Before Adam McKay (“The Big Short,” “Vice”) and Will Ferrell turned “Anchorman” into one of the defining studio comedies of the 2000s, Christina Applegate said she nearly walked away from the film over salary. Appearing on “The View” to discuss her memoir, Applegate recalled that the first offer for “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” was, in her words, “a little offensive,” and said she refused it.
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“And I said, ‘I can’t. I know my worth, and I can’t do that,’” Applegate said. She then explained that Ferrell and McKay stepped in and gave up part of their own salaries so she could join the film. “They wanted me bad enough, and they said, ‘Well, we’re gonna chip in,’” she said. “Thank God they did because it was one of the best experiences of my entire life.”
Released in 2004, “Anchorman” starred Ferrell as Ron Burgundy alongside Applegate as Veronica Corningstone, with Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, and David Koechner rounding out the main ensemble. The film was directed by McKay, written by McKay and Ferrell, and released by DreamWorks Pictures.
Applegate also said making the movie became an important experience for her as a performer. She recalled that she had never done improv before and described working with the cast and McKay as a major education. “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 entirely 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.”
The role of Veronica Corningstone was central to the film’s story, with Applegate playing the ambitious reporter whose arrival at a male-dominated San Diego newsroom disrupts Ron Burgundy’s comfortable position at the top. The film went on to become a major comedy hit and later spawned the 2013 sequel “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.”
Applegate and Ferrell have remained on friendly terms since. People also noted that the two reunited in 2024 on Applegate’s “MeSsy” podcast, where they revisited memories from the production.
Applegate’s comments also bring the ongoing, larger pay disparity into focus. That a key female lead in a major studio comedy needed others to intervene on her behalf continues to point to an industry imbalance Hollywood still hasn’t fully reckoned with.
