Christina Applegate has opened up about her battle with multiple sclerosis, describing it as her 'new normal' and admitting: 'It sucks.' The 52-year-old actress, diagnosed with MS in 2021, spoke emotionally on Jimmy Kimmel Live about the condition's impact on her life and her 13-year-old daughter, Sadie Grace LeNoble.
Applegate said she feels her daughter is 'losing her mum' as she can no longer do activities they once enjoyed together, such as dancing, library work, and picking her up from school. 'It breaks me,' she said, becoming tearful during the interview. 'I freak out about it every day.'
The actress, known for roles in 'Bad Moms' and 'Married... with Children', appeared to promote her new podcast 'MeSsy' with Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who was diagnosed with MS at age 20. Applegate said the podcast aims to 'help people' by sharing raw, honest conversations about living with the condition.
Applegate also joked about her disability during the interview, saying she considered doing a somersault like Willy Wonka but noted, 'I literally am disabled.' She credited her sense of humour for keeping her going, telling host Jimmy Kimmel: 'It's how I live. It's how I keep myself okay.'
In January, Applegate received a standing ovation at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards. Dr Sarah Rawlings of the MS Society praised her for raising awareness, saying: 'Living with MS can be debilitating, exhausting and unpredictable. To see her presenting at the Emmys and receiving such an incredible response will have meant a lot to the MS community.'
