OLIVIA Munn has claimed that Alec Baldwin got her axed from a major role on 30 Rock, despite producers thinking she was perfect for the part.
The actress auditioned to play Avery Jessup, Jack Donaghy’s (Alec Baldwin) wife, who appeared in three of the show’s 7-season run.
As fans of the hit NBC series know, the role went to Elizabeth Banks; however, Olivia has claimed that she initially landed the gig.
During a sit-down with The Hollywood Reporter, the New Girl alum alleged that Alec got her fired because he thought she “looked too young.”
“Another two days later, ‘No, no, no. They think you’re perfect. You’re going to fly out on Saturday.’
“Friday, ‘No, no, no. Alec [then 52] thinks that you look too young and he’s putting his foot down,’” Olivia, who was 30 at the time, recalled about the process.
Elizabeth, who was 36, eventually joined the 30 Rock cast as Avery in Season 4 and remained through Season 6.
Olivia admitted she was “devastated” by her firing and believed the role would be her “big break,” given the show’s popularity from its premiere in 2006 until its end in 2013.
“I only thought to myself, ‘Wow, look how far I got,’” the mom of one shared.
“I ended up not getting the job because of something I couldn’t control.
“On my ability and my acting, I got it,” Olivia added.
“It gave me so much confidence.”
The TV star claimed that Tina Fey, producers, and others thought she was “good enough” for the part, boosting her self-confidence for future opportunities.
“These people, iconic people — Tina Fey, Robert Carlock, Grace Wu at NBC casting — they all thought that I was good enough to have gotten the offer,” Olivia told the outlet.
“That’s what I needed. Whether or not I got the job didn’t affect my confidence.”
Olivia also remembered “feeling really good” walking into her audition as a newbie actor.
“I dressed for the part, which I’d never really done before. I signed in, and I walked outside near the soundstages.
“Normally, I’d want to be right there. I’d want them to see me. I just had this confidence like, they’ll come find me,” the Predator star explained.
“I kept working on it until I got into the room. I just stayed in [the character],” Olivia continued.
“I got the call that I booked the job, and I knew that I protected my psyche and kept myself from feeling envy and competition with the other women.”
Olivia soon found her footing in Hollywood, starring in Iron Man 2 (2010), The Newsroom (2012-2014), and X-Men Apocalypse (2016).
She currently stars in the Apple TV drama, Your Friends & Neighbors, opposite Jon Hamm, which released its second season last week.
