Christina Applegate Shares How Will Ferrell and Adam McKay Supported Her During ‘Anchorman’ Offer Challenges
As Christina Applegate reflects on her career, she recalls the challenges she faced regarding gender parity in the film industry, much like the character she portrayed, Veronica Corningstone, who confronted sexism in a 1970s newsroom.
The four-time Golden Globe nominee recently shared her experience with the original offer she received for Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004), describing it as “a little offensive.” She noted that Will Ferrell and Adam McKay stepped in, agreeing to contribute from their own salaries to ensure she received fair compensation.
“When they came in with the initial offer, it was a little offensive,” Applegate revealed during an appearance on The View. “And I said, ‘I can’t. I know my worth, and I can’t do that.’ They wanted me bad enough, and they said, ‘Well, we’re gonna chip in.’ Thank God they did because it was one of the best experiences of my entire life.”
Applegate continued, stating, “It was such a lesson. I had never done improv before. Learning from that group of dudes… that is the masterclass that people pay for. Steve Carell, like, taught it. Adam McKay developed an entire new way of doing it with his group. To get in there and have that happen was absolutely magic and it’s been invaluable to me and my career.”
Directed by McKay and co-written by him and Ferrell, Anchorman featured Ferrell as Ron Burgundy, a San Diego news anchor who finds himself challenged by the rise of co-anchor Veronica (played by Applegate) as women began to carve their space in the newsroom.
Paul Rudd, David Koechner, Christina Applegate, Steve Carell and Will Ferrell in ‘Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy‘ (2004) (DreamWorks/Courtesy Everett Collection)
In 2013, Ferrell and Applegate reunited for the sequel, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, alongside returning co-stars Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, and David Koechner.
Applegate is currently promoting her memoir, You with the Sad Eyes, following her diagnosis with multiple sclerosis in 2021, after which she stepped back from onscreen work.
