Christina Applegate is an American actress and dancer born on November 25, 1971. She started acting at a young age and became famous for her role as Kelly Bundy in the comedy TV show “Married… with Children” which aired from 1987 to 1997.
As she grew older, Christina Applegate built a successful career in both movies and television. She won a Primetime Emmy Award and received nominations for four Golden Globe Awards and a Tony Award.
In the TV sitcom, “Jesse” where she played the lead role she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. Applegate also won a Primetime Emmy Award for her guest appearance on the NBC show “Friends”. Her performance in the Broadway musical “Sweet Charity” earned her a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical.
She continued her TV success with roles in “Samantha Who?” which earned her nominations for two Primetime Emmy Awards and Golden Globe Awards and the series “Dead to Me” where she received three Primetime Emmy Award nominations and a Golden Globe nomination for her role in this dark tragicomedy.
Christina Applegate has also starred in several notable films including “Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead,” “The Big Hit,” “The Sweetest Thing,” “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy,” “Hall Pass,” “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues,” “Vacation,” “Bad Moms,” and “Crash Pad”.
| Full Name | Christina Applegate |
| Date of Birth | November 25, 1971 |
| Place of Birth | Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA |
| Occupation | Actress, Dancer |
| Height | 5 feet 4 inches (165 cm) |
| Spouse | Martyn LeNoble Johnathon Schaech |
| Children | 1 daughter |
| Net Worth | $25 million |
Christina Applegate’s Early Life
Christina Applegate was born in Hollywood Los Angeles, California. Her dad Robert William “Bobby” Applegate worked as a producer at Dot Records. Her mom Nancy Priddy is both a singer and an actress. Christina got her name from her mom’s song on the album “You’ve Come This Way Before” which was inspired by the Andrew Wyeth painting “Christina’s World.” Her parents split up soon after she was born.
She has two half-siblings Alisa and Kyle from her dad’s second marriage. After Christina’s parents divorced her mom dated musician Stephen Stills. As a kid, Christina learned different dance styles like jazz and ballet.
Career
Christina Applegate began her TV career in 1972 on “Days of Our Lives” with her mother. At just 3 months old she starred in a Playtex baby bottles commercial. Her first film role came in the 1981 horror movie “Jaws of Satan” followed by Beatlemania. She played a young Grace Kelly in the TV movie “Grace Kelly” in 1983 and appeared in Showtime’s Washington in 1985 portraying a congressman’s daughter.
She guest-starred in “Father Murphy,” “Charles in Charge,” and “Silver Spoons. From 1986 to 1987 she played Robin Kennedy in Heart of the City and won a Young Artist Award for her performance. She also appeared in shows like All is Forgiven Still the Beaver Amazing Stories and Family Ties.
From 1987 to 1997, Christina Applegate became famous as Kelly Bundy the ditzy daughter on Fox’s Married… with Children. During this time she appeared in “Dance ’til Dawn,” “Streets,” and hosted “Saturday Night Live,” and “MADtv”. Her breakout movie role was in “Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead” where she played Sue Ellen Crandell.
After Married… with Children ended in 1997, she declined a spinoff centered on Kelly Bundy. She starred in “Claudine’s Return,” “The Big Hit,” and “Jane Austen’s Mafia”. She was also involved with The Pussycat Dolls and starred in the NBC sitcom “Jesse” winning awards for her role.
In the early 2000s, Applegate appeared in movies like “Just Visiting,” “The Sweetest Thing,” and “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy”. She also performed on Broadway in “Sweet Charity” and received acclaim for her stage work.
Applegate continued her career with roles in “Samantha Who?” and various guest appearances. She remains a respected figure in both film and television.
Christina Applegate has lent her voice to several animated films including playing Catherine the Cat in “Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore” a role her mother encouraged her to take. Before that, she voiced Brittany in the “Alvin and the Chipmunks” sequels: “The Squeakquel,” “Chipwrecked,” and “The Road Chip”.
