Everything Christina Applegate Has Said About Her MS Battle

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Christina Applegate isn’t afraid to be frank about multiple sclerosis.

Since being diagnosed in 2021, the actress from Dead to Me has openly shared her experiences with the condition. It happens when the body’s immune system accidentally attacks the brain and spinal cord.

Despite a serious illness that has caused brain damage, ongoing pain, a severe kidney infection, and difficulty moving, 53-year-old Christina maintains a positive attitude, facing her health challenges with both humor and openness.

She shared on the March 2024 episode of Armchair Expert that making jokes is how she copes with difficult emotions. She explained that if she didn’t use humor, she’d feel overwhelmed. While she’s not focused on emotional healing right now, she believes she’ll be ready for it in the future.

For now, though, she’s getting through it with a bit of dark humor. 

You never know what might happen with an illness like this,” Christina said on the March 19th episode of NPR’s Wild Card. “I’ve already purchased the land, and it’s mine.”

She described her future gravesite, saying she and a friend planned to have a picnic there. She noted it was a beautiful location, but a bit exposed to the sun. She’d like a tree planted so visitors wouldn’t get too hot while paying their respects.

After surviving cancer, Christina’s learned not to sugarcoat matters concerning her health.

Oh my gosh, I remember watching that interview with Robin Roberts when she had cancer. It was so heartbreaking, but honestly, it was even more upsetting to hear her talk about it later. She said she was basically pretending to be okay, just completely putting on a brave face for the cameras and for everyone watching. She actually confessed she was ‘lying her a off’ about how she felt! She said after the interview, she just fell against the wall and cried because it all felt so fake. She was trying to convince herself she was strong, and she realized now that wasn’t helpful to anyone, not even herself. It just… it gets me every time thinking about it.

When Christina spoke with Robin again in 2024, this time about her experiences with multiple sclerosis, she was very direct and honest.

She described her life since her MS diagnosis as incredibly difficult, telling the Good Morning America anchor she was “really, really angry” about it. She doesn’t expect to ever feel positive about her condition, saying, “I don’t think I’ll ever wake up and be happy about this.”

Christina shared that she’s currently isolating to cope with things, but hopes to feel more functional in the future.

She’s been hospitalized more than 30 times because of problems related to her health, and continues to fight through it all.

Although her representative hasn’t confirmed recent reports about a hospital stay, she released a statement to TopMob News explaining she’s dealt with ongoing health issues, something she’s openly discussed in her book and podcast.

And the actress intends to continue keeping it all the way real. 

She told People magazine in February, while discussing her memoir You With the Sad Eyes, that life isn’t always perfect. She explained that everyone goes through tough times, and she was trying to be as honest and open as possible about her own experiences.

For more of Christina’s MS battle, keep reading. 

Christina Applegate shared she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2021.

I wanted to share that I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis a few months ago,” she posted on social media last August. “It’s been a really unusual experience, but I’ve felt so much support from others who understand what it’s like. It hasn’t been easy, but life goes on – unless someone deliberately gets in the way!

During her Walk of Fame ceremony in November 2022 – her first public event since being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis – she playfully announced, ‘Oh, and by the way, I have a disease.’ She then gestured to her bare feet, adding, ‘Did you not notice?’

Christina believes her MS journey actually began “six or seven years” before her 2021 diagnosis.

As a huge fan, I was so surprised to learn from Christina’s March 2024 interview on Good Morning America that she was dealing with some health issues while filming, especially during the first season of Dead to Me. She explained she kept experiencing moments where her leg would just give way, but she initially brushed it off as simple exhaustion, dehydration, or the weather. She didn’t think much of it when the episodes passed and it didn’t happen again for months.

The actress revealed that by the time they were filming the last season of the Netflix series, she needed to be wheeled onto the set.

“I couldn’t move that far,” she recalled, “so I had to tell everybody because I needed help.”

Christina Applegate, known for her role in Dead to Me, shared a photo of her collection of walking sticks, explaining that they’ve become a regular part of her life as she lives with multiple sclerosis.

At the 2023 SAG Awards, Christina delivered a powerful message to multiple sclerosis, accompanied by her daughter Sadie Grace LeNoble: “F U MS.”

After getting a standing ovation at the 2023 Emmys, the former star of Married…With Children joked, “You’re making me feel bad about my disability by all standing up!”

Christina explained on the March 2024 episode of Armchair Expert that making jokes is how she copes with her health condition. She said if she didn’t use humor, she wouldn’t be able to handle it – it’s essential for her well-being.

I recently shared on a podcast that I’m dealing with a challenging health situation – I’ve been diagnosed with 30 lesions in my brain. The largest one is located behind my right eye, which unfortunately causes me a lot of pain. It’s definitely been a journey, and I wanted to be open about what I’m going through.

Okay, so I’ve been researching this obsessively, and basically, MS – Multiple Sclerosis – happens when your own immune system, which is supposed to protect you, starts messing with the protective coating around your nerves. It’s called the myelin sheath, and when it gets attacked, that’s what causes all the problems. It’s just… awful to think about, but that’s what I’ve learned!

Christina hasn’t held back when it comes to sharing her journey. 

Christina Applegate was honest with Jimmy Kimmel about living with multiple sclerosis. She said it’s really difficult, and she doubts anyone with MS would say it’s a positive experience.

In a March 2024 interview with Good Morning America, Christina described living with the disease as “living in hell.”

She hopes to feel more capable in the future. For now, she’s staying home and avoiding activities because she’s struggling and needs time to herself. It’s a difficult situation for her.

Christina Applegate says her Sweetest Thing co-star, Selma Blair, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2018, encouraged her to get tested for the condition.

During an interview with Good Morning America, Christina remembered the doctor telling her, ‘You should be tested for multiple sclerosis.’ She added that, without that advice, her condition could have become much more serious.

As a lot of you may have heard, Christina Applegate has shared that Dead to Me will probably be her last acting role. She told Vanity Fair earlier this year that the thought of being on a film set right now just isn’t something she can picture herself doing. It’s a really personal decision, and I completely respect her prioritizing her well-being.

I likely won’t be doing on-camera work anymore, but I’m really happy I had the chance to work with Linda Cardellini, who I consider to be one of the most talented actresses – and people – I’ve ever met.

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2026-04-17 19:48