Christina Applegate shares Will Ferrell, Adam McKay gave parts of their salaries to her after ‘Anchorman’ ‘offensive’ pay offer
Hollywood actress Christina Applegate has shared how Will Ferrell and Adam McKay gave parts of their ‘Anchorman’ salaries to her.
IANS
Mar 6, 2026 11:28
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Los Angeles, March 6 (IANS) Hollywood actress Christina Applegate has shared how Will Ferrell and Adam McKay gave parts of their ‘Anchorman’ salaries to her.
The actress recently appeared on ‘The View’ to promote her new memoir, ‘You With the Sad Eyes’, reports ‘Variety’.
When the studio’s original offer for her to play Veronica Corningstone came in well below her male co-stars, the actors decided to transfer a part of their remuneration to her.
She said, “When they came in with the initial offer, it was, you know, a little offensive. 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”.
She 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”.
As per ‘Variety’, ‘Anchorman’ centers on Ferrell’s San Diego news anchor Ron Burgundy as he clashes with his new female co-anchor (Applegate’s Veronica Corningstone). The support cast includes Carell, Paul Rudd, David Koechner and Fred Willard.
The movie is one of the most quoted comedies of the early 2000s and spawned the 2013 sequel ‘Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues’, which also starred Applegate.
The actress and Ferrell reunited in 2024 on the former’s podcast to mark the 20th anniversary of the classic comedy.
Will Ferrell remembered the first test screening for ‘Anchorman’ and how it did not go according to plan due to an original ending that riffed on Patty Hearst’s kidnapping by having Applegate’s Veronica be “abducted by a vigilante group”.