She also starred in the NBC sitcom “Up All Night” alongside Maya Rudolph and Will Arnett which premiered on September 14, 2011. Applegate left the show on February 8, 2013, during its second season break before it was later canceled.
In 2013, Christina Applegate appeared on the TV show “Who Do You Think You Are?” where she explored her paternal grandmother’s history. Her grandmother Lavina Applegate Walton passed away in 1955 from tuberculosis and alcohol-related cirrhosis a discovery that deeply affected her.
In the years that followed, Applegate reprised her role as Veronica Corningstone in “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues” and voiced Mary Beth in “The Book of Life”. She also starred in “Vacation” alongside Ed Helms playing Rusty Griswold’s wife Debbie in this sequel to the classic National Lampoon road-trip comedies.
Christina Applegate continued her success with roles in “Bad Moms” and its sequel “A Bad Moms Christmas” as well as the critically acclaimed Netflix series “Dead to Me” which she also executive produced.
In November 2022, she was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame a ceremony attended by her “Married With Children” co-stars Katey Sagal and David Faustino. Recently in 2024, she co-launched a podcast called MeSsy with Jamie-Lynn Sigler exploring their friendship and experiences with multiple sclerosis.
Net Worth
Christina Applegate has an estimated net worth of $25 Million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. The main source of Christina Applegate’s net worth primarily comes from her successful career as an actress in television and film. She gained fame for her role as Kelly Bundy on the sitcom “Married… with Children” in the 1980s and 1990s.
Applegate continued to build her career with roles in movies like “Anchorman” and its sequel, “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues,” alongside various TV series. Her earnings from acting, endorsements, and other entertainment ventures contribute to her overall net worth, which is estimated to be in the millions.
Personal life
Christina Applegate married actor Johnathon Schaech in Palm Springs California on October 20, 2001. They divorced in August 2007 after Schaech filed for divorce in December 2005 due to irreconcilable differences. In 2009, Applegate began dating Dutch musician Martyn LeNoble. They got engaged on Valentine’s Day 2010 and married on February 23, 2013, at their Los Angeles home. Both had been previously married. They welcomed a daughter in January 2011.
In 2008, People reported that Applegate was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer detected through a doctor-ordered MRI. Her representative confirmed the diagnosis noting it was not life-threatening. Applegate underwent a double mastectomy and was declared cancer-free despite cancer being found in one breast. She has a genetic trait (BRCA1 mutation) linked to breast and ovarian cancer shared with her mother who is also a breast cancer survivor. Applegate adjusted her diet upon diagnosis.
In August 2021, Applegate revealed she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis a few months earlier. Her condition affected her ability to perform during the final season of Dead to Me. She credited her co-star Linda Cardellini and showrunner Liz Feldman for their support and flexibility in adjusting her filming schedule.
In 2023, Applegate stated she might no longer pursue on-camera acting due to her illness but expressed interest in voiceover work including an animated revival of Married… with Children. Additionally, she plans to work behind the scenes. In April 2024, she disclosed she had recently contracted both Sapovirus and COVID-19 causing her illness.
Philanthropy
Christina Applegate has been actively involved in various charitable causes. She has supported organizations like the Entertainment Industry, Foundation, Adopt-A-Classroom, The Motion Picture, and Television Fund Foundation, World Animal Protection, and the Trevor Project.
In 2003, she served as the spokesperson for Lee National Denim Day a fundraiser that raises millions for breast cancer education and research. Following her breast cancer diagnosis she appeared on a TV special called “Stand Up to Cancer” in 2008 which aimed to gather funds for breast cancer research. This special was broadcast on CBS NBC and ABC networks.
In 2009, Christina Applegate announced her return as the ambassador for Lee National Denim Day. That same year she founded Right Action for Women a foundation focused on breast cancer screening particularly advocating for the type of MRI scan that helped save her life.
Her efforts were recognized in February 2015, when she received the Saint Vintage Love Cures Award at the unite4:event hosted by Variety magazine for her dedication to and work with Right Action for Women.
