Michael J. Fox was a heartthrob back in the ’80s and ’90s thanks to his many memorable roles in the Back To The Future series, Teen Wolf, The Hard Way, Life with Mikey, and more. The actor’s memorable performances and down-to-earth personality earned him a huge fan following.
Hence, many hearts across the world were broken when he revealed his Parkinson’s diagnosis in 1998. However, the actor had been secretly fighting the progressive degenerative disorder for seven years at that point. Despite his disease, the actor appeared in many hit projects throughout the 2000s and 2010s. He was a regular in the CBS drama series The Good Wife which aired from 2010 to 2016.
However, in 2020, the star announced his retirement from onscreen work. The decision came due to Parkinson’s impacting his ability to memorize and remember lines. Now, four years later, he is willing to return to acting under one sole condition.
Michael J. Fox Will Return to Acting Under 1 Condition
Despite his many iconic performances onscreen, there was a time when Fox thought he was a terrible actor. What’s more? He almost didn’t get cast in Back To The Future, a mistake that could have doomed the $961 million franchise. However, after an illustrious career, the star decided to take his acting hat off in 2020 amid his ongoing fight with Parkinson’s.
But in his latest interview with Entertainment Tonight‘s Rachel Smith, Michael J. Fox recalled his thrilling experience while filming his 2023 Apple TV documentary – Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie. The documentary chronicles the former child actor’s battle with Parkinson’s. Talking about it, he said,
“If someone offers me a part and I do it and I have a good time, great. I mean, the documentary was a big thrill.”
When asked if he would take on another acting role, Fox expressed that he would do it under one condition. The 62-year-old Primetime Emmy winner said he would return to acting if his health condition could be accommodated into the role.
“I would do acting if something came up that I could put my realities into it, my challenges, if I could figure it out.”
Earlier in the interview, the star, who gave an emotional speech at BAFTA 2024, stated that his “biggest goal” is to raise his family. The Stuart Little actor shares four kids with his wife Tracy Pollan whom he met on the set of Family Ties. His eldest is son Sam Michael Fox, 34. He is also a father to three daughters Aquinnah Kathleen Fox, 29, Schuyler Frances Fox, 29, and Esmé Annabelle Fox, 22.
A famous Movie Scene Inspired Michael J Fox To Retire
In his 2023 interview with Empire Magazine, Fox revealed that a scene from Quentin Tarantino‘s Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood inspired him to consider retirement. The 2019 film was back in the headlines recently after Colin Farrell called it Tarantino’s “most enjoyable” film yet.
The scene that inspired the Casualties Of War actor’s retirement shows Leonardo DiCaprio‘s Rick Dalton having a mental breakdown in his trailer after failing to remember his lines. It struck a chord with Fox who also had trouble memorizing lines while filming The Good Wife‘s spinoff show, The Good Fight.
The actor People’s Choice Award winner said,
“There’s a scene where Leonardo DiCaprio’s character can’t remember his lines anymore. He goes back to his dressing room and he’s screaming at himself in the mirror. Just freaking insane. I had this moment where I was looking in the mirror and thought, ‘I cannot remember it anymore.'”
Nonetheless, fans are keen to see the actor back on screen. His last acting role was in The Good Fight. He was also featured in Lil Nas X: The Origins of ‘Holiday.’
