In an interview with the New York Times on Tuesday, Christina Applegate opened up about her diagnosis with MS and its effect on the filming of her Netflix drama "Dead To Me."

The 50-year-old actress was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the summer of 2021 before the filming of the final season of "Dead To Me," a Netflix drama in which Applegate stars. She said there were signs of her MS including decreased coordination that she didn't register as symptoms.

"I wish I had paid attention," she said. "But who was I to know?"

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that disrupts communication between the brain and body. Symptoms can include tingling and numbness of extremities, pain, fatigue, memory issues, mood changes, blindness and paralysis.

Applegate shared that she initially needed time to process the diagnosis during the show's pause caused by the pandemic.

"I needed to process my loss of my life, my loss of that part of me. So I needed that time," she said in the interview.

Once production began again following her diagnosis, the film team provided options to alter the season by only filming a few episodes. Applegate, however, wanted to finish the series completely.

"I had an obligation to Liz [Feldman] and to Linda [Cardellini], to our story. The powers that be were like, 'Let's just stop. We don't need to finish it. Let's put a few episodes together,'" the actress shared on Tuesday.

"I said, 'No. We're going to do it, but we're going to do it on my terms.'"

Applegate had a 2008 breast cancer diagnosis which led to a double mastectomy as well as a preventive surgery to remove her ovaries and fallopian tubes in 2017.

The Emmy-award-winning actress told interviewers that she fears the storyline in the final season of "Dead To Me" may be overshadowed by her condition. Although the show altered the blocking for Applegate's character, the script did not require many alterations.

"This is the first time anyone's going to see me the way I am," she said. "I put on 40 pounds; I can't walk without a cane. I want people to know that I am very aware of all of that."

She continued, "But hopefully people can get past it and just enjoy the ride and say goodbye to these two girls."

The final season of "Dead to Me" airs on Netflix on Nov. 17. The show centers on Applegate's character, a real estate agent who has recently lost her husband.

Applegate joined the Screen Actors Guild in Kindergarten, appearing in commercials and soap operas during her early career. She was awarded an Emmy for her character on "Friends," and has appeared in the "Anchorman" movies as well as the sitcoms, "Married...With Children," "Up All Night" and "Samantha Who?".

Applegate has shared her process of coping with the disease on Twitter. She initially shared her diagnosis in a tweet.

"Hi friends. A few months ago I was diagnosed with MS. It's been a strange journey. But I have been so supported by people that I know who also have this condition."

The actress continued, "It's been a tough road. But as we all know, the road keeps going. Unless some [expletive] blocks it."

Netflix