Christina Applegate accepted her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame today. This marks the actress' first public appearance since she publicly disclosed her Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis in August 2021. The moving presentation included Applegate's former Married... With Children co-stars Katey Sagal and David Faustino, and her Dead to Me colleagues creator Liz Feldman and co-star Linda Cardellini.
There was nothing but high praise for the actress, with Faustino calling her a "brilliant actor" and Katey Sagal commending her "humility, humor, grace, fortitude [and] bravery." Feldman also spoke highly of Applegate, saying during her speech that Applegate is "one of the greatest actors of our generation."
Applegate's decades-long career spans back to her childhood and began with appearances in television and commercials. Applegate's big break came in 1987 when she began portraying Kelly Bundy on Married... With Children. She later appeared in other comedic series including Jesse, Friends, Samantha Who? and most recently, Netflix's critically acclaimed Dead to Me. In film, she starred in The Big Hit, The Sweetest Thing, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, and Bad Moms, among others.
Applegate's Walk of Fame ceremony was initially scheduled for 2020 but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The following year, Applegate took to Twitter to share her MS diagnosis. At the time, she was filming Dead to Me, which was delayed following her diagnosis. The third and final season of the dark comedy premieres on November 17 on Netflix.
Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini's Special Bond
Dead to Me follows the unlikely friendship between Jen (Applegate) and Judy (Cardellini). The two meet during a grief support group after Jen's husband's untimely death. The two begin to lean on each other, but plenty of exposed secrets, twists, and turns threaten to unravel their bond. In a recent interview with The New York Times, Applegate spoke about the close bond the two women had developed off-screen. During her presentation at the Walk of Fame ceremony, Cardellini echoed those sentiments, saying:
"She is also a champion for anyone she loves. At some of my weakest moments she has hugged me, looked me in the eyes and said, 'I've got you, we've got this. And you believe her, because she is exactly the person you want in your corner. A fiercely loyal, honest, generous friend and person."
During her speech, Applegate thanked the speakers, calling them her "people". She went on to thank her team, before speaking about her daughter and referencing her illness:
“Oh by the way, I have a disease. Did you not notice? I’m not even wearing shoes. You’re supposed to laugh at that," she joked.
Applegate recently told Variety that it was likely that Dead to Me would be her last starring role. The actress was candid about how difficult filming had been for the final season.