'I Let Parkinson's Make Decisions For Me': Michael J. Fox Has No Regrets About Returning To Acting

Michael J. Fox became a superstar in the 1980s, starring as Alex P. Keaton in the TV show "Family Ties" and as Marty McFly in the "Back to the Future" movies. Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1991 when he was just 29. Among other things, this central nervous system disease impacts movement, and it has no cure. Doctors thought Fox wouldn't be able to manage the symptoms well enough to be able to continue acting after he was 40. Fox even retired from acting — twice. But it didn't stick either time. Fox joined the cast of Apple TV's "Shrinking" for Season 3, which premiered in 2026, playing a patient with Parkinson's. Fox has confirmed how much acting has helped him. However, he's also aware that, just as his health impacts his children,  Parkinson's also impacts whether he works or not.

In explaining his current perspective on acting, he told The Hollywood Reporter, "It's really prolonged my life and made my life interesting in a way that I didn't think it would be to this point." Fox knows that the disease he has does have some control over what he does. "I'm not retired from acting," Fox explained, "but if I didn't act again, it would be for a very good reason. I let Parkinson's make decisions for me."

We've seen how Fox has let Parkinson's guide his work in the past. Fox's reasons for stepping back from acting in 2020 came down to being able to deliver a performance. "I reached the point where I couldn't rely on my ability to speak on any given day," he told AARP in 2021, "which meant I couldn't act comfortably at all anymore."

"Shrinking" was just about the perfect show for Michael J. Fox to be in for an acting comeback. One of the show's creators is Bill Lawrence , who also co-created "Spin City" in the 1990s. Fox starred on "Spin City" as the Deputy Mayor of New York City. It was on that show that he told the world about his Parkinson's diagnosis. Lawrence and Fox remained friends over the years, and
Lawrence wrote a role specifically for Fox on "Shrinking" once he found out that Fox would be interested in making an appearance. Fox also had a two episode arc on Lawrence's show "Scrubs" back in 2004.

It's not just that he gets to work with his old friend. One of the storylines on "Shrinking" involves Dr. Paul Rhoades, played by Harrison Ford, being diagnosed Parkinson's disease. Fox and Ford's characters meet in a doctor's waiting room and bond over their symptoms. Ford spoke with Variety about what it was like to work with Fox. "Michael's courage, his fortitude and his grace, more than anything else, is on full display," Ford said. "He's very smart, very brave, noble, generous, passionate guy, and an example to all of us, whether we're facing Parkinson's or not."

Beyond acting, Fox is involved with The Michael J. Fox Foundation, which he co-founded after telling the world about his diagnosis . The non-profit's goal is to find a cure for Parkinson's by funding research into the disease. The foundation has raised more than $2.5 billion since it was created.