In a candid display of vulnerability that peeled back the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, Christina Applegate, the 52-year-old actress, recently publicly dissected her daily struggle with multiple sclerosis (MS). Although met with a standing ovation at the Emmy Awards, Applegate confessed to living “kind of in hell,” revealing the unseen struggle of managing a debilitating illness while sustaining a career under a microscope. The actress, beloved for her role in the Netflix hit series “Dead to Me,” sat down with “Good Morning America” to delve deeply into her health world, her voice breaking and eyes welling with emotion as she laid bare the piercing reality of her life with MS.
Applegate narrated that she noticed symptoms two years prior to her diagnosis, during the filming of her show in 2019. “I would buckle, my leg would buckle,” said the actress, recalling the ominous signs that her body was hiding a sinister foe. Applegate chalked these instances up to fatigue and dehydration. But as the months passed and her symptoms grew in intensity, she found herself needing to pay meticulous attention to her health.
It is the hidden nature of MS that makes it particularly devastating. Despite its invisibility, it can cause an overwhelming sense of solitude and alienation, making it challenging to articulate the struggle to those untouched by the illness. Applegate lamented on the loneliness caused by the disease, expressing that it was hard to “explain to people.”
By summer 2021, as the final season of “Dead to Me” commenced filming, Applegate’s condition had deteriorated to the point where she could no longer navigate sets without a wheelchair. The actress admitted to needing help from others to move around, creating a stark contrast to her former carefree agility as a dancer and runner.
The actress credited Selma Blair, her former co-star who is also battling MS, as the person who first suggested she get checked for the ailment. Despite initial incredulity at the uncanny coincidence of two actors from the same movie being stricken with MS, Applegate acknowledged that Blair’s insight likely saved her from a more precarious fate.
Alongside Applegate during her revealing interview was her friend Jamie Lynn-Singer, famously known for her role in “The Sopranos.” Diagnosed with MS at just 20 years old, Lynn-Singer has been instrumental in helping Applegate navigate her journey. Despite her sanctity and fury at her predicament, Applegate confessed that Lynn-Singer’s encouragement was the salve to her struggle, a glimmer of hope amidst the darkness.
Applegate called MS her “least favorite disease” and gave a stark portrayal of her future with it. “I’m never going to wake up and go, ‘This is awesome,'” she said, signifying the uphill battle she must face each day. However, she remains hopeful, “I might get to a place where I function a little bit better.”
With her husband Martyn LeNoble and daughter Sadie Grace at her side, Christina Applegate remains a beacon for those silently battling similar internal wars. Her strength to tackle her diagnosis will inspire many others battling the specter of MS, reminding them that they are not alone in their fight.
In conclusion, the rigors and vagaries of life do not exempt the rich and famous. Applegate’s lived experience with MS opens a window into the daily hardship faced by those living with chronic illness. Despite their isolation, voices like Applegate’s remind them that even while endangered by their own bodies, they still maintain a firm grip on life, and their stories manage to find light, solidarity, and understanding amid the chaos. Applegate’s narrative underscores the essence of human resilience: that amidst adversity, even when it seems unthinkable, there is always a way to function a little bit better.
