We’ve covered quite a few actors and actresses here at TV Fanatic, and while some of them have fallen into the “familiar face in the background” roles, none have snuck up on audiences like Olivia Munn.
One of her first acting gigs was that of “Claw Hostess” in the Steve Carell and Tina Fey comedy Date Night.
Although her part was small, the actress was one of the most memorable experiences of that movie—besides Mark Wahlberg shirtless, that is.
Though she looks like a model, Munn’s career has focused solely on the small and big screen and live and scripted appearances.
In many ways, she’s like that actor you notice when you rewatch movies from years ago, making you go, “Wait, isn’t that what’s her name from that thing?”
It’s an extremely common occurrence with actors who turn into big names later in their careers. Don’t believe me?
Search for Jennifer Aniston and Matthew McConaughey’s filmography.
In addition, she isn’t afraid to show her authentic self, having hosted several jobs ranging from sports to pop culture shows.
Get ready for a crash course in Olivia Munn. We have compiled a list of some of the actress’s most memorable movies and TV shows.
So, sit back, relax, and get ready to learn why “Claw. You’re welcome” is a time-honored line.
Date Night (2010)
Role: Claw Hostess. Available to watch on Max.
There’s no telling what kind of hilarity will ensue when you combine the comedic chops of Steve Carell and Tina Fey.
Date Night is one of those timeless movies because the main couple is so relatable with their marital struggles and attempts to keep the passion alive.
To keep the spark alive in their marriage, Phil and Claire Foster, played by Steve Carell and Tina Fey, try to have a date night at an upscale Manhattan restaurant.
However, without a reservation, Phil decides to steal the reservation for another absent couple, the Tripplehorns, not realizing that the Tripplehorns have a hit out on them.
Still in the early stages of her acting career, Olivia Munn played the hostess at the hip Manhattan eatery.
While her character doesn’t even have a name, she leaves a lasting comedic impression during her interactions with Phil and Claire Foster.
There are so many movies and shows about finding love and almost just as many about what to do once you’ve got it.
This Steve Carell comedy is a hilarious adventure. If you enjoy this film, check out similar films and shows like Crazy, Stupid, Love, and Wolf Like Me.
Magic Mike (2012)
Role: Joanna. Available for rent or purchase.
Many viewers might be surprised at the number of scenes in this movie that are clothed and how much focus is on the daily lives of the film’s titular character.
Still, the shots depicting the shirtless hunks’ nightlife deliver on the movie’s namesake.
By day, Mike, played by Channing Tatum, works various jobs to make ends meet, but at night, he’s the hot headliner of an all-male revue.
When Mike sees the potential in a nineteen-year-old, he takes the kid under his wing to teach him the tricks of the trade.
Olivia plays the role of Joanna, a friend of Mike’s with whom he occasionally engages in casual sex.
Her character mainly provides words of wisdom and guidance to help Mike navigate his romantic life.
While this movie heavily portrays the ordinary daily lives of its main characters, most moviegoers saw it for obvious reasons.
If you’re one such viewer, you’ll likely also enjoy streaming Welcome to Chippendales on Hulu.
X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
Role: Psylocke. Available to watch on Disney+.
The First Class franchise soft reboot shocked audiences with how well it told the early stories of some viewers’ favorite mutant team.
This film, in particular, saw the first live-action iteration of the villain Apocalypse.
While the character left much more to desire, the movie has incredible action scenes with a fun mix of new mutants.
When the immortal mutant Apocalypse, portrayed by Oscar Isaac, awakens thousands of years after being worshipped as a god, he sets out to reshape the world.
After he recruits a team of powerful mutants, Charles Xavier puts together his team to save the world from the renegade mutant god.
Due to her assassin nature, Psylocke has always toed the line between good and bad guys.
Olivia Munn perfectly plays the psychic katana-wielding mutant through choreographed fights against amazing CGI visuals.
This film isn’t considered the greatest in the franchise but delivers fantastic action through beloved comic book characters.
