Selma Blair opened up about her battle with multiple sclerosis (Picture: Getty)
Selma Blair voiced her belief that being so open about her diagnosis with Multiple Sclerosis had a negative impact on her career.
The 50-year-old made a name for herself in a string of movies, including Cruel Intentions and Legally Blonde.
However, she was battling unexplained health issues behind the scenes, and experiencing fatigue and speech issues which made her job difficult.
‘I was being very secretive about it because I was ashamed and concerned I wouldn’t work again,’ she said of her health problems.
It wasn’t until 2018 that she was finally diagnosed with MS – a lifelong autoimmune condition which affects the brain and spinal cord – news that left her with a sense of relief as she could understand her symptoms and research aids to help.
She spoke publicly about her health later that same year and was praised by many for being so open – but this didn’t extend to any possible job opportunities.
Selma revealed her diagnosis in 2018 (Picture: Getty)
‘I know that my own MS took my career down. I had to stop working,’ she continued to BBC. ‘Disability was affecting me and taking me out of the workforce and, when I talked about it, there was so much support but I never got a job again.
‘I’m not bitter about that. I don’t know how much I’ve said, “Oh my God, I’m willing to be on a set all day”. I do want to go back to work.
‘I hope that my own knowledge of what I can handle can be a strength for me, because the people you work with do want to know what you can handle.’
She explained that she ‘never got a job again’ after speaking out (Picture: Getty)
MS can cause symptoms including problems with vision, balance and movements of the arms or legs.
While these can be treated in many cases, it is a lifelong condition which can cause disability, and is more common in women than men.
Since her diagnosis, she revealed that she was leaning on her Hollywood pals – including Christina Applegate, who announced that she had the same condition last year.
‘I’ve known Christina for so many years, we’re really close, and I’m just a fan of hers,’ she told Entertainment Tonight of the Dead to Me actress.
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‘She is an iconic California girl actress of my generation, and she is it. There has not been one thing that she’s done that I haven’t been like, “Nailed it,” and she’s nailing just being who she is with this MS.
‘There have been things that I had been unglued, and she’s like, “I’m outside. Answer the door.” She’s just amazing and strong and fun.
‘She has a lot on her plate. It’s a lot, but she’s as brilliant and beautiful as ever.’
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‘I never got a job again.’
