Jamie-Lynn Sigler is opening up about a deeply personal chapter of her life, revealing that her years on The Sopranos—the role that made her a household name—were also the most difficult period she’s ever endured.
In her upcoming memoir And So It Is…: A Memoir of Acceptance and Hope, the 44-year-old actress reflects on the emotional and physical struggles she faced behind the scenes while portraying Meadow Soprano. Despite the show’s massive success, Sigler describes that decade as “the most difficult 10 years of my life,” marked by an eating disorder, a hidden diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS), and a controlling marriage that was unraveling at the same time.
Sigler was just 16 when she stepped into the spotlight in 1999, quickly becoming part of one of television’s most influential dramas. But as her profile rose, she says her personal life was spiraling.
During that time, she battled body dysmorphia and disordered eating, at one point dropping to 88 pounds between filming the pilot and the first season.
She also underwent a nose job that nearly cost her the role, adding to the pressure of maintaining her image in an industry that offered little guidance.
“I was so fragile at that time and so confused and so young,” Sigler said to People, noting that she still struggles to revisit episodes of the show because of what she was going through off-camera. “It’s not about my performance, it was just about the pain that I knew was underneath.”
Her memoir also details the moment her life shifted further when she was diagnosed with MS at age 20. At the time, she kept the condition a secret—even from co-stars like James Gandolfini—after being advised to stay quiet. “I was terrified,” she says, adding that the secrecy left her feeling isolated despite being surrounded by what she describes as a supportive cast.
Sigler’s personal life added another layer of tension. She recalls her then-husband threatening to reveal her diagnosis during the breakdown of their marriage, a moment she describes as “very scary.”
Looking back, she says the accumulation of pressure—from her health, career decisions like her early 2000s pop album, and her personal relationships—created a sense that her life was “imploding.”
Years later, Sigler says writing the memoir became a turning point. What started as a letter to her younger self evolved into what she calls a “healing journey,” helping her confront long-held shame and reconnect with parts of herself she had buried. “When you can zoom out…you start to forgive yourself,” she explains.
That shift toward openness has continued in recent years. After going public with her MS diagnosis in 2016, Sigler says she gradually embraced living more authentically—a process that accelerated with her podcast MeSsy, which she co-hosts with Christina Applegate, who also lives with MS. The platform, she says, gave her the confidence to speak without filters.
The actress has also made major lifestyle changes, including relocating with her family to Texas in 2021 to step away from Hollywood’s pressures. There, she says, she’s been able to live more freely, even using a cane when needed, without feeling scrutinized.
