10 celebrities with Multiple Sclerosis (MS): Inspiring stories of resilience
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic condition affecting millions globally. Celebrities, including Selma Blair have used diverse platforms to give hope to people with MS. Actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler said:
I would love to see more attention paid to MS and stem cell research to give people hope for the future.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that impacts the brain and spinal cord, with symptoms like numbness, fatigue, and cognitive changes.
- Celebrities like John King, Christina Applegate and Selma Blair are MS patients.
- Close to one million people in the United States are diagnosed with MS.
- Actress Teri Garr died of complications from multiple sclerosis at 79 years old.
10 celebrities with Multiple Sclerosis
Celebrities with MS advocate for its awareness. Below is the list of famous people with the disease in no particular order:
Nos. | Celebrity name | Profession |
1 | Christina Applegate | Actress, comedian, writer |
2 | Jack Osbourne | Media personality |
3 | Selma Blair | Actress |
4 | Jamie-Lynn Sigler | Actress |
5 | John King | CNN correspondent |
6 | Janice Dean | Host, weather presenter, author |
7 | Clay Walker | Singer, songwriter |
8 | Art Alexakis | Musician, singer-songwriter, representative political activist, actor |
9 | Montel Williams | Television host, actor, motivational speaker |
10 | Emma Caulfield Ford | Actress |
1. Christina Applegate
Source: Getty Images
Full name | Christina Applegate |
Gender | Female |
Date of birth | 25 November 1971 |
Age | 53 years old (as of May 2025) |
Place of birth | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Profession | Actress, comedian, writer |
Christina Applegate is an American actress known for her roles in movies like Samantha Who? and Dead to Me. She had a history of breast cancer at 36 years old and underwent a double mastectomy in 2008. She also tested positive for the BRCA gene.
She announced her MS diagnosis in an X (Twitter) post on 10 August 2021, stating:
Hi friends. A few months ago, I was diagnosed with MS. It’s been a strange journey. But I have been so supported by people that I know who also have this condition.
2. Jack Osbourne
Source: Getty Images
Full name | Jack Joseph Osbourne |
Gender | Male |
Date of birth | 8 November 1985 |
Age | 39 years old (as of May 2025) |
Place of birth | London, England |
Profession | Media personality |
Jack is a British-American media personality and the son of heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne. He was diagnosed with MS in 2012 at age 26. Initially, his diagnosis affected his career, with some productions deeming him an "insurance risk." Despite this, he continues to work.
3. Selma Blair
Source: Getty Images
Full name | Selma Blair |
Gender | Female |
Date of birth | 23 June 1972 |
Age | 52 years old (as of May 2025) |
Place of birth | Southfield, Michigan, USA |
Profession | Actress |
Selma Blair is one of the top American actresses in Hollywood with MS. She was diagnosed in August 2018 at age 46. The Legally Blonde actress shares her journey on social media, revealing her struggles with pain, mobility, speech and memory.
Blair underwent a stem cell transplant, chemotherapy and began achieving remission by 2021. In an interview with ABC News in February 2018, she said:
When I first got MS, I had no idea what it would affect me, and so my speeches, you will notice I have spasmodic dysphonia right now.
4. Jamie-Lynn Sigler
Source: Getty Images
Full name | Jamie-Lynn Sigler |
Gender | Female |
Date of birth | 15 May 1981 |
Age | 44 years old (as of 2025) |
Place of birth | Jericho, New York, U.S. |
Profession | Actress |
One of the popular celebrities with MS is Jamie-Lynn Sigler. The Sopranos star was diagnosed with MS in 2001 at age 20. She kept it secret for almost 15 years, scared that it would affect her career negatively.
It was in 2016 that she publicly created awareness of her ailment. She joined the fundraising event in Los Angeles, tagged the Race to Erase MS Gala.
5. John King
Source: Getty Images
Full name | John King |
Gender | Male |
Date of birth | 1962 or 1963 |
Age | 62 or 63 years old (as of 2025) |
Place of birth | Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
Profession | CNN correspondent |
CNN's John King, Chief National Correspondent, was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS in 2008. He shared his secret publicly during a panel discussion on COVID-19 vaccinations on CNN. He said:
’I'm going to share a secret I have never spoken before. I am immunocompromised. I have multiple sclerosis. So, I am grateful you are all vaccinated.
