What Hallmark Star Jamie-Lynn Sigler's Relationship With Christina Applegate Is Really Like
What happens when Meadow Soprano gets together with Jen Harding? We'll have to wait for Hollywood to come up with the script for that one, but you can witness firsthand the real-life relationship between the two actors who played these beloved TV characters. Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who portrayed Meadow on "The Sopranos," and Christina Applegate, who starred as Jen in "Dead to Me," have a sweet friendship that's both inspiring and genuine.
Sigler, who you might also recognize from Hallmark movies "The Christmas Note" and "Signed, Sealed, Delivered: The Road Less Traveled," has been shaking up the podcast scene with another cast member of "The Sopranos," Robert Iler, who played her brother A.J. Soprano on the show. Applegate, meanwhile, got a standing ovation at the 2024 Primetime Emmys when she came onstage to present an award — an homage to her celebrated and lengthy career.
The crowd was also cheering for Applegate's courage amidst her health struggles, following her 2021 multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis. It's one of the things she has in common with Sigler, who was diagnosed herself in 2001, keeping it a secret until 2016. The two women developed a strong bond that began by sharing their experiences with the disease. As Applegate explained on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," "We were really raw and honest about what we were feeling."
The stars initially bonded over their health issues
Both working actors since they were kids, Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Christina Applegate had crossed paths a couple of times in Hollywood during their careers. It wasn't until Applegate was diagnosed with MS, though, that she and Sigler became more than acquaintances. Their mutual friend, Lance Bass ("Bachelor in Paradise" guest host and NSYNC member) thought Sigler, who had already been living with MS for years, might be able to help Applegate with her recent diagnosis. It turns out, they wound up helping each other.
"She keeps me going," Applegate gushed on "Good Morning America," admitting, "I'm flipping the bird all day long at this thing. And I'm angry. She's like 'I have you, and you're going to be okay.'" Meanwhile, the "Sopranos" star confirmed that Applegate had given her the courage to acknowledge how tough it was and to be okay with not being perfect. The actors began their friendship with long phone conversations — first about MS, and gradually everything else. "We haven't stopped talking since," Applegate told People.
The two women realized other people might benefit from their heart-to-hearts too and they created the "MeSsy" podcast. As Applegate recalled on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," "We'd be like laughing and crying and talking for two hours, and I don't know which one of us was like, 'let's just record this, make it a thing.'" Making its debut in March 2024, Sigler described it on "GMA" as: "You're really eavesdropping on an intimate conversation. That's all it is."
Their podcast isn't solely about living with MS
Jamie-Lynn Sigler may have initially connected with Christina Applegate over living with MS, but their relationship is about so much more than that. "We developed this bond," Sigler revealed on "The Talk," one that she and Applegate share on their podcast. "MS brought us together, but it's not everything about us," Sigler elaborated in another joint chat with People. "It's the starting point to a conversation about how to push through something that's hard."
Beyond their health, the stars have a lot in common. Sigler found out that she had MS while filming "The Sopranos," and Applegate during the final season of "Dead to Me." In addition to having long and successful acting careers, both women are also moms — Sigler has two boys while Applegate has a daughter.
The beloved TV stars are also incredibly supportive of each other. During the inaugural episode of "MeSsy," Sigler sweetly informed Applegate, "You are amazing and wonderful and important, and so talented." Applegate returned the sentiment, telling Sigler, "You are my hero. You are a poised, beautiful woman."