Christina Applegate has received endless support from fans and colleagues, including her TV mom Katey Sagal, since announcing her multiple sclerosis diagnosis in 2021. All this support has helped the actress as she continues to receive treatment for her illness. Dead to Me may have been her last on-screen role. As she moves on from her acting career, the TV star got candid about how she plans to make money and feed her daughter.
The Dead to Me star recently scored her third SAG Award nomination for the Netflix comedy series. She filmed the final season while dealing with the neurological disease. Applegate couldn’t hide her excitement about attending the awards ceremony with her peers. However, this career moment might be her final as a performer. The TV icon explained to the Los Angeles Times why the SAG Awards might be her last hurrah.
It’s my last awards show as an actor probably, so it’s kind of a big deal. Right now, I couldn’t imagine getting up at 5 a.m. and spending 12 to 14 hours on a set; I don’t have that in me at this moment.
The Married with Children alum professed the Netflix series as her last onscreen appearance, but that doesn’t mean she’s done with Hollywood. Applegate mentioned getting more into developing and producing more projects in her next career phase. She did spill the other avenue she will venture into following her onscreen retirement.
[I plan on] doing a shit ton of voice-overs to make some cash to make sure that my daughter’s fed and we’re homed.
Of course, the sitcom vet needs to keep food on the table and a roof over her family’s head. Shifting to voiceover work is an ideal solution as Applegate appears physically unable to keep up with the demands of onscreen work similar to Michael J. Fox's battle with Parkinson's disease. Her MS diagnosis made shooting Dead to Me’s last season quite difficult for her especially as she had to lean on others – both physically and emotionally. By the time fans heard about her diagnosis, she, the cast, and the crew had been dealing with it for a while.
Despite the difficulties she faced during the final season, Applegate and the show received rave reviews and several awards nominations. Dealing with her illness while working on set led to her feeling less-than-stellar about Season 3. As she continues treatment for her MS, the comedic actress revealed that she didn’t watch the last season, including the major cliffhanger, until months after it arrives on Netflix. She opened up about what role her illness played in her decision, saying to the celebrated publication:
I don’t like seeing myself struggling. Also, I gained 40 pounds because of inactivity and medications, and I didn’t look like myself, and I didn’t feel like myself. At some point I was able to distance myself from my own ego, and realize what a beautiful piece of television it was. All the scenes I wasn’t in were so much fun to see and experience for the very first time.
Thankfully, Applegate was able to separate herself from the character and enjoyed the show as a fan. She did admit to binge-watching reality shows before watching her Netflix series. The Sweetest Thing star didn’t sometime before watching the series, especially after the challenges she faced filming the final season. You can watch every episode of Dead to Me streaming on Netflix. For some more viewing options, check out our 2023 TV premiere schedule.
