Christina Applegate has revealed that her role on Dead to Me could be her last acting job due to her battle with multiple sclerosis.
On November 1, the 50-year-old actress, spoke to The New York Times about the status of her health as she completed filming the final season of Netflix's Dead to Me.
The actress was diagnosed with the condition in 2021 and shared a heartbreaking health update with the outlet, saying that she gained "40 pounds" and "can't walk without a cane."
Now, Applegate, who plays Jen Harding in the hit series, told Variety that the TV show could be her final acting job due to her health decline, explaining: "Jen Harding is the one, who - who knows, quite possibly the last one I’ll play. With my disease, I don’t know how capable I am."
The star revealed that she first started noticing symptoms while she was on set for the show, stating that she was losing her balance while she was filming. It then started affecting her pursuits outside of her work.
Eventually, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a lifelong autoimmune condition that impacts communication between the brain and nerves in the body. In some cases, it can cause endless numbness, vision problems, and even paralysis.
"I got diagnosed while we were working, and I had to call everybody and be like, 'I have multiple sclerosis, guys. Like, what the f***!', she told Variety. "And then it was about kind of learning - all of us learning - what I was going to be capable of doing."
The Married with Children actress said being on set for the show helped her understand what she was going to be "capable of doing," saying: "It had to be cold because heat is our kryptonite. Can’t work those 18-hour days, you know? It was impossible."
Despite her struggles, Applegate told the publication that her show-runner, Liz Feldman, and the rest of the cast and crew rallied around her and were "so loving" during the stressful time.
"If I called them in the morning, and was like, 'Guys, I can’t get down the stairs,' they were like, 'OK! We won’t do it today. We’ll do other stuff.' Netflix even let us take a break for a couple of months so that I could mourn, and find treatment," she said.
While the Emmy Award winner revealed that she hasn't watched the final season because it would be "too hard" for her, she was still determined to complete the show for the fans.
"It’s too important to our hearts; too important to our souls. And we have to give this gift, not only to ourselves - there are people that love these characters, and we’ve got to let them have their closure too," she said.
Furthermore, Applegate told the outlet that she has ruled out ever taking on another lead role again given how challenging it was to complete filming on Dead to Me. She also said she is open to transitioning into other jobs in Hollywood such as directing and producing.
The show's third and final season is set for release on Netflix on November 17.
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