Christina Applegate Reveals She May Not Return To Acting Following Multiple Sclerosis Diagnosis

Jul 14, 2023

Christina Applegate was surrounded by showbiz from the moment she was born. Her dad, Robert William Applegate, worked in the entertainment industry as a record company executive and record producer, while her mom, Nancy Priddy, is a singer and actress. Applegate was born in Hollywood and made her television debut when she was a year old alongside her mom in the TV soap opera "Days of Our Lives." Her debut on the big screen happened in 1981 with the horror film "Jaws of Satan." 

Applegate shot to prominence when she snagged the role of Kelly Bundy on "Married… with Children," which she appeared in for a decade. She played the stupid blonde and sexually promiscuous daughter and established herself as a talented actress. 

The actress, renowned for her beauty, has shared that she almost got typecast after "Married… with Children" as she got many dumb blonde roles, but she declined all of them. She went on to make a guest appearance in "Friends" and nabbed roles in "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy," "The Sweetest Thing" and "Samantha Who?" The latter holds a special place in her heart, as she has shared that the cast and crew are dear to her. Meanwhile, Applegate also auditioned for the role of Rose in "Titanic," but the part ultimately went to Kate Winslet. 

Applegate made a rare appearance on June 7, 2023, to receive Variety's 2023 FYC Fest award for the TV Legacy Award. There, she talked about her multiple sclerosis diagnosis and its effect on her career. The actress revealed that she was unsure whether or not she would go back to acting. Continue reading to get the details. 

Applegate started dating Martyn LeNoble, a Dutch musician, in 2009. They got engaged in 2010 and exchanged vows in 2013. The couple shares a 12-year-old daughter, Sadie Grace. 

Beyond the actress’s glamorous life on-screen, she has faced several challenges in her personal life. After a breast cancer diagnosis, the TV personality had a double mastectomy in 2008 and was declared cancer-free after her treatment.  

The "Bad Moms" star had been getting regular mammograms since she turned 30 as her mom is a breast cancer survivor. Applegate also removed her ovaries and fallopian tubes in 2017 to eliminate the likelihood of getting cancer elsewhere in her body.  

In 2021, Applegate got some shocking news. She announced in August of the same year that she had been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. The "Jesse" star was filming the last season of "Dead To Me" when she got the diagnosis.

The condition affected her ability to work as it impeded her memory and movement. However, with help from her co-star Linda Cardellini and crew members Mitch Cohn and Liz Feldman, Applegate finished shooting the show. She has not filmed any movies since "Dead To Me" ended. 

Applegate has not shied away from discussing the impact of the disease on her body. 

"With the disease of MS, it’s never a good day … There are just certain things that people take for granted in their lives that I took for granted. Going down the stairs, carrying things—you can’t do that anymore," she lamented. "I can still drive my car short distances. I can bring up food to my kid. Up, never down."

She added that it also affects her immune system, as she told Vanity Fair, "I actually don’t want to be around a lot of people because I'm immunocompromised."

Applegate made a rare public appearance on June 7, 2023, at Variety's 2023 TV FYC Fest award. A clip from the event showed the actress receiving the TV Legacy Award for her prowess in acting and producing. Her co-star and mom in "Samantha Who?" Jean Smart presented the award to her and stood beside her while she sat on a stool.

Applegate disclosed to the audience that she wasn't sure if she would ever return to acting following her last appearance in "Dead To Me." Her disclosure of how uncertain she was about her future in acting left her emotional.

The actress revealed that she planned to stand up to present her speech before the day but couldn't do so anymore. When Smart tried to give her the award, she declined it. 

"I can't hold things, but you can put it there. I'll grab it," Applegate told the older actress. "It's beautiful," she said, admiring the award to the delight of the audience, who clapped and laughed. 

"Very beautiful, but I will drop it," Applegate explained and made fun of herself for being a cripple. "You can laugh at that. I'm allowed to say that I'm a cripple," she quipped.  

"Thank you so much for being supportive and understanding as I journey through this new part of my life, not knowing if I'm going to continue to act anymore," she said. "I don't know if I can. I'd love to; I do miss it. I miss it so much."

"It's a daily struggle to walk and to move and stuff, but I'm so happy I ended it with a show like 'Dead to Me,'" Applegate shared. 

The media personality also thanked her co-stars Cardellini and James Marsden for keeping the set fun while they filmed the dark comedy show. 

What do you think of Christina Applegate's high spirits? Does her courage inspire you? Have you watched any of her movies? Let us know — and pass this article on to friends, family members and fellow Christina Applegate fans!