Olivia Munn Says Aaron Rodgers "Is Different Than Every Other Man I've Met" and Reveals How He Inspires Her

"The best advice my mother ever gave me was 'Never marry a guy and just become somebody's wife,'" she tells Good Housekeeping

By Zach Johnson Jul 14, 2015 3:50 PMTags
Olivia Munn, Good HousekeepingGood Housekeeping/Squire Fox

Olivia Munn has her priorities in order.

The X-Men: Apocalypse actress, 35, graces the cover of Good Housekeeping's August issue, and in it, Munn discusses her love philosophy and her boyfriend, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

"The best advice my mother ever gave me was 'Never marry a guy and just become somebody's wife.' She went to college, and even though she got her degrees, she got married early and never really had the opportunity to find her identity," says Munn, whose famous exes include actors Joel Kinnaman and Chris Pine and hockey player Brad Richards. "[She's a great mom], but she always wanted to do other things, and was never able to. So growing up, my mom always told my sisters and me that you have to be your own person and make a name for yourself. Never settle for being somebody else's something."

With Rodgers, Munn doesn't have to settle.

"My boyfriend's healthiness inspires me. Aaron is different than every other man I've ever met...There's so much I could say. Everything a good person can be, he is. He's in such great shape, and especially lately, he's been eating so well and working out. Having somebody in your life like that is so motivating."

Watch: How Olivia Munn Makes Her Relationship Work

It's a good thing, too, as Munn sometimes struggles with self-control. "I'm not someone who can eat whatever she wants and have it not affect her," the actress says. "I think to myself, 'I'm going to regret this—not because I'm going to put on weight, but because I can actually feel a difference when I'm eating poorly. When you're trying to be healthy, you can feel the difference if you eat something bad."

Being involved with Rodgers has other perks, too.

The two adopted a puppy named Chance during Fox Network's Cause for Paws special. "I wasn't looking for a dog at all, and then I saw this little guy and was like, 'I have to have him.' [Chance's good behavior] around Aaron is a direct reflection of how Aaron has been training him—how much respect Aaron has for Chance, and how much respect Chance has for him. I'm like, 'You're my baby. You can do whatever you want!' I realize now how important it is for me to be a good parent to him, because it's a direct reflection of me. Chance made us a family…he and Aaron have changed my life in every way. My world has become so much brighter, sweeter and lovelier," Munn says. "I feel grounded with them in my life."

Good Housekeeping's August issue is on newsstands July 21.