While Veronica Corningstone was dealing with sexism in the 1970s newsroom, Christina Applegate was dealing with her own behind-the-scenes gender parity.
The 4x Golden Globe nominee recently recalled her original offer for Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) was “a little offensive,” but Will Ferrell and Adam McKay made it right by contributing to her pay from their own salaries.
“When they came in with the initial offer, it was a little offensive,” she revealed 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, “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, from a script by him and Ferrell, Anchorman starred Ferrell as the titular San Diego news anchor, who falls in love with his new co-anchor Veronica (Applegate), despite being threatened by her rising star as women begin working 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 in the sequel Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, along with returning co-stars Paul Rudd, Steve Carell and David Koechner.
Applegate has been promoting her memoir You with the Sad Eyes, following her 2021 diagnosis with multiple sclerosis, after which she has retired from onscreen work.