Christina Applegate Divulges Two Hollywood A-Listers Who Sacrificed Their Salaries to Boost Hers

Sheri ReedFri, March 6, 2026 at 2:36 AM UTC

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(Photo by Variety on Getty Images)

Christina Applegate's memoir You With the Sad Eyes just hit shelves this week, and the once-private stories she opens up about in the book are swirling. One such story she reveals is when she was up for the role in Anchorman (2004). Originally, the movie bigwigs offered Applegate a very lowball salary for her role as Veronica Corningstone, and she had to turn it down. But then, two well-known colleagues on the movie stepped up and made things right—Anchorman director Adam McKay and actor Will Ferrell.

Related: Actor Christina Applegate Opens Up About a Harrowing Past Abusive Relationship Ahead of Memoir

“When they came in with the initial offer, it was, you know, a little offensive,” Applegate said on The View this week. “And I said I can’t. I know my worth, and I can’t do that." She went on to explain, "They wanted me bad enough, and they said, ‘Well, we’re gonna chip in.'"

That's right, McKay and Ferrell decided to "chip in," as in give up part of their Anchorman salaries to get Applegate paid better and keep her on board the film.

It's a tale as old as time—Hollywood pay discrimination, in which a worthy female actor is underpaid, especially compared to her male counterparts. But at least this one has a happy ending. In fact, Applegate attributes the experience on Anchorman and learning improv as "one of the best experiences of my entire life.”

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Referring to McKay and the ensemble cast that included Ferrell, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, and David Koechner, Applegate says, "Learning from that group of dudes—that is the masterclass that people paid for!" She adds, "It was just absolutely magical, and it's been invaluable to me and my career."

Check out her full interview with The View:

Pick up a copy of You With the Sad Eyes by Christina Applegate anywhere books are sold—or, if you can wait, get on the waitlist at your local library.

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This story was originally published by Parade on Mar 6, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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