Christina Applegate has recently opened up about her plans for the future as she continues her battle with multiple sclerosis (MS).
At 52, Christina remains as determined and ambitious as ever, sharing a heartfelt glimpse of her bucket list on social media, where she expressed her desire to let loose with none other than Cher.
In a candid post on X, the Married... with Children star revealed: "There are things I want to do with the days I have left in life. I want to work with Shirley MacLaine and do shots with Cher! And yes, my days are so big. Just saying."
This touching message resonated deeply with her 1.5 million followers, who rallied around her with overwhelming support and encouragement.
One fan enthusiastically cheered her on, saying: "I love this! Go after it girl!" Another follower shared a heartfelt message: "I pray that your days are filled with peace, joy, happiness, and adventure. You have always been one of my favorite actors, and I always look forward to seeing you pop up from time to time."
The love and support didn’t stop there. A fellow MS sufferer, diagnosed in 2005, urged Christina to continue pursuing her dreams and not let MS define her.
Christina's aspirations also include working with Shirley MacLaine, a lifelong dream she has held close to her heart.
Just last month, she took to social media to share this poignant wish. "I wish I could work with Shirley MacLaine," she wrote. "Woke up and that dream I have had for my whole life, washed over me. And I wept for a minute. And I’m sure I will again. Oh and Shirley, I don’t have your number anymore so."
Although Christina and Shirley have not yet collaborated, there is a beautiful connection between them.
Christina played the role of Charity in the musical Sweet Charity back in 2005, a role that Shirley famously portrayed in the classic 1969 film of the same name. This shared history adds a layer of depth to Christina’s heartfelt wish.
The emotional journey Christina is navigating is not one she undertakes alone. Her 13-year-old daughter, Sadie, has been a pillar of strength and support.
Recently, Christina welcomed Sadie onto the MeSsy podcast, which she co-hosts with her friend Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who also lives with MS. The proud mother described Sadie as the best guest she "could possibly ever have" and her reason to "get up in the morning."
Sadie, showing remarkable maturity and empathy, spoke about her own experience as the child of someone with MS.
"When she got diagnosed, it kind of just felt like... not like everything was over but it was hard seeing my mom lose a lot of the abilities she used to have in my childhood," Sadie shared with listeners.
She fondly recalled how they would dance together in Christina’s room for hours, a cherished memory from her childhood.
Despite the challenges, Sadie emphasized the importance of being there for her mother. "It’s also been nice being able to help her and support her," she said.
She did admit, however, that Christina can be reluctant to accept her assistance. "Every time we go to a concert, she always is like, 'You cannot push my wheelchair, Sadie, you're going to run into a wall,'" Sadie quipped. "And I will beg. I'm just like, 'Please, mom, let me push your wheelchair.' Because I want to help her, so that's definitely why I want to do it, but it's also funny because she's always saying, 'No, I want this person to do it'... and it's never me."
Christina, with her characteristic humor, playfully mused that she gets "afraid that... if there was like a ramp that" Sadie "would just let go" to be "funny." Despite these light-hearted moments, Christina acknowledged that her daughter is "darn good at pushing the wheelchair."
The bond between Christina and Sadie is a testament to their resilience and love. When Christina was first diagnosed with MS in June 2021, she found a unique way to help Sadie understand the challenges she faced.
Sadie recalled how her mother made her "put on socks with sand or like balloons with sand" to simulate the pain of walking. "It was a very uncomfortable experience," Sadie noted.
Sadie also opened up about her own health issues, including misophonia, a condition characterized by a strong dislike or hatred of certain sounds, and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), an abnormality of the autonomic nervous system that can cause an excessively fast heart rate and symptoms of lightheadedness.
These personal challenges have given Sadie a unique perspective and empathy for her mother's struggles.
"When my mom's like, 'I'm in pain right now. I'm having tremors.' If I didn't have [POTS], I probably would be like... I don't know what you're talking about. But I actually have tremors from POTS," she explained. "It's definitely a lot easier to understand what she's going through when I have something I'm going through as well."
The duo’s close relationship has been evident at various star-studded events, including the 2023 Screen Actors Guild Awards and the 2024 Emmy Awards.
"She's had to see the loss of her mom, in the way that I was a mom with her," Christina told People. "Dancing with her every day. Picking her up from school every day. Working at her school, working in the library. Being present out of the house, out of my bed. She doesn't see those things anymore."
Christina poignantly added, "This is a loss for her as well. And we're both learning as we're going along." Despite these changes, the actress remains deeply proud of her daughter, who has shown immense strength and resilience.
Back in 2018, Christina gushed about Sadie’s entertaining personality and her talents in comedy, playing the piano, and doing accents. "She's got a lot of accents in her repertoire," the performer shared with People at the time. "She's such a goofball."
Christina has a "very strict rule" that Sadie must wait until she is at least 18 to pursue acting if she chooses to follow in her mother’s footsteps. "Under my roof, you train and you become the best that you can be," Christina advised. "And also have a good education because... the chances of being successful in this business are really, really [slim]."