Christina Applegate owes everything to her former TV father Ed O’Neill.
Applegate, 52, reunited with O’Neill, 78, on Tuesday’s episode of her podcast “MeSsy” and the two gushed about their relationship, which began on the popular sitcom “Married with Children.”
“I don’t even know how to explain this person,” Applegate said as she introduced O’Neill as a guest.
“He raised me, so if there’s anything about me that you don’t like, it’s his fault,” she added. “Years, years of my life I spent with this man and he’s an incredible actor, he’s an incredible human being.”
Applegate played Kelly Bundy, the daughter of Al (O’Neill) and Peggy Bundy (Katey Sagal) in “Married with Children”.
The show, which also starred David Faustino as Kelly’s brother Bud, aired on Fox from 1987 to 1997.
Applegate, who appeared on the show as a teenager, recalled that O’Neill was like a real father figure to her during their collaboration.
“Eddie knows that I’ve been through so many things behind the scenes in my life that I’ve kind of broken down,” she explained.
“And so I pulled myself together by keeping that armor up. I mean, he went through everything with me. My mother’s cancer and other things that we’ll talk about later,” Applegate added.
O’Neill told Applegate’s co-host Jamie-Lynn Sigler that his former TV daughter was “a pro” on the show.
“It was great working with her,” said the “Modern Family” alumnus. “It’s hilarious. Christina was always fun to work with.”
Although the two hadn’t starred together in over 25 years, Applegate told O’Neill she was grateful that he was still in her life.
“I love our relationship now, Eddie,” Applegate said. “Like our relationship now that I’m 52 years old. And the fact that you and I can talk on the phone for hours and giggle and talk about anything.”
“We talk a lot,” she continued. “I talk to you more than I talk to anyone else on the phone. I really do.”
Applegate had previously admitted in an episode of her podcast that she suffered from anorexia while filming “Married with Children.”
She said dealing with the eating disorder was “fucking torture” and recalled her mother sending her to Weight Watchers when she was 15, when the show premiered.
She said Applegate’s small figure on the show was “very scary for everyone behind the camera.”
“They said, ‘Christina never eats.’ They talked to me about it. But to me, I was huge.”
The actress eventually overcame her anorexia, but years later she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, which Sigler also suffers from.
Applegate has given up her acting career due to her health issues. She said her Netflix series “Dead to Me,” which ended in 2022 after three seasons, will likely be her last on-screen role.
