Christina Applegate is tackling the ugly truth of Hollywood beauty.
The Emmy-winning actress, 52, opened up about navigating scrutiny of her physical appearance in the entertainment industry during Tuesday’s episode of the “Messy with Christina Applegate & Jamie-Lynn Sigler” podcast.
Applegate recalled a film director who commented on her aging appearance while they were rerecording dialogue during an ADR session for a movie she did in her 40s.
While reviewing footage of herself during the session, Applegate said she was dismayed by the jowls she noticed on her face. The “Married… with Children” star said the unnamed director told her the film studio “had to spend a lot of money to fix that.”
“They literally erased my face,” Applegate told co-host Jamie-Lynn Sigler, adding the director “didn’t think I would care because he said I was so tough.”
Applegate said while the director, who is a friend, later apologized, she “suffered inside” from the incident.
“That’s the thing about … aging in this business,” Applegate said. “It’s like they throw you out to pasture, unless you’re ready to play grandmothers.”
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Applegate also got candid about her relationship with plastic surgery.
The “Dead to Me” star said she had a procedure done on her eyes in her late 20s at the recommendation of a television producer. Applegate did not name the show she was working on at the time or the producer, but she said the individual worked on “a very famous show.”
The producer said, “‘Hey, we’re having trouble lighting under your eyes. The bags under your eyes are so big,'" Applegate recalled. "He goes, ‘I suggest you get them removed.’"
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While Applegate acknowledged the bags under her eyes were "hereditary," she ultimately opted to have them removed.
"At 27 years old, I had the only plastic surgery I’ve ever had (which) was to remove the bags under my eyes,” Applegate said. “I went under."
Applegate previously revealed she had liposuction done around the age of 26 because she had gained some weight and had a “teeny bit of fat” on the back of her leg.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Christina Applegate had her 'only plastic surgery' done in her 20s
