Christina Applegate has entertained the world for a long time, but her acting career may have ended sooner than she wanted it to. In 2021, Applegate was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. The diagnosis came while she was shooting the final season of the dark comedy “Dead to Me” and proved to be a big blow to the actress. She took to social media to announce the result to her fans in August of the same year.
She wrote: “Hi friends. A few months ago I was diagnosed with MS. It’s been a strange journey. But I have been so supported by people that I know who also have this condition. It’s been a tough road. But as we all know, the road keeps going. Unless some a**h*l* blocks it.”
The “Bad Moms” star disclosed that she had ignored the telling signs a few years prior. She recalled being clumsy while shooting a dance scene and observed that her tennis skills were not as good as they had been. However, the TV personality thought she only needed to work harder.
That was not Applegate’s first encounter with a medical condition. She had a double mastectomy in 2008 after being diagnosed with breast cancer. The actress also removed her fallopian tubes and ovaries in 2017 to prevent a resurgence.
Meanwhile, Applegate’s announcement opened a platform for many to share their pain with her and comfort her. Selma Blair, who also has MS, became supportive of Applegate since her diagnosis, and the duo often pokes fun at themselves online.
Nevertheless, the disease has taken its toll on Applegate, especially her body. Thankfully, she has her husband, Martyn LeNoble, to help her through her sickness. Read on to learn more about Applegate, her illness, and how her husband has been instrumental in her road to recovery.
Despite being dismayed with her Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis, Applegate was tough as she had always been when confronted with bad news. While she has always dealt with pain and trauma by throwing herself into her acting work, it was challenging to do that this time as her multiple sclerosis made it difficult for her to work. She also implored the public for “privacy” as she goes through her illness.
Although Applegate insisted on completing the last season of “Dead to Me,” she did it with lots of assistance. The “Jesse” star first took five months off work for treatment and to digest the situation. She returned to using a wheelchair but completed shooting. Some scenes included her opening doors so she could lean on them, and a crew member holding her legs up away from the cameras so they wouldn’t give way.
Speaking of the crew, Applegate said: “They were incredible.” During Variety’s 2023 TV FYC Fest award in June 2023, she disclosed that “Dead to Me” may be her last work as an actress. Applegate said at the event:
“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 continued: “I don’t know if I can. I’d love to; I do miss it. I miss it so much.” Despite Applegate’s inability to act like she used to, she is not leaving the entertainment scene any time soon. The actress revealed she is considering venturing into other areas, including production. She noted that she would be “doing a s*** ton of voice-overs to make some cash to make sure that my daughter’s fed and we’re homed.”