Christina Applegate may be facing one of the toughest battles of her life, but according to her longtime friend and former co-star David Faustino, she hasn’t lost the sharp sense of humour fans have always loved.
Faustino, who played Bud Bundy opposite Applegate’s Kelly Bundy on Married… With Children, recently shared an update on how the actress is coping with multiple sclerosis (MS), the autoimmune disease she revealed she was diagnosed with in 2021.
Speaking to Us Weekly, Faustino said he admires Applegate’s resilience, even though the diagnosis has been a major challenge.
A real blow
“I admire her being strong in the face of this, even though it’s been a real blow,” Faustino said, adding that while the disease has been difficult for her, “she does keep her humour.”
According to Faustino, Applegate’s trademark dry wit is still very much intact. He said she has had a sarcastic sense of humour since the day they met, and despite recent health struggles — including a hospitalization earlier this year — “nothing has changed.”
The Dead to Me star remains “extremely sarcastic” and “extremely dry,” Faustino noted, explaining that humour has become one of the ways she copes with the disease.
“She gets through this with some humour, and that’s kind of her way that she moves through it,” he said.
Laughter a big part of their friendship
Faustino, 52, said he has remained close to Applegate since she publicly disclosed her diagnosis. Their friendship now includes regular visits, text messages and frequent check-ins.
“I do a lot of visits with her. A lot of texting, a lot of checking in,” he said. “A lot of funny just crap that we talk about. And that’s all I can do, right? Give her my love.”
While the pair share serious conversations, Faustino said laughter is still a big part of their relationship.
“We do have deep convos when we sit. But we also keep the laughter (going) as well.”
MS is a chronic disease that attacks the central nervous system and can cause symptoms including numbness, weakness, vision problems and difficulty walking, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Faustino’s support for Applegate is also tied to his longtime involvement with MS advocacy. The actor has attended Race to Erase MS fundraising events since at least 1996, years before Married… With Children ended its 11-season run. He and Applegate starred as siblings on the hit Fox sitcom from 1987 to 1997, alongside Ed O’Neill and Katey Sagal, according to Page Six.
I’m a strong chick
Applegate last updated fans on her health in April after being hospitalized in Los Angeles. In an Instagram post, she said she was feeling “better every day” and thanked supporters for their well wishes.
“Health issues are a constant for me, but I’m a strong chick and I’m getting stronger and better every day,” she wrote.
Since revealing her diagnosis in 2021, Applegate has been candid about the emotional and physical toll of living with MS. At the time, she described it as a “strange journey” and acknowledged it had been a difficult road, though she was grateful for support from others living with the condition.
Her openness has continued in recent years. During a 2024 episode of her MeSsy podcast with fellow MS advocate Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Applegate admitted she was struggling with depression and told listeners she no longer enjoyed many aspects of life.
Later that year, during an appearance on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast, she called her MS diagnosis “the worst thing that’s ever happened to me in my entire life.”
