Actor Christina Applegate shares multiple sclerosis diagnosis
The 49-year-old revealed she was diagnosed with the disease a "few months ago"
Aux Features Multiple sclerosis
Dead To Me star Christina Applegate, 49, revealed her multiple sclerosis diagnosis this morning on Twitter, asking for privacy as she continues down a “tough road.”
“Hi friends. A few months ago I was diagnosed with MS. It’s been a strange journey” the actor writes. “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 asshole blocks it.”
“As one of my friends that has MS said ‘we wake up and take the indicated action,’ Applegate continues. “And that’s what I do. So now I ask for privacy. As I go through this thing. Thank you xo.”
According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, multiple sclerosis occurs when the body’s immune system damages the myelin insulating the nerves in the central nervous system (CNS), disrupting the signals received by the brain. The symptoms of the unpredictable disease vary greatly, and the impact of the immune system’s attack on the CNS can result in different neurological issues. The cause of the disease is unknown, but women are three times more likely to get MS than men. A number of stars in the recent years have been diagnosed with the disease, including Applegate’s The Sweetest Thing co-star Selma Blair, Sopranos actress Jamie Lynn Sigler, talk-show host Montel Williams, and Jack Osbourne.
The filming of the third season of Netflix’s dark comedy Dead To Me commenced in May, and has since been put on hold temporarily. Applegate plays Jen, a single mother trying to keep her life afloat as others, including Linda Cardellini’s character Judy, continue to poke holes in it. She also executive produces the series.
“We love and support Christina and respect her privacy as she takes the time and space she needs in this moment,” Netflix and CBS Studios said in a joint statement to THR.
In addition to Dead To Me, Applegate is known for her roles on Anchorman, Don’t Tell Mom The Babysitter’s Dead, and Married With Children.
31 Comments
The dishes are not done yet Christina.
Jesus Christ, has the poor woman not been through enough shit! A true warrior.
Sad news. I know she is strong enough to keep fighting.
Damn, man…
Aww this is a bummer. I’ve appreciated her for all of her career and Dead to Me is just rad. I hope she’s in good spirits figuring this all out as much as one can be.
For all her formidable comedic talents, Applegate also has one of the all-time great “icy stares of death.” It is Don Draper levels of intense. If doctors can find a way to weaponize that look, this shitty disease doesn’t stand a chance.
Specifying her as “Actor” is such a weird choice for the headline gurus.Like, oh, THAT Christina Applegate?
As opposed to the Christina Applegate, heiress to the Applegate Farms meat conglomerate.
“Barclay, Barry, Bert… Bort?
Come on. ‘Bort’?”
“Mommy, buy me a license plate!”
“No. Come along, Bort.”
“Are you talking to me?”
“No. My son is also named Bort.”
The “also known for…Married with Children” buried way the end seems odd too, but she has certainly had a legit career since then. (Samantha Who? isn’t even mentioned!)
I liked Samantha Who? a lot. Great supporting cast.
They are both natural and organic.
Who cares, tell us about how dirty white celebrities are! Priorities people!
Oh that sucks. My grandma had MS it’s awful as a disease.
Not that I expect Christina Applegate will be trolling through the comments on AVClub, but she should look into HSCT as opposed to the standard pharma-based treatment for MS.
I loved her so much as a kid and no as an adult. This poor lady has been through so much shit, he is a fucking beast and bless her. She is a true badass.From Married with Children to being the best thing about The Sweetest Thing to Dead to Me and everything else she was in (friends guest star etc..) she has always been great.
This fucking sucks big time. I have loved her, duh, since “Married with Children,” and know she has been through some shit. “Dead to Me” is just pulpy awesome, and she is fantastic in it. So bummed, but wishing her the very best.
Selfishly I hope she can get this under control and possible remission so they can resume filming Dead to Me, which I love(d). But man, she has been through the wringer. I saw some dingbat comment on twitter that “she beat breast cancer, she can beat this” …. well, no, you can’t beat MS, dumbass, you can only hope to wrestle it into submission and keep symptoms under control.
When someone states that they’ve “beaten” cancer it simply means they’ve wrestled it into submission (aka. remission). To wit, nice comment/avatar synergy!
While no two cases are the same, the most common form of MS tends to progress fairly slowly so in the near term I would think the delay in filming is more so that she cope with the diagnosis in private rather than a physical inability to put in the hours. Who knows how long she has dealt with this undiagnosed but with the right meds(and some luck), people can typically expect to live a relatively normal life for decades before it starts to impact them.
Oh, sure, but she likely had some symptoms show up that prompted the diagnosis. But yes, I assume this time off is more just to get a handle on her treatment plan and deal with the diagnosis than being unable to do the work.
I was surprised she was diagnosed at age 49. Usually, MS begins much earlier, unless it went unnoticed.
It does seem weird but I don’t know enough about it to know the normal range of ages. Anecdotally, the two people I know with it were each diagnosed around 20.
The curse of The Sweetest Thing. The prophecy foretold this.
That sucks. Good luck to her.
Christa’s role in”Married With Children” was brillant. The show really was good.
Linda Cardellini is as funny and charming on Dead to Me as I expected her to be, but Christina Applegate’s raw, ferocious performance took my surprise. I literally did not know she had that performance in her.
My God. What more must this woman go through?!?!
Meanwhile, David Faustino’s only ailment is his inability to find work.
This sucks, she’s a great actor and seems like a genuinely cool person, and she’s already had to deal with so much.
Always strange to me that people who make public announcements about the intimate details of their lives and health immediately turn around and ask for privacy. If you want privacy don’t spill the details of your life in public. How hard is that?