The ugly dress, the paparazzi photo, and the mental health battle Olivia Munn hid for years

Olivia Munn says harsh tabloid backlash during her Chris Pine romance triggered her hair-pulling disorder.

Olivia Munn is opening up about a deeply personal struggle that began during her early brush with fame. In a candid conversation on the Armchair Expert podcast, the actress revealed that her battle with trichotillomania, a compulsive hair-pulling disorder, started around 2009, during her brief relationship with Chris Pine.

The triggering moment, Munn says, was a paparazzi photo showing her leaving Pine’s house while wearing a quirky vintage prom dress. “I asked The Daily Show for the ugliest dress they had,” she recalled with a laugh. “They found this old blue dress with pom-poms, and I wore it hoping to land on the worst-dressed list. And I did!”

But the backlash that followed took a toll. Online commenters accused her of staging the photos, criticising everything from her outfit to the fact that she was carrying a clutch during the day. “I read the comments,” Munn said. “That began my trichotillomania.”

She described the compulsive urge in detail, “I’ll feel like, ‘This eyelash feels like it’s gonna come out,’ even though it’s not. And then when you pull it, there’s a quick second of pain… and then satisfaction, followed by regret.”

Though Munn didn’t share how she currently manages the disorder, she emphasised that there’s no tension between her and Pine. The two recently reunited at the SNL 50th anniversary celebration and enjoyed a friendly chat.

Now focused on motherhood with husband John Mulaney, Munn continues to balance her personal and professional life while raising awareness about mental health.