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Christina Applegate (born November 25, 1971) played Kelly Bundy on the FOX sitcom Married with Children. She has since established a film and television career, with major roles in several pictures, including Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead, The Big Hit, The Sweetest Thing, Anchorman, Farce of the Penguins, and Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel. Christina has also starred in numerous productions including the 2005 Broadway revival of the musical Sweet Charity. More recently, she played the lead character Samantha Newly in the ABC-TV sitcom series Samantha Who?.

Biography[]

Early life[]

Christina was born and raised in Hollywood, CA; Her father, Robert W. Applegate, was a record producer and record company executive,[1] and her mother, the former Nancy Lee Priddy, was a singer and actress. Her parents split up shortly after her birth. She has two half-siblings (Alisa and Kyle) from her father's remarriage. Following her parents' divorce, her mother had a relationship with musician Stephen Stills. It was through Stills' friendship with fellow musicians Paul Kantner and Grace Slick that Applegate became friends with their daughter, China Kantner.[2][3]

Early work[]

Christina made her TV debut with her mother in the soap opera Days of Our Lives and a commercial for Playtex baby bottles at three and five months, respectively. Her first big screen appearance followed at age 7, when she was seen in the 1979 film, Jaws of Satan (a.k.a. King Cobra), followed by 1981's Beatlemania at age 10. She debuted in a television movie as young Grace Kelly in the biopic, Grace Kelly (1983, opposite Cheryl Ladd), and appeared on her first TV series in Showtime's political comedy, Washingtoon (1985), in which she played a Congressman's daughter. She was also spotted as a guest in the shows, NBC-TV's Father Murphy (1981), CBS's Charles in Charge (1984 and 1985), and NBC-TV's Silver Spoons (1986).

In 1986, Applegate won the role of Robin Kennedy (1986–1987), a cop's daughter, on the police drama series Heart of the City. Meanwhile, she was also seen guest starring in the sitcoms All is Forgiven, Still the Beaver, Amazing Stories, and Family Ties episode "Band on the Run" (1987) as Kitten.

Married With Children TV series (1987-97)[]

Christina Applegate 2

Christina Applegate as Kelly Bundy

Christina eventually scored her most memorable role of ditzy Kelly Bundy in FOX-TV's comedy series Married...with Children. She portrayed said character for ten years (1987–1997). While working on the series, Applegate was seen in Dance 'til Dawn (1988, NBC) and in Streets (1990, as a teenage drug addict stalked by a psychotic cop with a custom-modified shotgun). Applegate guest-starred in 21 Jump Street (1988), Top of the Heap (1991, as Kelly Bundy). She also hosted Saturday Night Live (May 8, 1993) and MADtv (1996).

The character of Sue Ellen Crandell in the comedy feature Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead (1991) was Applegate's first starring role in a mainstream film. She followed it up with films such as Vibrations (1995), Across the Moon (1995), Wild Bill (1995), Mars Attacks! (1996), and Nowhere (1997).

Post MWC (1997 - 2010)[]

After Married...with Children was canceled in May 1997, Applegate starred as Claudine Van Doozen in the independent feature Claudine's Return (a.k.a. Kiss of Fire). She also starred in the NBC sitcom, Jesse from 1998 to 2000. Subsequently, she was cast in the action-comedy The Big Hit, and played the fiancée of a mob descendant in the underworld satire Jane Austen's Mafia (1998).

Following the cancellation of her show, Jessie, from 2002-2003, she would appear twice on the NBC sitcom Friends which had been the lead in for Jesse during its short run. On the show, she played the role of Amy Green. The role also reunited her former MWC co-star Matt LeBlanc. She also co-starred alongside Cameron Diaz and Selma Blair in the 2002 romantic comedy, The Sweetest Thing.

In 2004, she co-starred alongside Will Ferrell in the film, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgendy, playing his co-anchor turned love interest.

Applegate starred in the ABC comedy, Samantha Who?, from 2007 until it was canceled on May 18, 2009. The series costarred Jean Smart, Jennifer Esposito, and Melissa McCarthy. The series was about a 30-year-old who, after a hit-and-run accident, develops amnesia and has to rediscover her life, her relationships, and herself.[4] Shortly after the cancellation was announced, Applegate began a campaign to get the show back into production,[5] which was unsuccessful.

