1972–1986: Early projects

Applegate made her television debut in 1972 alongside her mother in the soap opera Days of Our Lives and starred in a commercial for Playtex baby bottles at 3 months old.^[5] She made her film debut in the 1981 horror film Jaws of Satan (or King Cobra) and appeared in the 1981 movie Beatlemania. She debuted as a young Grace Kelly in the television biopic Grace Kelly (1983) and appeared in her first television series in Showtime's political comedy Washingtoon (1985), in which she played a congressman's daughter.

Applegate was a guest in the series Father Murphy (1981), Charles in Charge (1984–1985), and Silver Spoons (1986). In 1986, she won the role of Robin Kennedy, a policeman's daughter, in the police drama series Heart of the City (1986–1987). For her performance, she received a Young Artist Award. She guest-starred in several television series, including All is Forgiven, Still the Beaver, Amazing Stories, and Family Ties.

1987–2001: Breakthrough and Married... with Children

From 1987 to 1997, Applegate played the ditzy, sexually promiscuous daughter, Kelly Bundy, on Fox's first sitcom, Married... with Children. While working on the series, Applegate was seen in Dance 'til Dawn (1988) and Streets (1990), in which a teenage drug addict is stalked by a psychotic police officer. She guest-starred in 21 Jump Street (1988) and Top of the Heap (1991) and hosted Saturday Night Live (1993) and MADtv (1996). The character of Sue Ellen Crandell in the black comedy feature Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead (1991) was Applegate's first starring role in a mainstream film, playing a rebellious teenager who is forced to take care of siblings after their summer babysitter dies. She had roles in films such as Vibrations (1995), Across the Moon (1995), Wild Bill (1995), Tim Burton's Mars Attacks! (1996), and Gregg Araki's Nowhere (1997). Contrary to reports, she did not audition for Titanic, as she told Vanity Fair in their May 2023 edition: “No. Who said that?…That would not have come across my desk, if I had a desk.” [Shaw, Vanity Fair, May 4, 2023.] When Married... with Children was cancelled in 1997, producers pitched a spinoff centered on Kelly Bundy, but Applegate declined.^[6]

In 1998, Applegate starred as Claudine Van Doozen in the independent feature Claudine's Return (or Kiss of Fire), appeared in the action-comedy The Big Hit and played the fiancée of a mob boss in the Mafia satire Jane Austen's Mafia.

Applegate was one of the founding members of The Pussycat Dolls, which debuted at Johnny Depp's Viper Room on the Sunset Strip in 1995.^[7][8] She emceed for the group when they moved to The Roxy Theatre in 2002.^[9]

In 1998, Applegate began portraying the title role in the NBC sitcom Jesse. She won the People's Choice Award for Favorite Female Performer in a New Television Series, the TV Guide Award for Favorite Star of a New Series, and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Comedy.^{[citation needed]} The series was cancelled in 2000.^[10]

2002–2009: Anchorman, stage, and television

Applegate played the dual role of a 12th-century noblewoman, Princess Rosalind, and her 21st-century descendant, Julia Malfete, in the time-travel comedy Just Visiting (2001). She was Princess Gwendolyn and Kate in the movie Prince Charming (2001). After playing Cameron Diaz's level-headed best friend, Courtney Rockcliffe, in The Sweetest Thing (2002), she appeared in Heroes (2002), the romantic airplane comedy View from the Top (2003), the true-crime film Wonderland (2003) based on the Wonderland murders, and the Gram Parsons biopic Grand Theft Parsons (2003). In 2004, she starred with Ben Affleck in the holiday comedy Surviving Christmas and with Matt Dillon in Employee of the Month. She was the executive producer of Comforters, Miserable (2001).

Applegate guest-starred on Friends in the ninth (2002) and tenth (2003) seasons in episodes titled "The One with Rachel's Other Sister" and "The One Where Rachel's Sister Babysits" as Amy Green, Rachel Green's (Jennifer Aniston) sister. She won the Primetime Emmy Award from two nominations for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series^[11] for her performance in "The One with Rachel's Other Sister."

Applegate received recognition for her portrayal of anchorwoman Veronica Corningstone in the 2004 comedy films Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie, an alternative film comprising alternate takes and deleted scenes and story elements.

Applegate has performed on stage in The Axeman's Jazz, Nobody Leaves Empty Handed, The Runthrough, and John Cassavetes' The Third Day (co-starring Gena Rowlands). In 2004, she debuted on Broadway as Charity Hope Valentine in a revival of the 1966 musical Sweet Charity. In late April 2005, she took part in the annual Broadway Cares' Easter Bonnet Competition, being sawed in half by a magician in their Clearly Impossible sawing illusion. Sweet Charity ended its Broadway run on December 31, 2005.^[12] Applegate won the 2005 Theatre World Award and was nominated for a 2005 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role in the musical.

