X-Men Star Says Alec Baldwin Cost Her a Shot at 30 Rock

If you ever thought the world of big network comedy casting was straightforward, let Olivia Munn disabuse you of that idea. She recently shared a story that’s both hilarious and a little bit aggravating about almost landing a role on 30 Rock—only to miss out because Alec Baldwin apparently thought she looked too young to play opposite him. Yeah, that’s Hollywood logic for you.

Olivia Munn’s ‘Almost’ Moment with 30 Rock

Munn opened up to The Hollywood Reporter about the whole process, and honestly, it sounds like she did everything right. She auditioned for a part (which later went to Elizabeth Banks), brought her A-game, and even says the casting bigwigs—Tina Fey, Robert Carlock, and Grace Wu over at NBC—were all fans of her audition. In fact, she was told she’d landed it.

Here’s how she summed up hearing she’d been chosen:

'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. That’s what I needed. Whether or not I got the job didn’t affect my confidence.'

So, at that point, everything’s looking up—she dressed for the role, nailed the audition, and got word she was in. For a minute, it looked like Munn was about to join the world of Jack Donaghy and Liz Lemon.

Hollywood Auditions: A Quick Rollercoaster

• Olivia auditions for 30 Rock, feels good about it.
• She gets the call: 'Congratulations, you booked the job.'
• A couple days later: 'Wait, Alec Baldwin thinks you look too young to be his love interest.'
• Then, back to 'no problem, you’re still in—fly out on Saturday.'
• And then on Friday, it's back to: 'No, Alec’s put his foot down. Too young.'
• The role goes to Elizabeth Banks.

As far as yo-yoing between hope and disappointment goes, this story is basically a masterclass. Munn seemed to take it all in stride, though, chalking it up as a valuable audition experience, not a career-ending blow.

Bouncing Back

Obviously, not getting the 30 Rock gig didn’t stall her career. Munn reminded everyone that she went on to do some fairly substantial projects—The Predator (2018), Buddy Games (2019), Love Wedding Repeat (2020), Violet (2021), and plenty of other titles. But it’s a weird little piece of TV history, and an example of just how arbitrary casting gets (especially if your potential co-star has thoughts about looking 'age appropriate').

So, next time you see Elizabeth Banks flirting with Jack Donaghy onscreen, just remember: that almost could’ve been Olivia Munn—if not for a decision that boils down to ‘Alec says no’. Classic.