Michael J. Fox made a rare appearance to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the smash-hit film Back To The Future, which helped propel him to stardom when it was released in 1985.
The 64-year-old, who retired from acting in 2020 due to the advanced development of his Parkinson’s disease, showed out for a screening of the film at the Southampton Playhouse in New York over the weekend.
Milestone celebration
After the screening, Michael sat down with the Playhouse director, Eric Kohn, to discuss the making of the film and its legacy four decades later.
“What a thrill to welcome @realmikejfox to the @southamptonplayhouse this week,” Eric wrote on Instagram following the event.
For more about Michael’s journey with Parkinson’s disease, watch below…
“Michael’s insights into his relationship to acting, and how it changed — first via blockbuster success and then through his diagnosis — made for a conversation that was by turns emotional, endearing, and inspirational. The BACK TO THE FUTURE legacy has only grown richer with time, and great scott, did it look amazing on @imax.”
The blockbuster ’80s flick saw Michael portray high schooler Marty McFly, who is sent back in time to 1955 in a DeLorean with the help of his friend, Doc Brown.
Back To The Future raked in over $380 million worldwide at the box office, garnered an Oscar win for Best Sound Effects Editing, and spawned two sequels.
Future Boy
© Pictures/Kobal/ShutterstockAt the time of filming, Michael was busy starring on the sitcom Family Ties, a feat which he will explore in his upcoming memoir, Future Boy.
“‘The only reason for time is so that everything doesn’t happen at once.’ I didn’t say that, Einstein did. I wonder if even Albert could make sense of my life in the first months of 1985, when time went rogue and took me with it. What was it like? In a word: busy,” he told People of the project.
© NBCUniversal via Getty Images“As we approach the 40th anniversary of Back to the Future, my thoughts turn to my adventures as a younger man,” the father of four continued. “This book has basically become a time machine for me, but unlike the DeLorean, there’s plenty of room for anyone who’d like to climb in for the ride.”
The book is set for a fall release.
Comeback king
Despite announcing his retirement in 2020, Michael will return to our screens as a guest star on the hit Apple TV+ series Shrinking, which stars Harrison Ford and Jason Segel.
“He’s an incredibly powerful presence,” Harrison said of Michael at the Emmy: For Your Consideration event in May.
“Although he’s physically debilitated, his wit and his intelligence are fully intact. He’s wonderful to deal with. He’s courageous and purposeful about where he uses his energy.”
© Getty ImagesHarrison’s character suffers from Parkinson’s disease in the series. The show’s creator, Bill Lawrence, revealed that Michael was a major inspiration for Shrinking.
“I found the first mentor in my life and career, Michael J. Fox, to be so inspiring with the way he took it in stride and continues to work harder than anybody I know,” he told People. “And we want to kind of carry that spirit if we can into the show.”
Michael was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991 when he was just 29 years old. Since then, he has been a fierce advocate for those living with the disease and has raised over $2 billion in funds for research.
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