Olivia Munn's armed with a water pistol as she pours cold water over claims that 'people who are attractive can't be funny'

She may slip into a series of sexy bikinis for her latest Esquire magazine shoot.

But in an interview with the famed men's magazine, Olivia Munn has come out fighting to insist that it is possible to be attractive as well as smart and funny.

In an interview in June/July's Esquire, the 32-year-old Newsroom star challenged a claim made by Hangover star Zach Galifianakis that people who are blessed with good looks are just not that funny.

Bikini Body: Olivia Munn sizzles in Esquire photo shoot

'I believe it was Galifianakis who was saying something like people who are attractive can't be funny, because funny comes from pain,' Olivia told Esquire.

'And it's interesting, because in my life, I moved around a lot, and I had a really abusive stepfather. I have a great stepfather now, but my first stepfather was, for fourteen years, really horrible.'

Olivia said it was hard to adjust as a youngster because her family constantly moved around, but she used humour as her aid to meet new people.

'And you move around a lot and you're constantly the new kid, because you're a military family,' Olivia continued.

'Oklahoma, Utah, Japan, different parts of Japan - and humor and being self-deprecating and sarcastic was the thing that could break ice in every situation.'

'And so it's a very antiquated idea to think that you can't be pretty and smart and funny,' the five-foot-four beauty said.

All guns blazing: Olivia Munn says it is possible to be beautiful, smart and funny

The feisty actress also rubbished claims that you can't do sexy bikini photo shoots with men's lifestyle magazines and be taken seriously in a serious drama show.

Read the full interview with Olivia Munn in the new edition of US Esquire

Doing both is something Munn believes helps her embrace her sexuality.

'It's interesting, because different people will tell me, 'Well, you're not, you shouldn't, you don't have to do this anymore. But I don't think that there is anything wrong with it, and it actually bothers me, like when I was on the Daily Show and there was this website that wanted to criticise me, saying; How could she be on the cover of Maxim and be on this smart show? So I did the cover of Maxim again.'

'Because, you know what? Don't you want for your own daughters to grow up and be smart and funny and beautiful and embrace their sexuality?'

Olivia has spoken in the past about her abusive relationship with her first stepfather.

However, she has never uttered his name.

'He would always say, 'You're not smart enough, pretty enough, you have no talent, and it would knock me down, but it wouldn't keep me down,' Olivia revealed to Ocean Drive magazine back in 2012.

Olivia can next be seen on HBO's Newsroom when its second season begins in the US on July 14