Jamie-Lynn Sigler has shared the deeply moving experience of declaring "I have MS" while filming a guest appearance on the long-running medical drama Grey's Anatomy. The actor, diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2016, revealed she once believed the condition would terminate her acting career entirely.
A Dream Role Confronts Personal Reality
In an exclusive interview with The Independent ahead of the episode's airing on Thursday 16 January 2026, Sigler described the moment as "extremely emotional." The 44-year-old stars in the episode titled "Heavy on Me" as urologist Dr. Laura Kaplan, a character also navigating life with MS.
"Especially because I thought that my having MS meant that my acting career would be over," Sigler explained. "I thought it meant that it would take away all of my dreams. I didn't think it would make one come true."
Portraying Power and Authenticity with MS
Before filming commenced, Sigler spoke with the show's producers about her vision for the character. She was determined to portray someone living with the chronic autoimmune disease in a powerful and authentic light.
"My only note was I wanted to show someone in their power," she stated. Sigler wanted to honour the truthful experience of living with MS, which can cause fatigue, numbness, vision issues, and mobility challenges, while also depicting a person who has made necessary adjustments to live life fully.
In the narrative, her character, Dr. Kaplan, is consulted by Dr. Catherine Avery, played by Debbie Allen. She provides an alternative perspective on treatment for Dr. Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr.), who is facing a prostate cancer diagnosis.
A Message of Hope and Resilience
Hours before the episode debuted, Sigler took to Instagram, calling the opportunity "a dream realized for myself and for so many others like me." She emphasised that having a disability does not equate to weakness or incapability.
"It just means you may have to find a new way… and that new way usually opens doors to some pretty beautiful things," she wrote. Sigler, best known for her role as Meadow Soprano on The Sopranos, has continued a successful career post-diagnosis, including a role in ABC's The Big Sky.
Grey's Anatomy continues to air on ABC on Thursday evenings and is available for streaming on Hulu the following day.
