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New York Post
Christina Applegate reunites with ‘Married … With Children’ TV dad Ed O’Neill: ‘He raised me’
By Eric Todisco,
11 days ago
Christina Applegate owes it all to her former TV dad, Ed O’Neill.
Applegate, 52, reunited with O’Neill, 78, on Tuesday’s episode of her “MeSsy” podcast and they gushed over their relationship that started on the beloved sitcom “Married … With Children.”
“I don’t even know how to explain this person,” said Applegate as she introduced O’Neill as the guest.
Ed O’Neill, Christina Applegate. 20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection Christina Applegate and Ed O’Neill on “Married… With Children.” Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
“He raised me, so if you don’t like anything about me, it’s his fault,” she added. “Years, years of my life spent with this man and he’s an incredible actor, he’s an incredible human being.”
Applegate starred on “Married … With Children” as Kelly Bundy, the daughter of Al (O’Neill) and Peggy Bundy (Katey Sagal).
“And so my way of keeping myself together was keeping this armor up. I mean, he went through everything with me. My mom’s cancer and other things that we’ll talk about in a later date,” Applegate added.
The cast of “Married … With Children.” 20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
“It was great to work with her,” the “Modern Family” alum said. “It’s hilarious. It was always fun to work with Christina.”
O’Neill and Applegate. Everett Collection / Everett Collection
While it’s been over 25 years since they were co-stars, Applegate told O’Neill she’s grateful that he’s still in her life.
“I love our relationship now, Eddie,” Applegate said. “Like our relationship now of me being 52 years old. And the fact that you and I can talk on the phone for hours and giggle and talk about everything.
“Like, we talk a lot,” she went on. “I talk to you more than I talk to anyone else on the telephone. I really do.”
Applegate and O’Neill at the 2012 Women In Film Crystal + Lucy Awards. Jason Merritt/Getty Images
Applegate previously revealed on an episode of her podcast that she had anorexia when she was shooting “Married … With Children.”
She said dealing with the eating disorder was “f–king torture” and recalled her mom put her on Weight Watchers when she was 15, which was when the show premiered.
Applegate’s small frame on the show was “very scary to everyone” behind the camera, she shared.
“They were like, ‘Christina never eats.’ They talked to me about it. But to me, I was enormous.”
Applegate and her daughter Sadie at the Emmy Awards. Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
Applegate has stepped away from her acting career because of her health battle. She said her Netflix series “Dead to Me,” which ended after three seasons in 2022, would likely be her final onscreen role .
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