woman who carried her daughter was based in Massachusetts and has become more than just a surrogate – she’s become part of the family’s support system.
The former Newsroom star also reflected on her first pregnancy with son Malcolm, now three, who she carried herself. And that experience wasn’t all picture-perfect either. Olivia got real about how post-pregnancy depression hit her hard and how she struggled emotionally and physically. “I was operating normally, but I was feeling really depressed,” she said. “It got worse when I couldn’t lose the baby weight. Nothing fit, and I’d scroll through Instagram seeing other moms in crop tops and Valentino shorts. I’d think, ‘How the hell do you have the energy to take those beautiful pics?’”
And while social media painted motherhood as flawless and stylish, Olivia was barely making it through the day. “I didn’t even have the energy to fake it,” she said. “Whatever they were faking – I couldn’t even do that.” That contrast between public image and private reality hit hard, showing just how much pressure moms are under to ‘bounce back.’
Now, with Olivia Munn surrogate support and a new baby at home, she’s learned a lot about control, acceptance, and letting go. “Maybe it’s a lesson on what we can control. Or what we can forgive. Or maybe it’s just about letting the universe take over sometimes.”
Olivia’s transparency offers a breath of fresh air in a world obsessed with perfection. She’s not trying to spin a glossy narrative. She’s just being real about how tough it is to navigate motherhood – whether you’re pregnant yourself or relying on someone else to help make your family whole.
What do you think about Olivia Munn’s candid take on surrogacy and motherhood?
