Back to the Future actor Michael J. Fox is marking 35 years since his Parkinson's disease diagnosis by continuing to act, advocate for patients, and push scientists toward a breakthrough that could change the future of the neurodegenerative disease.
Fox, 65, was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson's disease in 1991, when he was at the height of his Hollywood career. Doctors initially told him the disease would eventually force him to stop acting, but more than three decades later, he is preparing to return to Apple TV+'s Shrinking for its fourth season.
The actor's latest return comes as his foundation marks more than 25 years of funding Parkinson's research, a mission Fox has made central to his life after publicly revealing his diagnosis in 1998.
The actor later testified before Congress and established The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research in 2000.
Fox turned a private diagnosis into a global movement
Fox initially kept his diagnosis private for seven years, continuing to work while experiencing the symptoms of a disease that gradually affects movement and can also involve a range of nonmotor symptoms.
His decision to go public helped bring unprecedented visibility to Parkinson's, particularly for people diagnosed at a younger age. Fox has said he wanted to challenge the stigma surrounding the disease and show patients they did not have to hide their diagnosis.
Today, more than 10 million people worldwide are estimated to live with Parkinson's disease, while nearly 90 thousand people are diagnosed in the US each year.
Fox's public advocacy also included testifying before Congress and sharing his experiences with the disease without medication to demonstrate its physical effects.
His openness helped transform him into one of the most recognizable faces of Parkinson's, a role that came with a personal cost.
Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological disorder that primarily affects movement, but its impact extends well beyond tremors.
The disease is linked to the loss or dysfunction of dopamine-producing neurons in a region of the brain involved in movement control.
Although Parkinson's is more common in older adults, Fox was diagnosed at 29, placing him among the small percentage of patients with young-onset disease.
His acting career continues despite Parkinson's progression
Fox announced during the pandemic that he was stepping away from acting because his speech had become increasingly unpredictable. But the decision did not last.
After a six-year break, he returned to acting with a role on Shrinking, reuniting with creator Bill Lawrence, whom he has known since their time working together on Spin City.
Fox is now set to return for the show's fourth season. He also received an Emmy nomination for his performance in the third season.
For Fox, acting has become more than a career. It has also given him a way to explore his experience with Parkinson's through his work.
In Shrinking, he portrays a character with Parkinson's who develops a relationship with Harrison Ford's character, Dr. Paul Rhoades, who is also living with the disease.
Fox said working with Ford allowed him to share aspects of his own experience while helping shape the portrayal of Parkinson's on screen.
The research landscape has changed dramatically
While Fox continues acting, the Michael J. Fox Foundation has become a major force in Parkinson's research.
Founded in 2000 with Deborah W. Brooks, the foundation has committed more than $3 billion to research. Its work has helped advance studies into potential treatments, disease biomarkers and new approaches to understanding Parkinson's.
Brooks said the research landscape has changed significantly since the foundation began. While few Parkinson's drug candidates were reaching human testing two decades ago, she said roughly 180 drug programs are now in clinical development.
One major advance is the development of biomarker testing that may allow scientists to identify biological signs of Parkinson's before traditional symptoms become apparent. Researchers are also investigating stem cells, disease modeling and other tools that could accelerate the search for treatments.
For Fox, the goal remains bigger than managing symptoms. He has said he believes researchers can find a cure within his lifetime, an ambitious hope that reflects how dramatically Parkinson's science has evolved since his diagnosis.
A 35-year journey that has changed the conversation
Parkinson's remains a progressive disease with no cure, and treatments currently focus primarily on managing symptoms. But Fox's continued visibility has helped shift the public conversation around what it means to live with the condition.
His journey has also highlighted symptoms that can be overlooked, including changes in smell and gastrointestinal problems, which researchers now recognize can be associated with Parkinson's.
After 35 years, Fox has continued to work, raise money for research, and speak openly about the realities of living with a neurodegenerative disease.
His message has remained consistent: Parkinson's may shape his life, but it does not have to define its limits.
As research advances and new tools offer scientists a closer look at the disease before symptoms appear, Fox is betting that the next 35 years could look very different from the last.
