Olivia Dunne may have built her reputation in gymnastics and on social media, but the former LSU Tigers gymnastics star is now exploring a completely different path. The 23-year-old influencer – currently dating Pittsburgh Pirates star Paul Skenes – recently revealed that she has begun taking acting lessons, opening the door to a possible future in Hollywood after finishing her college career.
In an interview with People, Dunne shared that acting has been an interest of hers for years, though her responsibilities as a college athlete kept her from pursuing it fully while she was at Louisiana State University.
“One thing people would be surprised about is that I take acting lessons and I really love it,” Dunne said.
She explained that gymnastics and academics were always the top priorities during her time as a student-athlete.
“It’s something I’ve been passionate about for quite some time. 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 eyes movies in Hollywood
Now that her college career is complete, Dunne said she finally has the time to explore the creative side of acting.
“And now that I’m done with school, I have more time to lean into the acting stuff and the creative side of things.”
Dunne also said she would be open to appearing in a movie or television show if the right opportunity presents itself.
The former NCAA champion explained that the creative collaboration involved in acting appeals to her in much the same way as competing in gymnastics.
“I feel like collabing on creativity and seeing the end result, having something be great after, that’s something that I love,” she confirmed.
“Whether it’s gymnastics or acting in a movie or a TV show, I just think watching all your hard work pay off – whether it’s an individual thing or a group thing – I think it’s so cool.”
Social media success boosted her popularity
During her time at LSU, Dunne became one of the most recognizable college athletes in the United States.
Her popularity on social media played a huge role in that rise. Dunne currently has more than 5 million followers on Instagram and nearly 8 million on TikTok, making her one of the most followed athletes from the NCAA era.
That visibility helped her become one of the most successful figures in the name-image-likeness (NIL) era of college sports.
Away from gymnastics and social media, Dunne is also widely known for her relationship with Paul Skenes, the star pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Skenes is expected to pitch for United States national baseball team against Mexico national baseball team at the World Baseball Classic in Houston, Texas, and Dunne will likely be watching from the stands.
Speaking earlier this year during Super Bowl festivities, Dunne said she hopes to attend as many of Skenes‘ games as possible during the 2026 season.
“I’ll try to make all of his starts, that’s my goal this year,” she concluded.
As Dunne moves beyond her collegiate gymnastics career, acting could become the next chapter in a rapidly evolving public profile that already spans sports, social media, and now potentially Hollywood.
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