Christina Applegate opens up about suffering from anorexia while shooting Married With Children

American actress Christina Applegate recently opened up about her struggles with body image issues and anorexia, while filming Married with Children as a teenager. On May 14, 2024, the 52-year-old appeared on the MeSsy podcast, alongside actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler.

Applegate spoke about playing the character of Kelly Bundy in Married with Children, which began in 1987. She recalled:

"I played Kelly Bundy [on Married With Children], and it was my idea to wear those outfits because I was so amazed by this rock culture and rock sl*ts, I thought it was the most hilarious thing I'd ever seen. I kind of shot myself in the foot because then I had to wear those outfits, and I wanted my bones to be sticking out. So I didn't eat."

Christina revealed that it "was very scary to everyone on set" as they claimed that the actress "'never eats', and I didn't." The Dead to Me star said she had "never discussed" her eating troubles in public until the latest podcast episode.

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Christina Applegate reveals she struggled with eating disorders since her childhood

Christina Applegate gained significant popularity after appearing in several roles since her early childhood. The actress began starring as Kelly Bundy in the comedy sitcom Married with Children when she was only 15. The show ran for a decade, from 1987 to the series finale that aired on May 5, 1997.

Christina Applegate revealed on the MeSsy podcast that her mother Nancy Priddy put her on Weight Watchers in 1987 when she started the show. However, she added that struggles with her body image began years earlier, when she recalled that a neighbor called her fat.

Speaking about her mother, she continued:

"She was always competitive. If I got down to 110 [pounds], she'd be like... 'How'd you do it?' And the reason was, I had an eating disorder. I would eat five almonds in a day. And if I had six, I would cry and I wouldn't want to leave the house. And that stuck with me for years and years and years."

Christina Applegate confessed that the staff on the set of the 80s sitcom were concerned for her and spoke to her about it. The actress played Al (played by Ed O’Neill) and Peggy Bundy’s (Katey Sagal) daughter, Kelly. The character often received loud applause from the audience and wore crop tops and short skirts.

Christina revealed that the costume department had to take in size zero clothing and make it smaller for her, but she said she still felt "enormous" and wanted her "bones to stick out."

The Bad Moms star also said in the podcast that she was still struggling with body dysmorphia after her multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis, which caused her to gain weight.

Applegate reportedly gained 45 pounds from the side effects of the disease and its medication. She noted:

"That demon in my head, it's coming back really loud. And it's scaring me. It hasn't been there for a long time. I mean, it's always a little bit there with anorexia as long as I did in my early life. It always plagues me. And then body dysmorphia and all of those things. They're still always there."

After the sitcom, Applegate was seen in many TV Shows and even received an Emmy Award for her guest role as Amy Green on Friends. She also starred in several movies, including The Sweetest Thing, Grand Theft Parsons, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, The Legend Continues, Vacation (2015), and more.

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Christina Applegate and Jamie-Lynn began the MeSsy podcast in March, where they often discuss their own issues, challenges thrown at them, and how they navigate the same.