Miami Living Magazine

Olivia Munn

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There is an ethereal fragility about Olivia Munn that stands out to me as she shakes my hand. The word delicate immediately comes to mind as it describes her beautiful features and reserved manner. (The latter actually takes me by surprise. I guess I had expected that free- spirited, insta-friend vibe seen in her social media posts and past interviews.) The unquestionably gorgeous actress is dressed in a sky blue and black Versace ensemble with black over-the-knee boots – a wardrobe change from this morning's Good Morning America appearance where she donned a white dress. Her dark tresses are swept up into a ponytail and her makeup is subtle and fresh. We are seated in the lounge at The Greenwich Hotel in Tribeca, which is enveloped in the season's festive glow. Standing in the center of the room is a tree trimmed in white lights and gold ornaments. Above it is a faux cobalt sky dotted with tiny stars. The toasty space is a welcome refuge on this cold, dreary December afternoon. Last night, Olivia attended the New York City screening of her movie, Office Christmas Party (in theaters December 9th). From directors Will Speck and Josh Gordon (The Switch), the comedy features an ensemble cast that includes Jason Bateman and Jennifer Aniston. I caught an early screening of the film a few days ago, and it was hilarious. In the film, Olivia plays Tracey Hughes, a genius engineer whose company Zenotek needs to land a big client to save them from being shut down by CEO Carol Vanstone (played by Jennifer). "It's an R-rated comedy, which means the directors were given the go-ahead to do whatever they wanted. We have to throw an epic Christmas party to make him want to work with us. And of course, things go crazy." The quirky characters' escapades have you laughing throughout the movie – and cringing at times. There's romance, comedy, adventure, thrills –all wrapped up with a big holiday-themed bow. You will leave wishing your company threw ragers like this one. I mean, can we at least get an egg nog ice luge over here, please? Cast full of brilliant, comedic actors, including Saturday Night Live's Kate McKinnon and Vanessa Bayer, Olivia brings beauty, brains, and humor to her character Tracey. If a superlatives list were created for this cast, what would you be voted Most Likely to…? "Most Likely to feel awkward when people are taking your picture," she says. Really? I give her a skeptical look since I follow her on social media. Um, she looks flawless in all her photos and her witty, self-deprecating captions are amazing. This thought was prompted by her run-in with the paparazzi earlier today, she tells me. "I don't know how people do it: the ability to take a picture and have people in your face and not always look awkward. It's amazing," she muses. "Most likely to look awkward and feel awkward." She may feel awkward – but look awkward? Sorry, Olivia, but we're going to have to agree to disagree with you on that one. As the cover girl for magazines like Allure, SELF, SHAPE – she has done a masterful job at creating the illusion of being the super-cool and confident actress we'd trade places with in a heartbeat, if she does in fact feel awkward in front of the camera. (And to set the record straight, she surprisingly was never a model as her Wikipedia bio incorrectly states.) "When I'm doing photo shoots, I'm not being a character, I'm being myself... So it just adds another layer of feeling awkward in front of the camera. It's easier to fall into a character than it is to be yourself sometimes," she explains. The camera loves her, as seen on these pages, on TV, and in the films she has held her own in alongside Hollywood heavyweights like Johnny Depp (Mortdecai), Robert Downey Jr., and Gwyneth Paltrow (Iron Man 2). From the list of impressive actors you've worked with, who is your: Ohmygod, this is insane to be working with…? "It's Jennifer Aniston… Watching people, you get swept up. I love this actor… and then you meet people and there is a disappointment. That's why people say, never meet your heroes. And you start to get a guard up 'cause you realize there's more of an act. What you really want is for people to be real… Jennifer Aniston is one of the best people I have ever met." Olivia openly praises Jennifer's authenticity and protectiveness in a couple of brief anecdotes. "She'll talk about her experiences and not in a way that's like, Oh, everything is great… She'll tell you about the things that are crappy… 'cause everybody has to have things that suck and she has no problem talking about that… She is really nice and she can still be a boss and be really cool… It's like she really hasn't lost herself. It's inspiring just to see somebody that has gotten to this point and you genuinely like," she says about the down-to-earth actress. In explaining why she is so taken with Jennifer, it reminds me of the adage, "The sweet is never as sweet without the sour," —especially when she offers her musings on those who occupy the opposite end of the spectrum. "I find that a lot of people kinda live in their own bubble and don't

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