Christina Applegate Says SAG Awards Likely Her ‘Last As an Actor’ Amid MS Battle

Christina Applegate was recently nominated for a SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series for her lead role in the Netflix show Dead To Me, but the awards show might be her last as an actor.

The star is battling multiple sclerosis, the disabling disease which affects the brain and spinal cord. Due to her condition, Applegate is stepping away from acting, which makes the upcoming SAGs a bittersweet moment.

“It’s my last awards show as an actor probably, so it’s kind of a big deal,” Applegate told the Los Angeles Times. “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 Anchorman star received her diagnosis during the filming of the third and final season of Dead To Me, which saw her taking a hiatus from the show while she underwent treatment. She opened up about her struggles during that time and how supportive the cast and crew were.

“I was a wreck every day,” she shared, “but most of that wreck would take place in my trailer by myself. But there were times I’d break down on set and be like, ‘I can’t, we have to take a break, I need a half-hour,’ and everyone was so loving that it was OK.”

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She especially spoke highly of her co-star, Linda Cardellini. The pair play grieving best friends Jen and Judy in the hit Netflix series.

“[Cardellini] literally pulled me under her wing and protected me, and took care of me every single day,” Applegate said. “Also the tables were turned: Jen is taking care of her friend who’s dying, yet Linda was taking care of me as I was saying goodbye to the person that I’d always known — so part of me was dying.”

As for what she plans to do next, Applegate said, “a s**t ton of voice-overs to make some cash to make sure that my daughter’s fed and we’re homed.”

Dead to Me, Seasons 1-3, Streaming Now, Netflix