Now 54, the actress — who portrayed Kelly Bundy throughout the show’s 11-season run — opened up in her memoir, You With The Sad Eyes, about battling body dysmorphia and an eating disorder at the height of her fame. In an excerpt published by Vulture, Applegate explained that she felt intense pressure to maintain an extremely thin frame, especially as her character’s wardrobe became tighter and more daring.
She wrote that she had a clear vision of how she wanted Kelly to look, but achieving that image meant restricting her eating even further. The show aired from 1987 to 1997, spanning her teenage years and early adulthood, a time when she says her relationship with food became increasingly unhealthy.
Applegate described taking extreme measures to control her weight, sometimes eating almost nothing in a day. Even something as small as a bagel felt excessive — she would hollow it out and eat only a portion, or occasionally skip meals entirely as a form of punishment. At her thinnest, she said she was “bone, bone, bone,” and costume designers frequently had to take in her clothes because she was so slight.
As the seasons progressed, her outfits became shorter and more form-fitting, often including bikinis. She recalled moments when live studio audiences would whistle and shout when she entered a scene, which now makes her cringe. Looking back, she reflected that the show’s broad and risqué tone likely wouldn’t be produced today — and she believes that’s ultimately a positive shift, given the pressures young women already face regarding appearance.
Despite everything, Applegate emphasized that she doesn’t blame the cast or crew for her struggles. She acknowledged that being ogled was part of the character’s premise, but said she genuinely wanted to wear Kelly’s outfits and was largely unaware of the impact she had on viewers at the time. She described herself as just a kid coping with deeper, trauma-based issues that manifested through self-denial and a damaging relationship with food.
