Jamie-Lynn Sigler opened up about getting excited filming her guest stint Grey’s Anatomy in the midst of his battle against multiple sclerosis.
“Before this (opportunity), I was always trying to say, ‘We can fix (my MS).’ Don’t worry, there are things we can do to hide it.’ (Jobs) always did and I was grateful for that. I was met with so much compassion and love. But now I had the opportunity to play with someone with MS,” Sigler, 44, said exclusively Us Weekly.
Sigler, who plays Dr. Laura Kaplan in the Thursday, Jan. 15 episode of the hit ABC series, he thanked his character mentioned MS on screen.
“It’s an opportunity for her to connect with Richard about his prostate cancer diagnosis and say, ‘I see you.’ I have MS and this is how I felt when I was first diagnosed,” she teased. “Being able to connect in this way was a parallel to my own life. To say I have MS on screen, the first time I did it, I cried and it took a minute.”
The actress didn’t expect to be so affected, adding: “I thought this was going to take me out of my acting career. I thought this was something that would mean my dreams couldn’t come true. Being on the screen and being able to say those words felt so much bigger than me. (It was) so that they wouldn’t be afraid of all living things like me. I also realize at the end that every moment I’m on the screen is representation”.
Sigler originally opened up about her battle with MS in 2016, almost 15 years after being diagnosed. Since then, she has used her platform as a way to connect with other MS sufferers to raise awareness about the chronic autoimmune disease where nerve signals are disrupted.
“I’m someone who just lives with it. In every role in my life, MS comes along. But it doesn’t change anything. It doesn’t change my value in anything. So (it was) really (about) understanding that my disability doesn’t make me incapable or weak,” she continued. “And (now I can) give those messages to people that they have to make pivots, but we all have to make pivots for life. Whether it’s a chronic disease or not, it’s so much bigger than me.”
sigler he expressed gratitude Grey’s Anatomy offering him such a significant role.
“For Grey’s Anatomy to give me that opportunity personally, but also to give other people that visibility and that moment is what they do best,” he said. “I was very, very honored to be a part of this.”
Looking ahead, Sigler expressed hope that others will follow suit. “People are still jumpy or confused. I’ve found the confidence to say to any project I’m a part of, ‘This is how I come. I walk with a limp and I move this way. If you’re okay with that (then) great,'” he noted. “But I know I can’t be the best actress I can be if I’m trying to look like a sane person.”
Christina Applegate, Selma Blair, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Jack Osbourne and many other celebrities have opened up about dealing with multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disease. Applegate revealed in August 2021 that she was diagnosed with the disease. “Hi friends. A few months ago, I was diagnosed with MS,” the Married… With Children alum wrote via X (…)
She continued, “So taking that pressure off of myself has allowed me to do my best work and allowed me to get into a comfortable work environment. I hope it’s paving the way for other people to say, ‘This is what I need.'” It levels the playing field. It’s an opportunity for other people to be vulnerable and open. … I think we all carry things with us. very beautiful perspective. Now I can incorporate it into my work.”
Off screen, Sigler teamed up with Novartis to “create resources” for others living with MS. He explained to Us how Novartis “created a treatment guide” to help people “process what’s about to happen.”
Sigler also discussed her decision to take Kesimpta for her relapsing MS. After three initial doses, he has been taking the medicine once a month.
“I’m actually expecting a call today if I get the job or not. I’ll be in the state next week and my treatment is due next week, so I can take it with me,” Sigler said, adding that anyone considering treatment should consult a medical professional. “The biggest thing I want to give to the MS community is confidence and empowerment, and not let their MS define them or allow them to feel like they’re incapable or weak. You have to find a new way.”
Grey’s Anatomy airs on ABC on Thursdays at 10pm ET before rebroadcasting the next day on Hulu.