Olivia Munn is opening up about the unexpected source of comfort she found during one of the hardest chapters of her life — the honest words of Princess Kate Middleton about life after cancer treatment.
During a recent appearance on the Today show, Olivia Munn said that hearing Kate speak candidly about the emotional challenges that come after treatment “meant everything” to her. Munn was diagnosed with bilateral breast cancer in 2024 and has undergone multiple major surgeries, including a double mastectomy and reconstruction.
Munn said she struggled to express just how overwhelming life felt after her surgeries. But Kate’s public comments helped her finally put those feelings into words. “It was so great to hear her say it because I wasn’t able to put the words in myself,” Olivia Munn shared. “The first part is hard, but a lot of people don’t talk about how hard the second part is.”
Princess Kate, who announced earlier this year that she is in remission, had previously described the post-treatment phase as “really, really difficult.” She explained that many patients stay strong during treatment, only to find that the emotional weight hits later — when the world expects them to be “back to normal.”
“You have to find your new normal, and that takes time. It’s a roller coaster,” Kate said. Her honesty deeply resonated with Olivia Munn, who called the comments “comforting” and “exactly what I needed to hear.”
For Munn, life after treatment has meant healing physically and mentally, welcoming her second child via surrogate with partner John Mulaney, and continuing to speak publicly about breast cancer awareness. Earlier this year, she received the Excellence in Cancer Awareness Award in Washington, D.C., for her advocacy work.
Both women have used their platforms to highlight that cancer recovery doesn’t end when treatment stops — the emotional journey continues long after. Olivia Munn hopes more survivors feel empowered to talk openly about the difficult, often overlooked phase of life after cancer.
Their shared experiences are helping bring visibility to a critical reality: healing is not linear, and no one should feel alone in the process.