When he was at the height of his career, Michael J. Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. It was 1991, he was 29 years old and had only been one year after filming the third and final film in the Back to the Future franchise, in which he played Marty McFly.
Despite the illness, the Canadian artist, now 62, continued to work in the film industry. But nothing was the same. In 2020 he announced that he was abandoning his career due to the progression of Parkinson’s. As he revealed in his book No Time Like the Future, his ability to memorize dialogue was affected, so he was forced to step aside.
But now, to the joy of his fans, the actor has opened the door to a possible return to acting. During an interview with Entertainment Tonight, he explained that he would be willing to return to acting if he were offered the right role at the right time, citing last year’s documentary, The Life of Michael J. Fox, as proof that he could still make it. be the center of attention, even in small doses. “If something came up that I could put my realities, my challenges, if I could figure it out. “If someone offers me a role and I do it and have a good time, great… I mean, the documentary was a very emotional moment.”
When he was diagnosed with the disease, Fox wanted to prioritize his family and his charity work before acting. The actor married Tracy Pollan in 1988 and they have four children: Sam Michael, born in 1989; twins Aquinnah Kathleen and Schuyler Frances, born in 1995; and Esmé Annabelle, born in 1997. “I think my biggest goal was to start a family. We have four wonderful children and that has been the most important thing,” acknowledged the actor.
Fox ended by remembering the importance of finding motivation and new ways to move forward. “If you think you have nothing to be grateful for, keep looking. Because optimism is not something that one simply receives. You can’t wait for things to be fantastic. You have to behave in a way that is what you promote.”
The actor shared that the last year has been a challenge due to the many projects in which he has been involved, and that due to Parkinson’s, they have cost him even more. Despite everything, Fox also considered it a very rewarding year. “In addition to a movie, a documentary and a lot of obligations, my daughter is also getting married… Good things are happening, and life is good. So it’s been a good year.”
Beyond Back to the Future, he also starred in other legendary films of the eighties such as Teen Wolf, from hair to chest or The Secret of My Success. Fox not only had room for light comedy, but also tried its luck in the field of drama, thanks to Rock Star or the war film Hearts of Iron. Already in the nineties, she would star in Agarme Those Ghosts and the series for which she would receive the most praise, Spin City.
Starting in 2000, its participation was reduced considerably. His last appearance was in the documentary that reviewed his life and his illness, The Life of Michael J. Fox, which won the Emmy for Best Documentary in 2023.
