Olivia Munn Lost 30 Rock Role Over Baldwin Age Concerns

Olivia Munn has revealed that she was initially cast in a recurring role on the NBC comedy series 30 Rock in 2010 but lost the part after Alec Baldwin expressed concerns about her youthful appearance as his onscreen love interest.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter published on April 3, the 45-year-old actress recounted her audition for the role of Avery Jessup, a successful financial reporter introduced in the show's fourth season. Munn, then 30, described approaching the audition with unusual confidence. "I dressed for the part, which I'd never really done before," she said. "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.'"

She stayed in character throughout the process and was soon informed that she had booked the role based on her performance. Producers, including series creator Tina Fey, executive producer Robert Carlock, and NBC casting director Grace Wu, had selected her for the part, which would have paired Jessup romantically with Baldwin's character, Jack Donaghy, an NBC executive and mentor to the lead character Liz Lemon.