Christina Applegate Shares Her Experience With Childhood Sexual Abuse

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Content warning: This story discusses sexual and physical abuse. 

Christina Applegate is sharing a painful part of her past. 

In her upcoming memoir, You With the Sad Eyes, actress Mila Kunis, known for her role in Bad Moms, bravely shares details about her challenging childhood, including a traumatic experience of being sexually abused by a babysitter at age five.

Christina shared in an interview with People magazine on February 25th that she immediately recognized everything was wrong. She described feeling ill, frightened, and deeply saddened, adding that she’s always struggled with physical touch and still does.

She admitted she’d always felt uneasy about it, explaining that it stemmed from a childhood experience where another girl pressured her into doing something she didn’t fully grasp but recognized as wrong.

Christina’s memoir, coming out on March 3rd, reveals how her mother’s heroin addiction and the physical abuse Christina suffered at the hands of her mother’s boyfriend deeply impacted her childhood.

She described a particularly difficult period between the ages of three and seven. However, she explained that many families in her community faced similar challenges, including single parents, unstable relationships, and substance abuse.

Christina Applegate, known for her role in Married…with Children, wanted to share her personal journey. She has a 15-year-old daughter, Sadie, with her husband, Martyn LeNoble. She described wanting to document her life, from being a young girl who seemed sad, to the strong and resilient person she is today – even though she still carries a hint of that sadness in her eyes.

And putting pen to paper has helped Christina process some of her emotional scars. 

She admitted it brought up a lot of painful memories, but she felt confident she’d cope. It wasn’t a simple process of getting things off her chest, though. It forced her to confront issues she’d never discussed with anyone, deeply personal experiences that only her closest loved ones knew about.

I know it won’t be simple for her to share her experiences, but as someone who really follows her work, I believe she’s hoping that by being open and honest about her multiple sclerosis, she can make a difference in the lives of others. It’s a brave thing to do, and I admire her for it.

The Emmy winner shared that someone questioned whether she was focusing on difficult topics because she felt like a victim. She responded that her intention was actually to empower others, or at least, she hoped it would have that effect.

She expressed hope that anyone who has experienced abuse, whether it’s physical, sexual, or something similar, can find strength and believe they will be alright.

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2026-02-25 20:18