Olivia Munn has recounted a time when a male co-star refused to film a scene with her because he didn't want his character to be "saved" by a woman.
During an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show this week, The Newsroom actress described how the unnamed actor put a halt to production while they were meant to be shooting a gunfight in an underground bunker.
"There have been a few times where I've been filming something - and my character was either like CIA, or a cop, or something - and there's been scenes where my character has been the one to save the other character," she explained. "If you read the script, it was that he was guarding his side, I was guarding my side, then we switch sides and then there's a guy that was coming for him - was gonna shoot him in the back - so I shoot him. And then we're about to shoot and, somehow, I guess he didn't read the script and in that moment, he realised, 'Wait, wait, wait. Hold on. She can't save me. No, no. She can't save me.'"
The actor then refused to continue filming and became "combative with the director".
Reflecting on the incident, Olivia remembered just how confident the person was in their approach.
"There was no insecurity about being obnoxious and everyone hearing this and being like, 'She can't save me! We're not doing this,'" the 45-year-old recalled. "Finally, after like 45 minutes of just stopping down, I said, 'OK, how about instead of my character saving you, it's just that we switch because it's time for us to switch and so this is my guy to get.' And he was like, 'OK.'"
But in the end, Olivia managed to score the last word.
"Now here's the interesting thing: nothing changed. It's just what he thought. I was doing the exact same thing," she smiled.
Olivia is currently promoting the second season of Your Friends & Neighbors, which is now streaming via Apple TV.
Co-starring Jon Hamm and Amanda Peet, the drama has already been renewed for a third season.
