No, You Don’t Need to “Take a Break” from the Birth Control Pill

Munn shared with TODAYthat she didn't initially plan to show her scars on the set. The campaign was focused on her recovery post-breast cancer diagnosis, but the makeup artist had a hard time covering up the scars throughout the shoot. She explained that she took a look in the mirror and thought, "I’m done being insecure about my scars." From there, she took the idea to show them off to the SKIMS team — and the rest is history.

And while she was scared to be so vulnerable on camera, this was ultimately a really empowering move for Munn. She elaborated that there are "so many women that have these same scars" who feel just as insecure as she did about them — and she really hopes those women see this ad. "Skims is so iconic and associated with beauty and sex appeal, and cancer really doesn't have that same connotation," she said. "So I just really hope that other women who have gone through my same path feel a little better after seeing it."

The star also took to Instagram to give a behind-the-scenes explanation of her experience. She reiterated that she was "done being insecure" about her scars. "Every mark life has left behind on my body is proof of how hard I fought," she wrote. "I hope other women who have been self-conscious about their scars see these photos and feel all the love I’m sending."

She also shared that SKIMS will donate 10% of their bra sales (except bralettes) to Susan G. Komen® — a charity dedicated to finding a cure for breast cancer — from October 23-31 in stores and online. "It’s really meaningful to be part of an initiative that supports research and helps countless individuals impacted by breast cancer," she said.

All of this comes on the heels of Munn's announcement earlier this year that she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She revealed the diagnosis came after recently tested negatively for well-known breast cancer genes and had normal results from her annual mammogram — but her doctor to check her Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Score. The test showed Munn had a 37% risk of breast cancer, so she pushed for more answers that eventually lead to her diagnosis.

Since then, Munn shared with PEOPLE that she had 4 surgeries in 10 months and underwent medically-induced menopause — all the while juggling being a new mom with husband John Mulaney. She shared, "I'm lucky. We caught it with enough time that I had options. I want the same for any woman who might have to face this one day."

After that March announcement, it's clear Munn is dedicated to raising awareness for women's health — and particularly their options. While chatting about the SKIMS campaign, Munn told TODAY, "You've got to go your doctor and you inundate them with information and you don't stop until they give you the test you need."

If you want to test your own risk for breast cancer, the National Institute of Health has resources here.

Despite the fact One Tree Hill might not have been considered the golden child at the time, the series has garnered a cult following since its on-air days, drawing fans to Wilmington, North Carolina for its anniversary celebration, and nearly breaking the internet when news of a sequel series leaked online.

"It's very, very early development," Burton says. "And so what has been really cool for us? And when I say us, I mean the entire cast, like everybody and our old crew, they're all really proud of the work that we did back then too. And so to see the public support this little show we made 20 years later, that's so special and it's so rare. And I love that, even though that news was leaked, Netflix gets to see that public outpouring of support. That's cool. So, fingers crossed we'll make it to the next step."

Burton was in her twenties for the majority of OTH, and while she (alongside other female cast members of the show) have since vocalized the mistreatment they experienced from showrunner Mark Schwahn, the challenges of her twenties don't overshadow the accomplishments.

"I was not afraid to say difficult things in my twenties," she says. "And what I can tell other people in their twenties is that the long game will pay off. If you say the difficult thing and you say the truth, and you don't mask and you don't make up an alternative narrative, people will eventually realize that you were right."

Although the people pleaser in all of us might not want to rock the boat, she praises young people who refuse to accept toxicity: "We definitely have a feistier generation coming up than what I grew up in."

With her fiery attitude and sharp sense of humor, I have no problem believing Burton was one of the feistiest women of her generation, and she now finds herself advocating for a new phase in her own life: perimenopause. The actress is currently partnering with OLLY for their new Mellow Menopause supplements, bringing awareness to a conversation that should have been happening all along.

Burton never really had a menstrual cycle until she started birth control, which messed with her hormones and led to a Xanax prescription she never needed. And as she aged, she moved from having pain during her period to having it during ovulation. "I felt like there was something really wrong with me because no one had explained that could happen," she says. "So the more we can throw out what the symptoms are, I think the calmer people will be in their exploration of their own bodies."

Knowledge and education are power, and Burton firmly believes the more you understand your body, your hormones, and your emotions, the safer you'll feel. But that's only one silver lining she's found.

"I've talked about the feminine rage that I feel like I've earned," she says. "That Kesha song 'Joyride' came out this summer. She says, 'I've earned the right to be like this.' And I was like, 'Yeah, of course.' I think we spend our twenties experimenting. We spend our thirties kind of, like, establishing our careers and what our goals are. And then our forties are about knowing who we are and owning it. And if biology wants to come out swinging, I think we're in a place where we can control that and we can handle it."

That isn't to say perimenopause hasn't come without its unexpected moments, like having to convince others she really was experiencing perimenopause, despite being "too young." "The more research I did, and then in talking to my doctor, my instinct was right," she reveals. "I was beginning the [menopause] journey, and rather than try to hide it or treat it like a deficit, I get to own it. Now I get to treat it and I get to help other women navigate it. And that feels so much better when you're going through a bad thing, but you know that you're helping someone else through it. It doesn't feel as scary."

