Christina Applegate Looking To Drop Acting After SAG Awards Amid MS Battle

Christina Applegate is reflecting on quitting acting ahead of the upcoming Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards.

The actress has continued to prove how dedicated she is to acting, choosing to wrap up the "Dead to Me" series despite getting diagnosed with multiple sclerosis during filming in 2021. Now, the mother-of-one has admitted that the upcoming SAG Awards would most likely be her last as she deals with the disease's impact behind the scenes.

Although acting is no longer a priority for her, Applegate has earned numerous accolades, including a sixth SAG nomination in the outstanding performance by a female actor in a comedy series category for her role in "Dead to Me."

With that honor lined up, the 51-year-old has spoken about her future after the ceremony. In a conversation with LA Times, the dedicated actress said:

"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."

Applegate has weighed her options without acting in her life, landing on producing and "doing a sh*t ton of voice-overs to make some cash" to ensure her daughter, Sadie, is "fed, and we're homed." 

Besides that, the three-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee has spent loads of time in bed, bingeing all the reality television shows she has never seen. The one show she avoided was her Netflix comedy which she chalked up not liking to see herself struggling. The "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" actress added:

"Also, I gained 40 pounds because of inactivity and medications, and I didn’t look like myself, and I didn’t feel like myself."

When she got around to watching the show – alone, she had to stop whenever it became too much to bear. Applegate eventually distanced herself "from my own ego, and realize[d] 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."

The one thing that Applegate does not lack is love and support, as she admitted how much her co-star Linda Cardellini has helped her. The actress went as far as describing her friend as a "divine artist" who "is right there, present for you, no matter what."

Another thing that has helped her deal with her MS diagnosis is her humor. The Blast shared that the Young Artist Awards winner told Kelly Clarkson:

"My humor shield keeps me ok. Um, but of course, down on the insides, you feel the things, and I do it to kind of deflect and make people not be scared to be around me."

She further explained that she wanted people to feel comfortable so that they could "laugh about it," adding that she "wrote a song called, 'Disaby Baby, hurry down the chimney tonight. I can't cause my wheelchair won't fit down it.'"

MS is a disease that allows one's immune system to eat away at the protective covering of nerves, causing pain, vision loss, fatigue, and impaired coordination.

Last November, The Blast reported that Applegate received support from another star battling MS, Selma Blair. As it turned out, the "Hell Boy" actress has been dealing with the chronic disease since 2018, making her all too familiar with its effects.

However, Blair has accomplished several feats, including showing off her ballroom skills on "Dancing With The Stars" last year. Unfortunately, she had to bow out early due to her condition, returning for a final hoorah at the competition's finale. Speaking on Applegate's resilience so far, Blair stated:

"She is an iconic California girl actress of my generation. There has not been one thing that she’s done that I haven’t been like, ‘Nailed it,’ and she’s nailing just being who she is with this MS."

The "Brown's Requiem" actress also touched on her friend's supportive nature even while dealing with her (Applegate) own MS. Blair noted that Applegate "is just amazing and strong and fun," showing up at people's doors whenever they needed her.