Christina Applegate is feeling conflicted about the upcoming Screen Actors Guild Awards.
The Dead to Me actress stated that the upcoming SAG Awards will most likely be her last because she is still dealing with the effects of the condition. In 2021, she was diagnosed with MS.
“It’s a big deal because it’s probably my last awards show as an actor,” Applegate, 51, said in an interview.
“Right now, I couldn’t picture waking up at 5 a.m. and working on a set for 12 to 14 hours; I don’t have that in me,” she continued.
Applegate is up for an award for outstanding performance by a female actor in a comedy series for her role as Jen Harding in the Netflix comedy.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Applegate no longer intends to pursue acting, but she does intend to pursue voice-over work as her next step in her career. “I’m doing a s*** ton of voice-overs to make some money so that my daughter can eat and we can stay at home,” she explained.
Applegate made her remarks nearly two years after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. She had to take a break from filming to receive treatment because she was working on the third and final season of Dead to Me.
In another interview, the actress praised the “incredible” cast, the showrunner, and her co-stars, claiming that they were “Jen and Judy combined into a human, most perfectly and beautifully possible.” She was referring to her character’s friendship with Linda Cardellini’s Judy Hale.
“Every day, I was a complete mess, but most of that mess happened in my trailer by myself,” Applegate admitted. “However, there were times on set when I’d snap and say, ‘I can’t, we need to take a break, I need a half-hour,’ and everyone was so understanding that it was fine.”
Furthermore, Applegate discussed how difficult it was to watch the third season after it became available on Netflix.
“I don’t like seeing myself struggle,” she explained. “In addition, due to inactivity and medication, I gained 40 pounds, making me feel and look unrecognizable.” She sat alone and watched, pausing only when it hurt too much. “I eventually managed to step back from my ego and see what a stunning piece of television it was. It was a joy to see and experience every scene I hadn’t seen before.”
In a November interview, Applegate reflected on the show’s production, saying it was “as difficult as you could ever imagine.”
“It’s about discovering what I’m capable of,” she said of her acting career. “I’m only getting started with this. It takes time to understand this disease and what causes the symptoms to appear. They won’t treat me like a princess if I say, ‘Hey, I can only work five hours.’”
The actress, who received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on November 14, stated that she is looking for “a place that will allow me to work five hours if I’m not the star” and that appearing as the star in a project may no longer be an option.
“I’m not able to continue the work I just finished. It was so difficult,” she continued, mentioning her family, particularly her 12-year-old daughter Sadie Grace LeNoble, whom she shares with her husband, Martyn LeNoble.
“You know, I’m pretty sure this was it. Who knows, I might grow to despise spending time alone in my room. I want to create, develop, and produce things,” she added. “I just need to put some of my ideas into action because I have so many.”