While appearing in Sweet Charity, Applegate broke her foot and it was announced that the musical would close during previews. She persuaded the producers to change their minds.^[12] Because of her injury, she had to wear special shoes to prevent another accident. In a 2013 interview, she said that because of what happened, she "actually can't dance anymore. And that is sad for me because I always wanted to go back. But I probably won't be able to."^[13] She does dance whenever the opportunity presents, but cannot perform in strenuous roles.^[13]

In 2006, Applegate appeared in Jessica Simpson's music video for "A Public Affair" with Eva Longoria, Ryan Seacrest, and Christina Milian. She starred in the ABC comedy Samantha Who? from October 15, 2007, until it was cancelled on May 18, 2009; the finale aired on July 23, 2009. The series co-starred Jean Smart, Jennifer Esposito, and Melissa McCarthy and focused on a 30-year-old who, after a hit-and-run accident, develops amnesia and has to rediscover her life, her relationships, and herself.^[14] She received two nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and two nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy. Shortly after the cancellation was announced, she began a campaign to get the show back into production,^[15] which failed. She topped the list of People's Most Beautiful People in 2009.^[16] She appeared with her Married With Children brother David Faustino in an episode of Faustino's comedy series Star-ving.^[17]

2010–present: Dead to Me and further acclaim

Applegate voiced Catherine the Cat in the three-dimensional talking animal sequel Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore (2010). She said her mother wanted her to be involved in the film. Prior to Cats & Dogs 2, she voiced Brittany, one of the Chipettes, in Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2009), Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2011), and Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2015).

Applegate starred in the NBC sitcom Up All Night with Maya Rudolph and Will Arnett, which debuted on September 14, 2011.^[18] On February 8, 2013, she left the series after its second-season hiatus, which was leading into a planned format change. The series was ultimately cancelled.^[19]

On July 31, 2013, Applegate was featured on the second episode of the fourth season of the revived American version of the TLC series Who Do You Think You Are?. The episode centered on Applegate trying to find information about her paternal grandmother, Lavina Applegate Walton, who was absent for most of Applegate's father's life and died when he was young. Applegate learned that Walton died in 1955 from tuberculosis and alcohol-related cirrhosis.^[20]

In 2013, Applegate reprised her role as Veronica Corningstone in the comedy sequel film Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues. The film received positive reviews from critics and was a box office success. In 2014, she had a starring voice role as Mary Beth in the animated musical fantasy film The Book of Life. In 2015, she starred with Ed Helms in the National Lampoon sequel Vacation, the fifth full-length movie episode of the road-trip comedies. They played Rusty Griswold and his wife, Debbie, who with their two sons take a trip to Walley World, just as Rusty did with his parents in the 1983 original film, National Lampoon's Vacation. The film was poorly reviewed, but was a box office success. In 2016, she starred as Gwendolyn James in the comedy film Bad Moms with Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, and Kathryn Hahn. The film earned mixed reviews from critics and was a box office success.^[21] She reprised her role for a cameo appearance in the November 2017 sequel A Bad Moms Christmas.

In July 2018, Applegate co-starred with Linda Cardellini in the Netflix dark comedy series Dead to Me^[22] and executive produced the series with Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, and Jessica Elbaum.^[23] The series received critical acclaim. Applegate received two nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her performance in seasons one and two and^[24][25] nominations for a Golden Globe Award, Screen Actors Guild Award, and TCA Award.

On November 14, 2022, she received a star on Hollywood Walk of Fame.^[26] She was accompanied by her Married With Children co-stars Katey Sagal and David Faustino. Her star was placed adjacent to Sagal and Ed O'Neill's stars.^[26]

In 2024, Applegate began a podcast with fellow actress with MS Jamie-Lynn Sigler called MeSsy about their friendship based on the condition.^[27]

Health

People reported in 2008 that Applegate had been diagnosed with breast cancer. A representative stated, "Christina Applegate was diagnosed with an early stage of breast cancer. Detected early through a doctor-ordered MRI, the cancer was not life-threatening. Christina is following the recommended treatment of her doctors and will have a full recovery."^[34] It was announced that she was cancer-free after a double mastectomy, although cancer had been found in only one breast.^[35] She has an inherited genetic trait, a BRCA1^[36] mutation, which can trigger breast and ovarian cancer. Her mother is also a breast cancer survivor. Applegate said when she first was diagnosed, "I was just shaking and then, also immediately, I had to go into 'take-care-of-business mode,' which included a change to a more healthy diet."^[36]

Applegate announced in August 2021 that she had received a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis a few months before.^[37] The disease heavily affected her ability to perform in the final season of Dead to Me, for whose success she credits her co-star Linda Cardellini and showrunner Liz Feldman's support and openness in making reasonable adjustments to her filming schedule.^[38]

Applegate said in 2023 that because of her illness she probably would no longer act on camera, but that she would be open to voiceover work, such as a planned animated revival of Married... with Children. She would also consider working behind the scenes.^[39][40] In April 2024 she announced she had recently become ill after being infected with a Sapovirus virus as well as COVID-19.^[41]

Film

Television

Theatre

Music videos