Christina Applegate offered a rare comment about her late former partner Lee Grivas 17 years after his fatal drug overdose.
The 53-year-old actress – who is currently battling multiple sclerosis after announcing her diagnosis in 2021 – opened up about her ex’s tragic 2008 passing during Tuesday’s episode of her MeSsy podcast.
The Dead To Me star was joined by her co-host Jamie-Lynn Sigler as well as Sopranos actor Robert Iler – who got candid about his own battle with addiction.
‘I kind of don’t understand sometimes like with Lee, which people know about. You could Google it, whatever,’ Applegate began.
‘My boyfriend who passed away, it was like I tried everything, right? And he still wanted to escape. When he passed away, it was just like, “F*** man.”‘
Grivas had been found dead inside his Hollywood apartment in July 2008 from an apparent drug overdose – and was just 26-years-old.
Christina Applegate, 53, offered a rare comment about her late former partner Lee Grivas 17 years after his fatal drug overdose; seen in 2020 in Beverly Hills
‘My boyfriend who passed away, it was like I tried everything, right? And he still wanted to escape. When he passed away, it was just like, “F*** man,’ the actress said; the pair seen in 2007
Applegate issued a statement at the time as she broke silence on his passing and said, ‘I am profoundly saddened,’ per People.
‘Lee was an incredible human being who was an extremely important and beautiful part of my life.’
She added, ‘He is missed beyond words. He touched so many and I feel much sadness for his mother, brother and all of his family and friends.’
Applegate and Grivas had first crossed paths in 2006 while she was starring in the Broadway show Sweet Charity.
The actress was also previously married to Jonathon Schaech from 2001 until their divorce was finalized in 2007.
She then sparked up a romance with Dutch musician Martyn LeNoble in 2009 and the couple said ‘I do’ in 2013. They are also parents to a daughter named Sadie, 14.
Applegate has mainly stayed private on Grivas’ death – but recently opened up dealing with grief following her father’s passing earlier this year in April.
During an episode of her MeSsy podcast, the star explained, ‘I lost my dad, but I had someone say, “Which part of the stages of grief are you on?”
She added, ‘He is missed beyond words. He touched so many and I feel much sadness for his mother, brother and all of his family and friends’; seen in 2022 in L.A.
She then sparked up a romance with Dutch musician Martyn LeNoble in 2009 and the couple said ‘I do’ in 2013. They are also parents to a daughter named Sadie, 14; seen above with Sadie in 2023 in L.A.
‘And it was such a profound thing because I had to say to like one of my dearest friends, like, “No. I don’t do stages of grief. There is no set rules as to how I’m grieving this.”‘
She also compared the grieving process to how a person deals with ‘chronic illnesses or diseases that we go through.’
Applegate further expressed, ‘There’s no there are no set rules, and you have to forgive yourself for that.
‘Because when she said that, I was like, “Oh, f***. Maybe I should be doing, you know, anger, denial… till I get to the end of ellipsis and then whatever.’
Applegate has currently been battling with multiple sclerosis (MS) and announced her diagnosis four years earlier.
Last month in October, the actress took a major step and joined Instagram with her first post on the social media site.
The star – who had been on X (formerly Twitter) going back to 2009 – inaugurated her Instagram account with a striking black-and-white photo of herself and a ‘real, raw, honest’ caption about making the major change.
In her first-ever Instagram post, Applegate shared a moody black-and-white picture of herself in which she gazed into the camera.
Last month in October, the actress took a major step and joined Instagram with her first post on the social media site
She wore a white V-neck T-shirt partially tucked into a pair of dark jeans, and she wore multiple necklaces, including one with a crescent moon–shaped pendant, and multiple bracelets.
The Married With Children star styled her blond hair in messy waves that cascaded down her shoulders.
‘Hi everyone, Christina here. If you told me a year ago that I’d be on Instagram, I would have said, F*** off!’ she wrote to open her caption. ‘But here I am, so I’m going to do it my way. Real, raw, honest.’
She described the attached photo as her ‘favorite picture’ of herself recently, which was taken by her ‘lifelong friend,’ the film producer Sam Sarkar.
Applegate, who jokingly offered ‘Apologies for the half tuck of the shirt,’ added that it was snapped ‘in my backyard with the chimes that remind me of my mother and a moon necklace from a dear witchy friend.’
She also shared a link to the post on her X account, writing, ‘Guys, my first ever Instagram post is up. I’m going to be posting a lot about my book journey and other personal stuffs. Hope you’ll follow.
She also reminded her fans that her upcoming memoir is titled You With The Sad Eyes.
Applegate announced the impending release of the book earlier this year and revealed that she decided to write it after finding herself with plenty of free time after she was forced to step back from acting due to her MS symptoms.
‘Hi everyone, Christina here. If you told me a year ago that I’d be on Instagram, I would have said, F*** off!’ she wrote to open her caption. ‘But here I am, so I’m going to do it my way. Real, raw, honest’
Applegate went on to share a black-and-white follow-up video that she appeared to have filmed in bed to her Instagram Stories
‘My true colors will be out next March for all to see!’ she added. In a follow-up tweet, she urged her fans to follow her, adding ‘It’s all new to me there.’
Applegate got plenty of supportive comments on her first Instagram post, including from Sopranos star Jamie Lynn Sigler, who also has MS. ‘Look at this!❤️’
Minka Kelly wrote that she was ‘Happy to see you here ❤️,’ and Carmen Electra added that she was ‘excited your here.’
Applegate went on to share a black-and-white follow-up video that she appeared to have filmed in bed to her Instagram Stories.
‘I’m not really a selfie person, so pardon me. Thank you so much for coming on to the Instagram with me,’ she said. ‘I’ve seen your comments. Thank you so much for the love that you are showing me. I love you all of you guys so much and I appreciate you.
She added that she was excited for her fans to finally get to read her upcoming memoir, which represented her ‘life,’ with ‘the good, the bad the ugly and the in-between.’
Applegate revealed in August 2021 that she had been diagnosed with MS earlier that year.
The star shared that her symptoms rapidly became so debilitating that it was difficult for her to film the third and final season of her popular Netflix dramedy Dead To Me.
One project that she’s still attached to is an animated revival of her popular sitcom Married With Children, which aired from 1987 to 1997 on Fox; Applegate seen far left in cast portrait for the show in 1988
The series released its final episodes in November 2022, after producers adjusted the shooting schedule to accommodate her condition.
She announced the following year that she didn’t plan to continue appearing in films or on television shows, though she didn’t rule out voice work, which would be less physically demanding.
One project that she’s still attached to is an animated revival of her popular sitcom Married With Children, which aired from 1987 to 1997 on Fox.
The revival will feature the return of the original cast, including Ed O’Neill as Al Bundy, Katey Sagal as Peggy Bundy and David Faustino as Bud Bundy.