If you’re an avid comic fan, definitely check out this movie and similar shows like The Gifted and X-Men ’97.
Office Christmas Party (2016)
Role: Tracey Hughes. Available for rent or purchase.
Some story premises will always have a place in society, and one’s about workplace mayhem through partying is something that viewers clamor for.
While this movie doesn’t always hit the mark, when it does, it hits the bullseye with actors like Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, and T.J. Miller.
After the CEO, played by Jennifer Aniston, of a tech company makes plans to close the branch her partying brother manages, the employees strategize how to keep their jobs.
The Chief Technical Officer, played by Jason Bateman, throws a huge Christmas party to impress a potential client.
Munn plays the fun-loving character of Tracey Hughes, one of the employees the CEO addresses as a concern.
Tracey is also the love interest of Jason Bateman’s Josh Parker.
It’s not a real Christmas party until someone dressed as Santa pukes into something other than a toilet bowl.
Office Christmas Party delivers all the hilarity of workplace shenanigans gone wrong.
If you enjoy this film, check out similar shows with questionable work ethics, like The Office.
The Lego Ninjago Movie (2017)
Role: Koko. Available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.
Admit it—you know you still love Legos.
The toy company makes a hefty sum from adults purchasing their more expensive building models, so it should be no surprise that this movie appeals to audiences of any age.
The Lego Ninjago Movie focuses on Master Builder Lloyd, also known as the Green Ninja, and his ninja friends to stop the evil warlord, Garmadon.
The only problem is that the tyrant also happens to be Lloyd’s dad, pitting father and son against each other.
Olivia Munn voices Koko, Lloyd’s intelligent, strong, independent, but kind-hearted mother.
That also makes her the ex-wife of Lord Garmadon, as Koko is also known as the Lady Iron Dragon.
Unlike Trix, Legos are not just for kids; the whole family can enjoy this film.
So, if you’re a big kid who still loves a good Lego movie to ignite some nostalgia, check out this movie and similar shows like Lego Masters.
The Predator (2018)
Role: Casey Brackett. Available to watch on FuboTV.
I love the Predator movies, the good and the bad. This one, in particular, is definitely in my top three.
The story is unique to the franchise and creates characters that audiences can root for, which can be challenging in creature feature sci-fi films.
The universe’s deadliest hunters are at their most lethal after having enhanced themselves through interspecies DNA.
And when a young boy accidentally triggers their return, these galactic warriors make their way from the outer reaches of space to the suburban streets.
Munn plays evolutionary biologist Casey Brackett, whom the government recruits to study the Predators.
Some viewers have considered her the main character because Brackett is instrumental in taking down the advanced Predators.
As far as sci-fi movies battling to save Earth from invaders, The Predator franchise always brings it home. Literally.
This action-packed science fiction film will have viewers at the edge of their seats, and if you enjoy out-of-this-world stories, be sure to stream Dark Matter on Apple TV+.
Buddy Games (2019)
Role: Tiffany. Available to watch on Tubi.
This ensemble comedy wasn’t particularly loved by critics and is considered the worst movie of 2020.
That being said, the movie is solidly funny, with Munn being one of the highlights despite her very minimal screen time.
After an initial falling out, six lifelong friends reunite for the infamous Buddy Games, an insane competition filled with the most absurd physical and mental challenges.
Competitors will fight, claw, and party however much they need to secure the $150,000 prize money.
Olivia Munn plays Tiffany, Bob’s girlfriend. After five years together, Tiffany hopes that Bob will finally pop the question.
This is an excellent choice for anyone who enjoys a little gross-out humor through an ensemble cast of familiar faces.
And for all the mayhem with some cleaner jokes, check out Abbott Elementary.
Greek (2009)
Role: Lana. Available to stream on Hulu.
Certain college staples almost always get depicted, whether on the small or big screen.
There’s all the partying, which is guaranteed. There’s all the hooking up in one form or another. And there is the time-honored classic of finding out who you are.
