The third and final season of Dead to Me, Netflix’s black comedy drama starring Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini as two women who become irrevocably intertwined in each other’s lives, and eventually, literal partners in crime, finally premieres this month after a two-and-a-half year hiatus.
But the road to wrapping up the story was not without its challenges. The series was renewed in June of 2020, however, production got pushed back until mid-2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Then, in August, Applegate revealed that she had been diagnosed with the autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis, which disrupts communication between the brain and body.
“Hi friends. A few months ago I was diagnosed with MS,” she tweeted at the time. “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.”
In an interview with the New York Times, the 50-year-old is now opening up about the challenges of filming the series after her diagnosis. As she reveals, production shut down for five months while she began treatment — and nearly didn’t resume at all. In addition to gaining 40 pounds, Applegate says she now requires a cane to walk. “This is the first time anyone’s going to see me the way I am,” she told the Times.
“There was the sense of, ‘Well, let’s get her some medicine so she can get better,’” Applegate, 50, recalled. “And there is no better. But it was good for me. I needed to process my loss of my life, my loss of that part of me. So I needed that time.”
On why she resisted attempts to cancel the shoot period, Applegate explained:
“I had an obligation to [series creator Liz Feldman] and to Linda, to our story,” she said. “The powers that be were like, ‘Let’s just stop. We don’t need to finish it. Let’s put a few episodes together.’ I said, ‘No. We’re going to do it, but we’re going to do it on my terms.’”
Applegate’s terms sound grueling, as production tricks needed to be employed so she could appear standing. Her character rarely is seen entering a room in the upcoming season, and often had to be the one to open doors so she could lean against them.
“When Linda and I would do those scenes, it crushed us sometimes,” she lamented. Yet Applegate credits her close bond with Cardellini for giving her the strength to keep soldering on.
“She was my champion, my warrior, my voice,” she said. When Applegate hesitated to ask for a break or when she wasn’t heard, Cardellini stepped in. “It was like having a mama bear,” Applegate added.
Cardellini resisted taking too much credit for this. “I just wanted the best for the person that I love and care about and have the honor to work with,” she said.
Season 3 of Dead to Me premieres on Netflix on Nov. 17, and it’s sure to be an emotional rollercoaster for more reasons than one.
