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Christina Applegate is sharing new details about her experience filming the 2004 comedy Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, including how she nearly walked away from the role after what she described as an unfair initial salary offer.
During a recent appearance on The View while promoting her memoir You With the Sad Eyes, the 54-year-old actress reflected on the early negotiations for the film. Applegate, who played ambitious news anchor Veronica Corningstone opposite Will Ferrell's Ron Burgundy, said the studio's first pay proposal left her shocked.
"When they came in with the initial offer, it was, you know, a little offensive," Applegate said during the March 5 episode. She explained that she declined the proposal, telling producers, "I can't. I know my worth, and I can't do that."
According to the actress, Ferrell and the film's writer and director Adam McKay stepped in to help resolve the situation. Determined to keep her in the film, the pair agreed to give up a portion of their own salaries so the studio could meet her expectations. "They wanted me bad enough, and they said, 'Well, we're gonna chip in,'" Applegate recalled. "Thank God they did because it was one of the best experiences of my entire life."
Looking back, Applegate described working on the film as a turning point in her career, particularly because it introduced her to improvisational comedy. She explained that the experience pushed her outside of her comfort zone and exposed her to a style of performance she had never attempted before. "It was such a lesson," she said. "I had never done improv before."
Applegate credited her castmates and McKay with creating an environment where improvisation became central to the filmmaking process. "Learning from that group of dudes...that is the masterclass that people pay for," she said. "Steve Carell, like, taught it. Adam McKay developed an entire new way of doing it with his group."
Although she initially felt intimidated by the process, Applegate said the experience proved invaluable. At the time, the actress admitted she often felt nervous while filming scenes because McKay encouraged actors to improvise rather than strictly follow the script. She recalled moments when the director would prompt her to create dialogue on the spot.
Despite her initial hesitation, Applegate eventually grew comfortable with the approach, explaining that improvisation now comes from a different part of her creative process.
Applegate later reprised her role as Corningstone in the 2013 sequel Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.
