Christina Applegate’s Daily Battle

Christina Applegate is offering a candid look at the realities of living with multiple sclerosis as she prepares for the release of her forthcoming memoir, You With The Sad Eyes.

The Emmy-winning actor, 54, was diagnosed with MS in 2021. The autoimmune disease, which affects the brain and spinal cord, has reshaped her daily life — often confining her to bed due to chronic, debilitating pain.

In a new interview published Tuesday, Applegate revealed that much of her day is spent managing symptoms that make even routine movement difficult. Despite the physical toll, she remains determined to maintain one cherished ritual: driving her 15-year-old daughter, Sadie, to school and activities.

“I want to take her; it’s my favorite thing to do. It’s the only time we have together by ourselves,” Applegate said. “I tell myself, ‘Just get her there safely and get home so you can get back into bed.’ And that’s what I do.”

The actor — who rose to fame on Married... with Children and most recently earned critical acclaim for Netflix’s Dead to Me — has increasingly used her platform to discuss the physical and emotional complexities of MS. She co-hosts the MesSy podcast with Jamie-Lynn Sigler, best known for The Sopranos. Sigler, who was diagnosed with MS at age 20, provides a parallel perspective on navigating the disease within the entertainment industry.

Applegate has previously described the intensity of her symptoms in stark terms. In a November 2024 episode of the podcast, she said she sometimes finds herself “lays in bed screaming” from sharp, squeezing pain. The condition has also affected her hands, at times making it difficult to hold a phone or remote control, and even to open bottles.

Multiple sclerosis manifests differently for each individual. Common symptoms can include extreme fatigue, numbness, balance issues, muscle spasms and cognitive challenges — a spectrum Applegate has experienced firsthand.

Applegate’s decades-long career has continued alongside her diagnosis, with Dead to Me co-star Linda Cardellini and creator Liz Feldman supporting production adjustments during the show’s final season.

Now, as she readies her memoir, she balances motherhood and chronic illness while using her platform to raise visibility around MS.