Why Christina Applegate Went Barefoot for Hollywood Walk of Fame Ceremony

By Stephen Andrew

Christina Applegate recently went barefoot for her iconic Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony, and now we know why. Taking to Twitter, the beloved actress revealed that her MS diagnosis was the reason why she shed her shoes. Explaining to fans and followers, Applegate revealed that wearing shoes can cause pain — or cause a feeling of being "off balance" — for those living with MS.

The post received tons of replies, with one of the sweetest coming from Star Wars actor Mark Hamill. "Welcome to the neighborhood, Christina!" he wrote. Applegate replied, "I think we should be best friends." Comedian and actor Michael McKean (This is Spinal Tap, Better Call Saul) tweeted the words "Heart emoji" to Applegate. "Heart emoji back. You made me love comedy," she tweeted in return.

Ahead of the big ceremony, Applegate shared a photo of some canes on Twitter and revealed that she'd be using one of them for her first official event since announcing her MS diagnosis. "I have a very important ceremony coming up. This will be my first time out since diagnosed with MS. Walking sticks are now part of my new normal. Thank you [Neo Walk] for these beauties. Stay tuned to see which ones make the cut for a week of stuff."

Applegate first announced her MS diagnosis back in August 2021. "Hi friends. A few months ago I was diagnosed with MS," she tweeted. "It's been a strange journey. But I have been so supported by people that I know who also have this condition. It's been a tough road. But as we all know, the road keeps going. Unless some a—hole blocks it." In a separate message, she added, "As one of my friends that has MS said, 'We wake up and take the indicated action.' And that's what I do. So now I ask for privacy. As I go through this thing. Thank you xo."

The Dead to Me actress has faced severe health issues in the past, having battled breast cancer in 2008. As part of her treatment, Applegate underwent a bilateral mastectomy to have the cancer removed from her body. Notably, she chose to write her mastectomy journey into the story of the character she plays on the aforementioned hit Netflix show.

Speaking to USA Today in 2019 about her decision, Applegate said, "I don't think there's a lot of characters out there with double mastectomies. But I went through it, and it's a horribly painful process – emotionally, spiritually, physically – and I never really talked about it." She added, "I thought this was my chance to tell a little bit about me, but also all the women that have gone through that."

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