In the 1980s and early 1990s, she was nominated four times in the annual Youth in Film Awards, two of which she won.
More recently, Applegate starred as the character Courtney Rockcliffe in the film The Sweetest Thing, and as single mother Jesse Warner in sitcom Jesse.
Her latest film appearance is in Grand Theft Parsons, as Gram Parson's tenacious ex-girlfriend. Grand Theft Parsons is produced by Frank Mannion.