In a candid new interview, renowned comedian John Mulaney is shedding light on his whirlwind personal life over the past few years—from his public addiction struggles to finding love and starting a family with actress Olivia Munn.
Speaking to GQ for their coveted “Man of the Year” feature, the former “Saturday Night Live” writer and performer, 42, reflected on the perception of him as a “clean-cut” and “harmless” figure, admitting that the reality was far more complex.
“I very much tried to tell everyone,” Mulaney explained. “What I said… is that I look harmless.” However, the signs of his past substance abuse and dissatisfaction were there, hiding in plain sight—from his jokes about living on “cigarettes and alcohol and Adderall” to the “why buy the cow?” marriage commentary in his 2017 special “The Comeback Kid.”
Mulaney’s well-documented descent into addiction culminated in a stint in rehab in December 2020, shortly before he separated from his then-wife, artist Anna Marie Tendler. It was during this tumultuous period that he crossed paths with Munn, 44, who would go on to become his new life partner and the mother of his two children.
The actress recalled first meeting Mulaney when he was “newly sober, at the edge of a cliff,” a period she described as “watching a man in a tsunami.” Despite their limited acquaintance, Munn was resolute to play a role in Mulaney’s recovery process. Not ‘We’re going to be married and live together’ but ‘I will be involved in some way,'” Munn told GQ.
True to her word, Munn staged a “mini-intervention” for Mulaney when she was six months pregnant with their first child, a son named Malcolm. The concerned wife-to-be decided she would administer random drug tests to ensure Mulaney remained on the path to sobriety.
“It’s like a relief… I like not having that question in her or anyone else’s mind,” Mulaney said. “Peeing in that cup gives me a sense of accomplishment,” Mulaney said. It gives me confidence.”
The couple, who wed in 2022, have since welcomed a second child, daughter Méi June, born via surrogate in September. Mulaney credited Munn’s unwavering support as a key factor in his continued addiction recovery, even joking that she “got to date me out of recovery, which is what they call a reverse catch.”
“[She] held my hand through that hell,” he told late-night host Seth Meyers in a 2021 interview. For Munn, it was a matter of being there for her partner, even if their relationship moved quickly. “It wasn’t anything close to ‘dating,'” she explained. “I barely knew him.”
Now, with his family life stabilized, Mulaney is looking to the future. He recently made a comeback to his old haunts at “Saturday Night Live,” hosting the show for the sixth time earlier this month.
In his monologue, Mulaney poked fun at the public’s perception of him, joking about the “tabloid frenzy” surrounding his relationship with Munn. He also touched on navigating fatherhood while caring for his own aging parents.
“I’m happy. I’m really happy,” Mulaney told GQ, a sentiment that shines through in his latest comedy work and personal life. After enduring the challenges, it appears that the once “harmless” comedian has discovered his genuine self and a supportive network to match.