Christina Applegate hints at retirement after her battle with Multiple sclerosis
Actress Christina Applegate hints she might retire soon. The star of Dead to Me, who found out she has multiple sclerosis in 2021, told the Los Angeles Times that the recent SAG Awards could be her final acting appearance.
At the February 27 event, Applegate walked the red carpet with her daughter, Sadie Grace, who is 12. She used a cane, which has become a regular part of her life, with the message “FU MS” on it.
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Christina received her sixth nomination for her exceptional work in a comedy series, playing Jen Harding on Netflix’s Dead to Me. However, the 51-year-old star may not appear much in future projects.
Before the awards event, she mentioned that it might be her last one as an actor. She expressed her current inability to imagine working 12 to 14-hour days on a set, starting as early as 5 a.m.
“It’s my last awards show as an actor probably, so it’s kind of a big deal,” Applegate said. “Right now, I couldn’t imagine getting up at 5 a.m. and spending 12 to 14 hours on a set; I don’t have that in me at this moment.”
Just a fun fact, the suit my kid is wearing was Scott Weiland’s suit from one of his solo album covers. Scott gave my husband, Martyn, that suit long ago in the glorious 90’s Also we were quite a pair last night. She fractured her ankle this week, hence the boot, and me…MS pic.twitter.com/5rqv7d4chb
— christina applegate (@1capplegate) January 17, 2023
In 2021, the star from Married with Children had been working on the final season of Dead to Me when she found out she had MS. She had to pause her work to get medical help, but she was committed to completing the series. However, it took her a long time to watch herself in Married with Children after it came out.
She said she didn’t enjoy seeing herself struggle. Additionally, she had gained 40 pounds due to lack of activity and medication, which made her look and feel unlike herself.
When she went back to film, she noticed that things had changed significantly. “I was a wreck every day, but most of that wreck would take place in my trailer by myself. But there were times I’d break down on set and be like, ‘I can’t, we have to take a break, I need a half-hour,’ and everyone was so loving that it was OK.”
In a past interview, Applegate discussed life after her time on Dead to Me. She emphasized exploring her abilities and adjusting to a new lifestyle due to her chronic illness. The actress admitted to being new to this situation and expressed her need to find a supportive environment that accommodates her limited working hours, without being perceived as demanding.
Applegate mentioned that if she decides to act again, she would need to find a role that allows her to work for only five hours, even if she isn’t the main character. Although she has made significant progress in her health, she remains uncertain about returning to acting.
Applegate expressed that she might feel the need to explore other creative ventures eventually. She is interested in developing and producing projects, as she has numerous ideas in mind that she’d like to bring to life. If these efforts don’t succeed, she’s open to doing a lot of voice-over work to earn money and support her daughter.
It is important to acknowledge the amazing contributions Applegate has provided to her fans throughout the many years and we wish her well.