Christina Applegate is basically the human personification of "getting back up." You’ve seen her on your TV for—well, actually for about 50 years. That’s not an exaggeration. She started when she was three months old. But these days, the headlines aren't about her comedic timing or that signature snark we loved in Dead to Me. They’re about her health. Specifically, her battle with multiple sclerosis (MS).
There is this weird misconception floating around that she just vanished or that she’s "done" because of the diagnosis she went public with in 2021. Honestly? It’s more complicated than that. She didn't just quit. She was forced to pivot in a way that would break most people, and yet, she’s still here, just in a different room.
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The Reality of the "Invisible" Disease
When Applegate walked onto the stage at the 2024 Emmy Awards with a cane, the room exploded. A standing ovation that lasted so long she had to tell the crowd, "You’re totally shaming me by standing up!" It was classic Christina. Sharp, self-deprecating, and a little bit "stop making this a thing."
But behind those jokes—like her quip about her body "not being by Ozempic"—is a level of physical pain that’s hard to wrap your head around. On her podcast, MeSsy, which she co-hosts with Sopranos alum Jamie-Lynn Sigler (who also has MS), she doesn't sugarcoat it. She’s talked about laying in bed screaming because the pain feels like knives.
MS is often called the "invisible disease" because you might look fine on the outside while your nervous system is literally misfiring. For Christina, it’s moved into her hands. Picking up a phone or a remote can be a monumental task. She’s been open about the fact that she often stays in bed because the simple act of putting her feet on the floor is "extraordinarily bad to the touch."
Why She’s Not "Retired" (In the Way You Think)
People keep using the word "retired." It’s a heavy word. While it’s true she’s likely done with on-camera acting—filming the final season of Dead to Me was a Herculean effort that required her to be pushed in a wheelchair between takes—she hasn't left the building.
She’s moving into voiceover work. Why? Because as she bluntly puts it, she’s got to "make some cash" to keep her daughter, Sadie, fed and housed. It’s a very human, non-celebrity reality. She’s also leaning into development and producing. The screen might not show her face as often, but her fingerprints are going to be all over the industry for years.
Then there is the memoir.
You With the Sad Eyes
In July 2025, it was announced that Christina is releasing her first memoir, titled You With the Sad Eyes, set for a March 2026 release. If you think this is just going to be a "woe is me" health book, you haven't been paying attention to her career.
The book is set to cover:
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- Her "tumultuous" childhood in Laurel Canyon.
- The early days on the Married... with Children set.
- Her battle with breast cancer in 2008 and her double mastectomy.
- The raw, unfiltered reality of losing her identity as an actress to MS.
- Struggles with body dysmorphia and the "plastic veneer" of Hollywood.
It’s scary for her. She’s said as much. But she’s doing it because she believes books make people feel less alone. That’s the core of who she is now: a woman who is using her platform to tear down the wall of "perfection" that celebrities usually hide behind.
A Legacy Beyond Kelly Bundy
It is kinda wild to think that the same woman who played the ditzy Kelly Bundy is the same woman who gave us the raw, grief-stricken Jen Harding. She’s evolved through every decade. In the '90s, she was the "It Girl" in Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead. In the 2000s, she was the level-headed best friend in The Sweetest Thing and the ambitious Veronica Corningstone in Anchorman.
She’s always been the foil to the "chaos" around her, which is ironic considering how much chaos her own body has thrown at her.
The BRCA1 Factor
Lest we forget, MS isn't her first rodeo with life-altering health news. Back in 2008, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Because she carries the BRCA1 mutation, she didn't just get treated; she had a double mastectomy. Later, she had her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed to get ahead of the risk.
She’s been a "survivor" for so long that the MS diagnosis felt like a cruel punchline. But she’s handled it with a level of transparency that's honestly rare. She doesn't want your pity; she wants you to understand the "messiness" of it all.
What’s Next for Christina?
As we head into 2026, the focus is clearly on her book launch and her podcast. MeSsy has become a lifeline for many in the MS community because it isn't "medical." It’s two friends talking about the "shit" parts of life with a sense of humor that only people who have been through the ringer can have.
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If you’re looking to support her or learn more, here are some actual things you can do:
- Listen to the podcast: MeSsy with Christina Applegate and Jamie-Lynn Sigler is available on all major platforms. It’s raw, it’s funny, and it’s very real.
- Watch for the memoir: You With the Sad Eyes drops in March 2026. Pre-orders are usually what help authors the most, so keep an eye on Hachette or major retailers.
- Support MS Research: Christina has always been a big proponent of the MS Support Foundation and Right Action for Women (for breast cancer).
- Revisit her work: If you haven't seen Dead to Me on Netflix, watch it. Knowing what she was going through physically while filming that final season makes her performance nothing short of miraculous.
She’s not the "sad girl" the tabloids sometimes try to paint her as. She’s a 50-something woman who has worked for half a century and is finally, for the first time, slowing down because she has to—and she’s finding a way to make that look like a new kind of strength.
The most important takeaway here is that "disability" doesn't mean "disappeared." Christina Applegate is still very much in the game; she’s just changed the rules. It’s no longer about hitting a mark on a soundstage; it’s about being the most honest version of herself, even when it hurts. Especially when it hurts.
Actionable Insight: If you or someone you love is dealing with a chronic or "invisible" illness, follow the MeSsy podcast community. It’s one of the few places where "toxic positivity" is checked at the door in favor of real, unfiltered shared experience. If you’re a fan of her career, look for her upcoming voice roles in 2026 as she transitions into this new phase of her professional life.