Jamie-Lynn Sigler got emotional during a recent interview with ABC (via Entertainment Weekly) as she talked about her recent guest appearance on Grey’s Anatomy as a doctor with multiple sclerosis. She said the role was deeply personal, given that she was diagnosed with the disease 25 years ago and felt the need to “keep it a secret” for fear of losing her job.
She told ABC: “When I think back to 25 years ago, when I was diagnosed with MS and had to keep it a secret, I thought if anyone found out I had MS, I’d never be able to work again. And to think that now I’m in a position where having MS has inspired a role in a storyline on a show like ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ I never would have believed you.”
Sigler, who was working on the legendary HBO drama “The Sopranos” at the time, was 20 years old when she was diagnosed with MS. She did not make the news public until 2017, when she spoke with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
On January 15, Sigler appeared on “Grey’s Anatomy” as Dr. Laura Kaplan, a urologist with MS. In her episode, she gives advice to Dr. Richard Webber, played by James Pickens Jr., about the best way to treat prostate cancer.
Sigler said her goal with the role was to “show someone in power” and give an authentic portrayal of someone living and thriving with MS.
“The first take of actually saying the words ‘I have MS’ was very emotional for me,” she said.
