Jamie-Lynn Sigler felt 'shame' over MS secret
Sopranos star Jamie-Lynn Sigler sat down with Today's Matt Lauer Wednesday for her first TV interview since announcing she's been battling multiple sclerosis for the past 15 years.
And though it was her right to keep her own health status to herself, she says she still felt "shame" over keeping her diagnosis a secret.
"It sounds crazy," she acknowledged, "but when you hold a secret, those feelings just come along with that, especially when you hold a secret as long as I did. And with something like MS, you lose control over things you once had ... and that can chip away at your self worth."
Another reason she waited: Fear over what it would mean for her career. "I consulted with an industry professional who was looking out for me and they said, 'I'm going to pretend you didn't tell me that. I don't think you should ever tell anyone that you have this disease.' People will limit you, people will judge you and people won't hire you.' And I took that advice. I was 20 years old and I was scared."
She is grateful that her Sopranos castmates "fiercely protected me over the years. They've wanted me to come out and encouraged me but I just wasn't read yet. I was afraid but I'm not anymore."
Sopranos' star Jamie-Lynn Sigler says she has MS
Now, Sigler says she feels "relief," adding that she feels "like I'm claiming my power back."
Sigler had stated in last week's People story that she didn't present symptoms for a few years following her diagnosis at age 20 (during The Sopranos' fourth season). However, she told Lauer that the stress from her 2006 divorce from former manager A.J. DiScala triggered them.
"The last five years have been hard," she acknowledged to Lauer. "I have weakness on my right side. High heels are hard for me. I love heels but unfortunately, that's limited. I cannot run or dance the way I used to."
Before going public, she had to learn to ask for help, which she acknowledged she had trouble doing.
She also told Lauer that becoming a mother provided the impetus to finally go public: "It changed me. It changes everyone. I didn't want to bring my son up in a home where he had to hold this secret for me, too. I wanted to be an example of strength and show him that despite what I have, everyone is deserving of opportunity, love and respect. Sometimes we have to work a little harder for it."
Watch the interview below: