Sopranos star Jamie-Lynn Sigler to play doctor with MS on Grey’s Anatomy amid her own battle with the disease

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Jamie-Lynn Sigler is set to join season 22 of ABC’s medical drama Grey’s Anatomy. 

The actress known for her role in The Sopranos, age 44, will play a doctor on a TV show who has Multiple Sclerosis. Interestingly, the actress herself lives with this long-term autoimmune condition.

The actress will be featured in the January 15th episode of the show, titled ‘Heavy on Me’. She’ll be playing Dr. Laura Kaplan, a urologist who has multiple sclerosis.

According to Deadline, her character is coming to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital at the invitation of Catherine Fox (Debbie Allen). She’ll bring a fresh outlook to Richard’s (James Pickens Jr.) medical situation.

The part was created with Jamie-Lynn in mind, as she’s lived with this condition for over twenty years, having been diagnosed when she was 20.

It marks her TV comeback following a three-year hiatus. 

As someone who’s spent years advising on character development, I can tell you the team and Jamie-Lynn were really focused on making sure this character wasn’t just about their health challenge. They wanted a fully realized person – someone with a life, a career, and a personality that went way beyond any single issue. It was all about creating a well-rounded individual, not letting one thing define them.

According to Cleveland Clinic, multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease where the body’s immune system attacks the brain and spinal cord.

This can lead to feelings of tiredness, muscle weakness, blurry vision, numbness, and trouble with balance or coordination.

Most people with MS have a normal or near-normal life expectancy. 

Christina Applegate, known for co-hosting the MeSsy podcast with Jamie-Lynn, is one of many Hollywood celebrities who have publicly shared their experiences with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Hollywood is increasingly weaving actors’ real-life health experiences into their roles.

Eric Dane recently portrayed a patient with ALS in NBC’s Brilliant Minds.

Coincidentally, the actor gained fame as Grey’s Anatomy’s Dr. Mark Sloan. 

Meanwhile Michael J. Fox portrays a character with Parkinson’s on Apple TV+’s Shrinking.

Sigler kept her diagnosis private for 15 years, largely out of concern for her Hollywood career.

She revealed her multiple sclerosis diagnosis in 2016, and later told People magazine in 2023 that living with MS had surprisingly given her strength through openness and honesty.

She mentioned having difficulty walking for extended periods and being unable to run, but emphasized that she’s still able to achieve her goals both professionally and personally.

The actress admitted that living with her condition has been challenging, but it’s also helped her grow into a more centered, genuine, and confident person.

It’s hard to say what else could have shaped me into the person I am today, but I truly believe living with multiple sclerosis is what did it. I really don’t think anything else would have had the same impact.

Although it’s been challenging at times, this experience has truly made me who I am today and helped me discover my own strength.

Season 22 of Grey’s Anatomy began on October 9.

The show, created by Shonda Rhimes, premiered in 2005 and is currently in its 22nd season. 

It has aired over 450 episodes, becoming ABC’s longest-running scripted series.

Sigler is best known for her starring role as Meadow Soprano on The Sopranos from 1999 to 2007.

She most recently played Tonya Walsh on ABC’s crime drama Big Sky (2020–2023). 

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2025-12-12 03:36