In January 2009, Christina appeared with her MWC family in an episode of David Faustino's show,Star-ving. In the episode, she and the rest of the cast get together for a potential Married... with Children movie script reading, but with actor Seth Green playing Bud, while Faustino was reduced down to the role of a pizza delivery man.[6]

Current career[]

She also lent her voice to the character Catherine the Cat in the 3-D talking animal sequel Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore. According to Applegate, she said it was her mother that wanted her to be involved in the film. Prior to Cats & Dogs 2, she voiced Brittany (one of the Chipettes) in Alvin & The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel in 2009. She would reprise her as Brittany in Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked in 2011 and Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip in 2015.

During the 2010s she appeared in several television shows, such NBC's Up All Night (also served as one of the show's producers) and guest hosted Saturday Night Live again in 2015. She also served as a guest judge on several episodes of the FOX dance competition show, So You Think Can Dance?, as she has an extensive background in dance.

She also starred in several films such as Vacation (a sequel to the National Lampoon's Vacation film franchise), Bad Moms, and Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.

From 2019 to 2022, she appeared in the Netflix series, Dead to Me, which ran for three seasons. She also appeared in a commercial for M&M's during the 2019 Super Bowl.[7]

In November 2022, she received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She was accompanied by her daughter and her co-stars from Dead to Me as well as her MWC co-stars David Faustino, Katey Sagal and Amanda Bearse.

In January 2024, she received a standing ovation at the Emmy Awards. She used a cane, along with actor Anthony Anderson to help her on stage as she presented the award for "Best supporting actress in a comedy series". [8]

Retirement from Onscreen Acting[]

In August 2021, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Despite the disease make it difficult for her to walk or move around, she was able to wrap up the final season of Dead to Me due to the creator and her castmates making reasonable adjustments to help her during filming.

In a 2023 interview, Applegate indicated that she would no longer be appearing onscreen due to the progression the disease has taken on her body. She currently uses a cane and assistance from someone nearby to walk and also noted that she gained around 40 lbs. due to the medication and inactivity. She has also stated that she would still be open to doing voice acting. [9][10][11]

Personal Life[]

Applegate had dated several well known actors. In 1989 she briefly dated actor, Brad Pitt, having appeared with him at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards but ditched him there for another person later that night. Although she had never revealed who she left with, in a 2016 interview, actor/singer Sebastian Bach of the glam metal band, Skid Row, revealed that he was the person that she ditched Pitt for.[12]

She is also a vegetarian.

References[]

  1. Christina Applegate Biography (1971-). Filmreference.com. Retrieved on 2010-06-23.
  2. Biography of China Kantner on IMDb. Uk.imdb.com (2009-05-01). Retrieved on 2010-06-23.
  3. Brown, A. (2000). Moon, I'll Get It - The China Kantner Story. Liverpool, UK: Holding Together magazine, November 2000.
  4. Samantha Who? abcstudiosmedianet.com,
  5. Applegate Petitions for "Samantha Who?", Hollywood.com, May 25, 2009
  6. Christina Applegate guests on “Star-ving”. Celebuzz. Retrieved on 2009-02-20.
  7. M&M’S Super Bowl Commercial 2019 ft Christina Applegate
  8. Christina Applegate makes rare appearance at the 2024 Emmys amid MS, gets standing ovation. USA Today (January 14, 2024). Retrieved on January 29, 2024.
  9. Christina Applegate Hints at Retirement, Says SAG Awards Will Probably Be "Last Awards Show as an Actor". E! News (February 7, 2023). Retrieved on January 29, 2024.
  10. Christina Applegate on MS and Its Toll on Her Life and Iconic Career: “It F--king Sucks”. Vanity Fair (May 4, 2023). Retrieved on January 29, 2024.
  11. Christina Applegate Says She Gained 40 Lbs. Due to Medications: 'I Didn't Look Like Myself'. People (February 8, 2023). Retrieved on January 29, 2024.
  12. Christina Applegate Ditched Brad Pitt at the 1989 VMAs for a Gilmore Girls Star'. InStyle (September 16, 2022). Retrieved on January 29, 2024.
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