Olivia Munn Feels Hopeful After 'Predator' Casting Controversy
*By Amanda Weston*
Olivia Munn knew she took a major risk when she exposed a "Predator" costar's past of sexual misconduct, but that didn't scare off the actress.
"Speaking out on things like this, usually, you kind of anticipate a negative blowback, and you're kind of waiting for that," Munn, a star of "Oceans 8," "Zoolander 2," and "The Newsroom," told Cheddar.
But since Munn informed 20th Century Fox ($FOXA) that the studio had cast a known sex offender, Steven Wilder Striegel, alongside her in the film, she has received an outpouring of support ー and been honored by the UN's Girl Up organization at its first annual #GirlHero Awards.
"It was just really reassuring and made me feel very hopeful for the future," Munn said at a recent event promoting the American Express ($AXP) SPG Luxury Card.
Munn's activism not only prompted the studio to eventually cut the Striegel's scene from the film, but emboldening Paige Carnes ー the then-underage victim of the actor's advances ー to join Munn on stage when accepting her award. Before that moment Sunday, Carnes had not identified herself to the media.
"For it to culminate to the point where the Jane Doe herself feels safe enough and strong enough to put out a statement and get out from behind the Jane Doe title was truly amazing," Munn said. "So an award like this from the United Nations and Girl Up, it just made me feel really hopeful for our future."
This past weekend, the actress also called out Kanye West for hypocrisy on Twitter ー the rapper has criticized American companies for sending work overseas to China, even though his shoe brand Yeezy does the very same thing.
"When you are as famous and powerful as Kanye West is, you can say, 'I'm not going to be doing this product with you, Adidas ($ADDYY), unless you make them in America,'" Munn said.
"I thought it was just really surprising, you know, that someone would stand on such a public platform and say something that is a complete contradiction to the products that they put out."
As of Friday afternoon, Munn's tweet to West had more than 50,000 retweets and more than 203,000 likes.
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/olivia-munn-honored-for-speaking-out-takes-part-in-credit-card-launch).
Daniel Loria, Editorial Director at Box Office Pro, joined Wake Up With Cheddar to give predictions for the weekend, which will see three major films debut, as 'West Side Story', 'Don't Look Up' and 'Being the Ricardos' all hit theaters.
Politico Tech Policy Reporter Rebecca Kern joined Wake Up With Cheddar to recap Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri's testimony to Congress, and look ahead to new safety features on the horizon for the social media giant.
Carlo and Baker wrap up the week talking about the Biden economic boom that no one seems to notice, a verdict in the Jussie Smollett case, the first Starbucks union in America and the pleasures of the "dude nod."
In attempts to combat online violence, the UNFPA has officially launched a 'bodyright' campaign in hopes to call policymakers and tech companies to stand up to protect the online presence of social media users. Chief of the Gender and Human Rights Branch at the United Nations Population Fund Nafissatou J. Diop, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' made history as the first Asian-led marvel movie, staring Simu Liu. It was also the first movie in the pandemic era that Disney allowed to be purely in theatres and available nowhere else for 45 days, making over $418 million globally, in theatres. Director and co-writer of the film, Destin Daniel Cretton, joins Cheddar News.
A new bill in Congress shows just how bipartisan cannabis really is. Rep. David Joyce, a Republican from Ohio, teamed up with progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on a cannabis expungement bill. Cheddar cannabis reporter Chloe Aiello spoke with the congressman about the legislation.
Rainmaker Games bills itself as a blockchain-based organization founded in the metaverse, built on a new type of gaming ecosystem called play-to-earn. The company announced a $6.5 million seed round after it was founded just this year. Rainmaker Games CEO and founder Will Deane joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
As the saying goes, one man's trash is another man's treasure. That's exactly what artist David Anasagasti, also known as Ahol Sniffs Glue, was thinking when he created his scavenger hunt during Art Basel. Nearly 100 winners who followed the clues were able to get their piece of art signed, plus an NFT minted artwork. Artist Ahol Sniffs Glue joins Cheddar News to discuss the event and his exhibit.
A judge has granted Britney Spears the right to begin executing documents on her own behalf. For the last 14 years, Spears was unable to sign off on her own paperwork due to her recently terminated conservatorship.
