Long before receiving her formal diagnosis, Christina Applegate, the beloved actress known for her roles in Married… with Children and Dead to Me, shared a minor but significant symptom that hinted at her battle with multiple sclerosis (MS).
Now 53, Applegate went public with her MS diagnosis in 2021, although the condition had been affecting her for several years. This chronic illness, which impacts the central nervous system, presented challenges, particularly as she worked on the third and final season of Dead To Me.
Despite experiencing these “tiny” signals for about seven years, it wasn’t until later that she realized their significance. In a discussion on Good Morning America, alongside her good friend and fellow MS warrior Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Applegate recounted her early warning signs.
“I believe I probably had MS for six or seven years,” she reminisced. “During the first season of Dead to Me, I noticed my leg would buckle sometimes while filming. I just chalked it up to being tired, dehydrated, or even the weather.”
“There would be long gaps without symptoms, so I didn’t focus on it. But when it hit hard, I had no choice but to pay attention.” she added.
It was an emotional moment when Applegate had to reveal that she relied on a wheelchair to get to the set, particularly towards the season’s end.
“I first felt symptoms in early 2021, starting with a slight tingling in my toes,” she shared with Robin Roberts. “By the time summer rolled around and we began shooting, I couldn’t walk far and was brought to the set in a wheelchair.”
Although severe pain became part of her daily life, she admits to having adjusted to it over time.
Applegate first opened up about her condition in the New York Times. Completing the show while undergoing treatment was a tough journey, but she found herself compelled to continue filming the last season of Dead to Me.
“Initially, there was a sense of ‘let’s get her some medicine and she will get better,’ but multiple sclerosis doesn’t really work that way,” she explained. “Still, that time helped me process the loss of my old life, a part of myself. I needed that.”
Despite the hardship, Applegate expressed a strong dedication to her profession. “Even though the production team was ready to halt filming once I started treatment, I felt an obligation to my colleagues, particularly Liz and Linda, and to our story,” she noted.
Ultimately, she stated, “Regardless of whether people love or hate the series, or focus on my condition, I hope they can move past it to enjoy our storylines and bid farewell to these beloved characters.”
In a candid discussion with Kelly Clarkson in 2022, Applegate disclosed that acting served as a refuge from her life’s pain and traumas. “I’ve likely been navigating grief and trauma most of my life, and acting was where I went to escape,” she revealed, acknowledging that acting provided solace for her during personal hardships such as breakups, trauma, deaths, and breast cancer.
She continued, “The beauty of Dead to Me is that it gave me a unique platform to deal with these emotions. I didn’t have to pretend or make jokes; I could let the emotions flow during a scene.”
This honest expression, she concluded, “was both heartbreaking and healing, allowing my soul to be laid bare, albeit in front of an audience, but in a cathartic, meaningful way.”
Christina Applegate’s journey and resilience inspire us all, as she openly navigates life’s challenges with courage and dignity.
