Since revealing her multiple sclerosis diagnosis (MS) in 2021, Christina Applegate has been open about the reality of living with the condition, regularly sharing how hard her symptoms have been on her body and mental health. But one special person in particular keeps her spirits up—even on the hardest days.
In a joint People interview published Wednesday, the Dead to Me star got candid about her ongoing struggles with the neurological disease while sitting alongside friend and fellow actor Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who has been living with MS for more than two decades. (The pals were introduced by mutual friend Lance Bass and have stayed close ever since.)
MS can come with a range of overwhelming symptoms, like blurry vision, balance issues that can make walking difficult, and bowel problems, to name a few—which is why it’s been so comforting for Applegate to connect with someone who knows exactly what she’s going through.
“The last five days I’ve been sobbing…. I was throwing up last night, thinking about all of it. Being touched, makeup and hair, even talking about it, I get spasms,” Applegate said about preparing for the People interview. She also described regularly dealing with “intense pain and vomiting” and peeing her pants. “My symptoms are worse in the morning, like crazy-town bad,” she added. “The pain and the numbness and the balance. It’s horrible.”
This new norm is enough to make Applegate feel “real pissed off” sometimes, she admitted. “But I don’t want to be like this always. And I know I won’t because I have my hero here,” she added, pointing to Sigler. Having a buddy by her side who has lived through similar challenges inspires Applegate to keep fighting for a fulfilling life, she explained—even when it feels impossible. “I need to be here,” Applegate told People. “So I’ve got to fight. I got to fight.”
Through their friendship, they’ve learned some valuable lessons from each other: Sigler said “Christina opened me up” to be more vulnerable: “I didn’t realize how desperately I needed to stop trying to be perfect. One thing I haven’t done in the last 23 years is admit it was hard, because I didn’t want to let anyone down.”
As for Applegate, she said bonding with Sigler (who she describes as the “only person who really knows me”) has provided a safe space to discuss all sorts of topics, from constipation to diarrhea to some much-needed Bravo TV gossip.
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