When Olivia Dunne Pushed Back Against Criticism Surrounding Her Social Media Posts
May 12, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; LSU former gymnast Olivia Dunne on the field before a game between the New York Mets and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
May 12, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; LSU former gymnast Olivia Dunne on the field before a game between the New York Mets and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The former LSU gymnastics star Olivia Dunne has come a long way in her career. She started her journey as an artistic gymnast for her college team and is now preparing for her Hollywood debut.
Fans have followed her journey since her college days, and back in 2023, an incident caught the public's attention. People blamed her social media posts for the crowd's unsolicited behavior at an LSU event. Dunne reacted to the criticism in July 2023 in an exclusive interview with Elle.
“It’s not a girl’s responsibility how a man looks at her or how he acts, especially when you’re doing your sport and that’s your uniform," Dunne said. "I can’t help the way I look, and I’m going to post what I feel comfortable with. It’s hard to handle at times, definitely, because I am just a 20-year-old student. I think people do forget that.”
It all happened after Dunne had missed the LSU opening meet of the season in January 2023. After her teammates performed in the event, fans in the arena screamed, "We want Livvy."
Photo via Olivia Dunne (@livvydunne) • Instagram
Photo via Olivia Dunne (@livvydunne) • Instagram
Videos of the crowd screaming outside the stadium went viral online, and Dunne and her social media presence were blamed for the boys' behavior.
However, over the years, Dunne has transitioned in her career and is now looking forward to her Hollywood debut.
Olivia Dunne's Acting Career to Start with Baywatch
Olivia Dunne has secured a role in the new Baywatch series. The show is set for its release in early 2027, and she is playing the character of Grace, a junior lifeguard. She opened up about the role in an interview with People in March.
“It's something I've been passionate about for quite some time," she said. "I was interested in doing that at LSU, but sports are your top priority when you're a student-athlete at school; school and sports, but really gymnastics was my main focus."
Dunne had also auditioned for HBO's The White Lotus but did not secure the role. However, she finally succeeded with the Fox show.
What are your thoughts on her acting debut? Let us know in the comments.
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Written by
Ankita Yadav
Edited by
Ankita Yadav