All three are powerful themes in this ABC Family original series.
Greek follows college freshman Rusty, determined to shed his high school nerdiness by becoming a fratboy and joining the Greek system on campus.
Meanwhile, Rusty’s sister, Casey, is a sorority queen and is not fond of her brother joining a fraternity.
Munn plays Lana, the attractive catering waitress working alongside Evan and Cappie.
She is briefly involved with Cappie until he admits he’s still in love with Casey.
College life is its unique animal, which is why it makes for fantastic storytelling. The characters are no longer kids but not quite adults yet.
For more comedy about having the rights of an adult without a fully developed brain to go with them, check out this series and similar ones like Grown-Ish and The Sex Lives of College Girls.
The Newsroom (2012-2014)
Role: Sloan Sabbith. Available to stream on Max.
Political dramas know precisely what their viewers want: real-world issues wrapped in the personal affairs of the show’s likable but professional characters.
This series, which has won a Critic’s Choice Award and an Emmy, offers all that and more.
Jeff Daniels leads this Emmy-winning show as Will McAvoy, the lead anchor on the network’s news show.
The cast of this Aaron Sorkin-produced show faces obstacles from both the corporate and commercial sides of the business while trying to change the world through news.
Olivia plays Sloan Sabbith, a double PhD owning financial analyst who presents the economic news segment on the show.
Though the character is brilliant and fabulous at her job, Sloan still suffers from social anxiety and has been known to create awkward situations.
Hard-hitting political dramas always find the sweet spot between dramatic acting and real-world issues, with The Newsroom being a perfect example.
For more high-profile casting on award-winning shows with the same themes, also stream Billions.
SIX (2018)
Role: Gina Cline. Available to stream on Tubi.
Military shows tend to lead in one of two ways. They either go the comedic route to undercut the dangers and issues military folk face, or they go dramatic in an authentic way.
SIX falls distinctly in the latter category, depicting all too realistic action and drama scenes.
This series, based on actual events, centers around a group of Navy SEAL members as they follow through with a simple mission to eliminate a Taliban leader.
However, they have to team up with the CIA when the team discovers an American working with the terrorist organization.
Olivia Munn portrays Gina Cline as a CIA agent who is cunning and unapologetic about doing everything it takes to complete dangerous government assignments.
Despite her calculated attitude, Gina can’t stop the personal effects some of the missions have had on her.
If you love a critically acclaimed military drama that boasts the authenticity of the History Channel, check out this show and others with the same themes, like SEAL Team.
Hit-Monkey (2021-Present)
Role: Akiko Yokohama/Lady Bullseye II. Available to stream on Hulu.
Give me a suit-wearing, sword-wielding monkey of any kind, and I’m a happy viewer.
In all seriousness, this Marvel-produced show hits the mark on everything from the voice acting to the action sequences and its faithfulness to the source material.
Mentored by the ghost of an American assassin named Bryce Fowler, Hit-Monkey is a Japanese snow monkey on the road to revenge.
He cuts his way through the Tokyo underworld and then looks for an escape from his violent past on the streets of New York.
Olivia Munn voices the intelligent, ambitious, and powerful Akiko, the niece of the future Prime Minister of Japan.
Akiko is known for her kindness and for taking on the mantle of Lady Bullseye II.
Animated Marvel shows are on the rise, and rightfully so, as they’ve proven to be a more accurate portrayal of their comic book counterparts.
Check out Hit-Monkey for a violent, fun time and other bloody animated superhero shows like Invincible.
In her twenty years of acting, Olivia Munn has proven she is more than a pretty face.
She is a powerhouse of talent that has rubbed elbows with huge names in the entertainment industry.
Whether playing herself or a hostess at an upscale Manhattan restaurant, the actress always delivers a memorable performance.
Did some of your favorite movies or shows make it onto the list? Who’s an actor you think deserves a spotlight on their career?
Drop a comment below and let us know!
Joshua Pleming is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. You can follow him on X.
