Olivia Munn Claims Alec Baldwin Got Her Kicked Off ‘30 Rock’ Series Before Air

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Olivia Munn revealed she was originally cast in a role on the NBC comedy 30 Rock, but Alec Baldwin, one of the show’s stars, apparently had concerns. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Munn explained that Baldwin’s objections didn’t seem to be about her personally, but rather about the creative direction of the show.

Shortly after leaving her hosting job on G4’s Attack of the Show!, Olivia Munn auditioned for 30 Rock, which was in its third season. The show’s creators were looking for someone to play a love interest for Alec Baldwin’s character. Munn told The Hollywood Reporter that she felt confident during the audition, carefully choosing her outfit and staying focused on the character. She later got a call letting her know she’d been cast.

Munn believes she achieved success by concentrating on improving her own work, instead of comparing herself to other actresses or feeling jealous of them.

A Role That Almost Was

Ultimately, I landed the job,” Munn explained. But shortly after, she experienced some confusion with the NBC casting team. First, they told her Alec Baldwin thought she appeared too young to play his romantic partner. Then, just two days later, they reversed course, saying she was perfect and asking her to fly out for a screen test. However, the next day, they changed their minds again, with Baldwin insisting she still looked too young and refusing to move forward.

When the casting decision was made, Alec Baldwin was 52 years old and Olivia Munn was 30. Elizabeth Banks ultimately landed the role of Avery Jessup, despite being only six years older than Munn. Banks received critical acclaim for her performance, earning her two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series.

Looking back, that job would have been a huge opportunity for me, but I wasn’t too upset about not getting it,” Munn said. She reminded herself how far she’d already come. While Alec Baldwin ultimately led to her not being cast on 30 Rock, she realized it was something she couldn’t have changed.

Munn explained that she felt confident because of her own accomplishments and skills. She said knowing she’d earned the role, based on her acting ability, was a huge boost. It sounds like, apart from Alec Baldwin’s support, simply having the approval of respected figures like Tina Fey, Robert Carlock, and Grace Wu at NBC casting was enough to make her feel secure in the position.

Turning a Near Miss Into Momentum

After successfully preventing Munn from appearing on 30 Rock that year, she landed roles in several high-profile projects, such as Iron Man 2 and Steven Soderbergh’s Magic Mike. She also made a guest appearance on the TV show Chuck, and worked on other notable productions.

By 2012, she’d gained a notable part on Aaron Sorkin’s HBO show, The Newsroom, which lasted three seasons. In 2016, she played Psylocke in X-Men: Apocalypse. After a short break due to health concerns, she’s currently starring in the Apple TV+ series Your Friends and Neighbors.

Instead of dwelling on being turned down for 30 Rock or expressing any resentment towards Alec Baldwin, Anna Gunn simply kept working. Ultimately, her experience highlights that the parts actors don’t land can be just as impactful on their careers as the ones they do.

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2026-04-07 17:56