But while it's important to be vocal about our experiences, I also can't help but point out how it feels like men never have to talk about aging — they just get to do it and no one bats an eye. "Yeah, I think it's important to act like a man," Burton jokes. She remembers when her husband (actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan) embraced his natural gray hair, no one in the industry considered him too old for Hollywood.

"In fact, people thought he was hotter," she says. "So I wanted to act like a man in that journey [and embrace my own gray hair]. And so the different reaction I had was a little bit startling, but also made me laugh...I want to treat this chapter of my life as my expertise chapter. I know what I'm doing. I've been training for 20 years, 25, it's been a lot and I wanted to acknowledge that I know what I'm doing and when I talk about my body, I want to know exactly what I'm talking about."

And part of that expertise is knowing herself inside and out. On the days Burton doesn't feel like herself, whether because of hormones or mental health, she emphasizes how important it is to actually communicate those feelings. "It has been vital for me to communicate, not just with my husband, but with my teenage son," she says. "I want him to grow up to be the kind of man that's supportive of the women in his workplace and the women in his life. You know, we all talk about how we need to educate our daughters, but we also need to educate our sons."

And looking back on her own teenage years, Burton reveals her experience with perimenopause has actually reinforced the values she identified during that period in her life. "I think being a teenager and seeing these people who were gods [in the industry], seeing how insecure and unhappy some of them were really tipped me off right away," she says. "Success is being okay in your little bubble, being okay in your bedroom at night when you're alone by yourself. And so my goals have always kind of centered on, 'Do I feel okay when I'm all by myself?' and menopause is one of those things that can rattle that safety for people."

"It's about knowing who you are so much that no one else can take it away from you," she continues. "And whether it's your work or a sh—ty boyfriend or whatever, you have to know yourself so well that no one can take it away, and menopause can mess with that sometimes. And I'm gonna fight like hell to keep who I am."

1. Happy Face — Stream on Paramount+ March 20, 2025

This new TV show follows Melissa, who comes face-to-face with her father (the infamous Happy Face Killer) after decades of separation when she realizes an innocent man might pay for her dad's crimes.

Happy Face premieres March 20 and stars Annaleigh Ashford, Dennis Quaid, James Wolk, Tamera Tomakili, Khiyla Aynne, and Benjamin Mackey.

2. The Amazing Race season 37 — Stream on Paramount+ on Wednesdays

14 teams compete in this season of the hit adventure reality show, stopping in Osaka, Japan to complete a 12,000 year old tradition and in Strasbourg, France to explore its medieval history. And this year, they're in for both classic games and new challenges.

The Amazing Race season 37 is hosted by Phil Keoghan.

3. Yellowjackets season 3 — Stream on Paramount+ on Fridays

As winter ends, the teens realize their trust in one another has fractured — while the present-day Yellowjackets have to face secrets that threaten everything.

Yellowjackets season 3 stars Melanie Lynskey, Christina Ricci, Tawny Cypress, Lauren Ambrose, Sophie Nélisse, Courtney Eaton, Kevin Alves, Sophie Thatcher, Samantha Hanratty, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Liv Hewson, Steven Krueger, Warren Kole, Sarah Desjardins, Simone Kessell, Elijah Wood, Joel McHale, and Hilary Swank.

4. 1923 Season 2 — Stream on Paramount+ on Sundays

The Duttons are fighting for their survival in 1923 season 2 as they protect the Yellowstone ranch — and each other. I'm just waiting for the day Alex and Spencer finally reunite!

1923 stars Julia Schlaepfer, Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren, Brandon Sklenar, Darren Mann, Michelle Randolph, Jerome Flynn, Aminah Nieves, and Isabel May.

5. 1883 — Stream on Paramount+

Dive into the Taylor Sheridan universe with this Yellowstone prequel that follows the Dutton family as they move their entire lives across the United States.

1883 stars Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Sam Elliott, Isabel May, LaMonica Garrett, Marc Rissmann, Audie Rick, Eric Nelsen, and James Landry Hébert.

6. Sin City Gigolo: A Murder in Las Vegas — Stream on Paramount+

After a star from 2010s' reality show Gigolos was convicted of murder in 2020, this docuseries examines the line between fame, crime, and reality.

Sin City Gigolo follows the story of Ash Armand and the other Las Vegas gigolos.

7. School Spirits — Stream on Paramount+

The internet can't get enough of this Paramount+ show, and considering the season 2 finale just dropped, there's never been a better time to start watching. The series follows Maddie, who wakes up in purgatory and sets out to reclaim her life and reunite the spectral and living worlds.

School Spirits stars Peyton List, Kristian Ventura, Spencer MacPherson, Kiara Pichardo, Sarah Yarkin, Nick Pugliese, Rainbow Wedell, Josh Zuckerman, and Milo Manheim.

8. Avatar: The Last Airbender — Stream on Paramount+

This nostalgic series — which follows the long-lost Avatar on his journey to master all four elements and save the world — is the perfect Paramount+ show to binge watch this weekend.

Avatar: The Last Airbender stars Dante Basco, Dee Bradley Baker, Jack De Sena, Jessie Flower, Mae Whitman, and Zach Tyler.