Christina Applegate Admits She Battled Anorexia, Eating Only Five Almonds A Day: ‘I Wanted My Bones Sticking Out’
Christina Applegate has opened up about her physical condition while filming the cult-favorite TV series "Married... With Children" (1987-1997).
On the latest episode of her 'MeSsy' podcast, the actress revealed that many people behind the cameras grew concerned. "It was very scary to everyone on set because they were like, 'Christina never eats.' And I didn't. They talked to me about it," Applegate stated.
Applegate, who played the role of Kelly Bundy on the Fox series, launched a podcast alongside 'The Sopranos' star Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who also suffers from Multiple Sclerosis and has battled with her image.
The 52-year-old admits her mother had her on Weight Watchers at 15 — the same year 'Married... With Children' debuted in 1987. "She was always competitive," she says of her mother, Nancy Priddy.
"If I got down to 110 [pounds], she'd be like... 'How'd you do it?' And the reason was...I finally had an eating disorder," she explained. "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."
While portraying the role of Kelly Bundy, which ran for 10 seasons, Applegate claimed she wanted to "look skinny" in the short skirts and revealing clothing she chose for her character.
"I wanted my bones to be sticking out, so I didn't eat," she admitted.
Despite the costume department altering her wardrobe to be smaller than a size zero, Applegate claimed she still felt "enormous."
Her diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) has also played a role in causing weight gain as she has gained 45 pounds from the medication she takes.
"That demon in my head, it's coming back really loud. And it's scaring me," she said.
"I don't look in mirrors," Applegate explained. "This is obviously something people don't know. I have writing all over my mirrors in my bathroom so that I don't look in them. Because I will like fall on the ground and cry."
Sigler first noticed her weight after watching herself in the pilot of the hit series 'The Sopranos,' saying she was the fullest she had ever been. "I didn't look like any other young woman on any other show that I'd seen," she expressed.
"There was a year between the pilot and the first episode and during that time, I had the eating disorder," she admitted. Sigler, 42, who suffered from "exercise bulimia," shared how the show almost fired her because of how thin she was.
"They were like, 'whoa, no, no, no, no, no!' The show was so supportive and loving, and they just wanted me healthy," she said.
