Actress Christina Applegate shared her ongoing struggles with multiple sclerosis in a recent interview with The New York Times, revealing that she had gained some 40 pounds and could no longer walk without the use of a cane.
Applegate spoke with the NYT ahead of the release of the final season of her Netflix series “Dead to Me” — which she was filming when she was first diagnosed last November. Despite a five-month hiatus to allow for the “Married With Children” alum to begin treatment, she was able to complete the season.
“This is the first time anyone’s going to see me the way I am,” she said, sharing a bit of apprehension at the thought of attending her first major ceremony since being diagnosed. “I put on 40 pounds; I can’t walk without a cane. I want people to know that I am very aware of all of that.”
“I have a very important ceremony coming up. This will be my first time out since diagnosed with MS. Walking sticks are now part of my new normal. Thank you @neowalksticks for these beauties. Stay tuned to see which ones make the cut for a week of stuff,” Applegate tweeted in late October.
I have a very important ceremony coming up. This will be my first time out since diagnosed with MS. Walking sticks are now part of my new normal. Thank you @neowalksticks for these beauties. Stay tuned to see which ones make the cut for a week of stuff. pic.twitter.com/O543p1G4vS
— christina applegate (@1capplegate) October 27, 2022
Applegate went on to tell the NYT that part of her journey had been realizing that treatment was always going to be about progress rather than “get[ting] better.”
“There was the sense of, ‘Well, let’s get her some medicine so she can get better,’” Applegate said the initial reaction was to think of the disease as a temporary thing. “And there is no better. But it was good for me. I needed to process my loss of my life, my loss of that part of me. So I needed that time.”
“Although it’s not like I came on the other side of it, like, ‘Woohoo, I’m totally fine.’ Acceptance?” she asked. “No. I’m never going to accept this. I’m pissed.”
Applegate, who earned Emmy nominations for the first two seasons of “Dead to Me,” said there was talk about shutting down the show after her diagnosis — but she wouldn’t have it.
“The powers that be were like, ‘Let’s just stop. We don’t need to finish it. Let’s put a few episodes together.’ I said, ‘No. We’re going to do it, but we’re going to do it on my terms.’”
The third and final season of “Dead to Me” premieres on Netflix on November 17.
It’s happening. Finally. The last season of Dead to Me. Brace yourselves. pic.twitter.com/oVu2hzB66M
— christina applegate (@1capplegate) September 24, 2022
