Hollywood is full of stories of the movie casts that could have been. Molly Ringwald could have been the star of Pretty Woman. Ferris Buller could have been played by Johnny Depp. Often, these “almost roles” are lamented as missed opportunities. But for Olivia Munn, not appearing opposite Ryan Reynolds in this year’s hit film Deadpool was a conscious decision about the kind of roles she wants to take on.

She explained in an interview with American Way Magazine that she didn’t want to play “the girlfriend” in the action film (that part went instead to Morena Baccarin).

Her next role, as Psylocke in X-Men: Apocalypse, is more of the action-based part she was looking for. But X-Men: Apocalypse isn’t the first time Munn has gotten to act in a superhero film. She also had a small role in Iron Man 2. The desire to play a strong, competent character is what draws Munn to certain roles. She discussed this with those behind X-Men: “I thought Psylocke was always one of the most lethal characters,” she told American Way, “and I said, ‘Yes, as long as you’re not using her to be the eye candy. She has really powerful abilities.'”

X-Men: Apocalypse is scheduled to be released on May 27.