6. Janice Dean
Source: Getty Images
Full name | Janice Dean |
Gender | Female |
Date of birth | 9 May 1970 |
Age | 55 years old (as of 2025) |
Place of birth | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
Profession | Host, weather presenter, author |
Janice is a Canadian-born American Fox News meteorologist. She has been living with MS for over 20 years and was diagnosed with MS in 2005. Despite her diagnosis, she remains positive and proud.
Replying to a negative comment about her big leg on Facebook, Janice said on Fox News in 2018:
My big legs have always been a sore spot for me, but now more than ever, I am proud of them. Because with MS, I could lose my ability to walk literally any day. So I’ve learned to be proud of my legs, and am grateful for them every day of my life.
7. Clay Walker
Source: Getty Images
Full name | Clay Walker |
Gender | Male |
Date of birth | 19 August 1969 |
Age | 55 years old (as of May 2025) |
Place of birth | Beaumont, Texas, U.S. |
Profession | Singer, songwriter |
Country singer Clay Walker was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1996 at age 26, just at the peak of his career. Despite a bleak prognosis, Walker credits his faith and medication for helping him manage his condition. He went into remission in 1998.
The What's It to You singer continues to tour and record music. He founded the nonprofit Band Against MS to raise awareness and fund research.
8. Art Alexakis
Source: Getty Images
Full name | Arthur Paul Alexakis |
Gender | Male |
Date of birth | 12 April 1962 |
Age | 63 years old (as of 2025) |
Place of birth | Los Angeles, California, United States |
Profession | Musician, singer-songwriter, representative political activist, actor |
Arthur is the lead singer of the rock band Everclear and one of the famous actors with MS. He was diagnosed with MS in 2016. He also underwent back surgery and hip replacement surgery because of MS. Arthur told Rolling Stone in March 2019:
I think work is healing. Keeping your brain and your body busy is healing. When I play shows, I don’t feel tired. I don’t feel pain... But it’s still rock ‘n’ roll.
9. Montel Williams
Source: Getty Images
Full name | Montel Brian Anthony Williams |
Gender | Male |
Date of birth | 3 July 1956 |
Age | 68 years old (as of May 2025) |
Place of birth | Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
Profession | Television host, actor, motivational speaker |
Best known for hosting The Montel Williams Show, Montel manages his MS with medication, diet, exercise, and mindfulness. He got diagnosed with MS in 1999 and also supports other medical aids for it.
As an MS advocate, the Montel Williams MS Foundation has distributed over $1.5 million in grants to advance MS research.
10. Emma Caulfield Ford
Source: Getty Images
Full name | Emma Caulfield Ford |
Gender | Female |
Date of birth | 8 April 1973 |
Age | 52 years old (as of 2025) |
Place of birth | San Diego, California, U.S. |
Profession | Actress |
The Buffy the Vampire Slayer star revealed her diagnosis of MS in 2022, influenced by her desire to be open with her young daughter. Ford's symptoms include sensitivity to heat and stress. She told Vanity Fair in 2022:
Stress is not great for people with MS. The whole thing centres around your nervous system, so anything that keeps your nervous system calm is better in general. That’s how it works.
Frequently asked questions
Which famous people have MS?
Celebrities such as Selma Blair, Montel Williams, and Emma Caulfield Ford have MS. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society published that about a million people in the US have been diagnosed with the disease.
What famous person died of multiple sclerosis?
According to USA Today, Teri Garr passed away on 29 October 2024 at age 79. The renowned American actress and comedian passed on due to complications from multiple sclerosis. She was born on 11 December 1944 and is known for her roles in Tootsie and Young Frankenstein.
After her MS diagnosis in 1999, Garr became an ambassador for the National MS Society, advocating for awareness and research.
Is it possible to live a full life with MS?
People living with the disease still enjoy a better quality of life. As NHIS published, those living with MS live into old age. The only challenge is that their lives may be a few years lesser than those without the disease.
Does Julia Roberts have MS?
American actress Julia Roberts does not have MS. She has not publicly disclosed having MS. The person who has MS is a musician named Julie Roberts, according to Brain & Life.
All the celebrities with Multiple Sclerosis have stood and supported one another during this phase of their life. Their life and stories have become a beacon of strength and hope for others living with MS.
Source: Original
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