Michael J. Fox

Michael J. Fox
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Name	Michael J. Fox
Caption	Fox in 1990
Birth name	Michael Andrew Fox
Birth date	09 June 1961
Birth place	Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Occupation	Actor, author, activist
Years active	1973–present
Spouse	Tracy Pollan, 1988
Awards	Full list

Michael J. Fox is a Canadian-American actor, author, and activist, renowned for his iconic television roles and his decades-long advocacy for Parkinson's disease research. He first gained widespread fame as Alex P. Keaton on the NBC sitcom Family Ties, a role that earned him three Primetime Emmy Awards and established him as a major star. His film career flourished with leading roles in the Back to the Future trilogy and Teen Wolf, solidifying his status as a defining figure in 1980s popular culture. Following his diagnosis with Parkinson's disease in 1991, he retired from full-time acting and founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which has become the world's leading nonprofit funder of Parkinson's research.

Early life and career

Born in Edmonton, he moved with his family to various cities including Vancouver and Burnaby in British Columbia. He developed an interest in acting during his teenage years, eventually dropping out of Burnaby South Secondary School to pursue a career in Los Angeles. His early professional work included a recurring role on the CBC Television series Leo and Me and a part in the CBS sitcom Palmerstown, U.S.A.. His first significant break in American film came with a small role in the 1980 comedy Midnight Madness, but it was his audition for a new sitcom being developed by Gary David Goldberg for NBC that would change his career trajectory.

Breakthrough and stardom

Cast as the young conservative Alex P. Keaton on Family Ties, his performance quickly made him the breakout star of the series, which aired from 1982 to 1989. During the show's run, he transitioned to major film success, starring as Marty McFly in Robert Zemeckis's blockbuster Back to the Future in 1985, a role originally offered to Eric Stoltz. The film's success spawned two sequels, Back to the Future Part II and Back to the Future Part III. He also headlined the hit film Teen Wolf in 1985. He returned to television in 1996 with the ABC sitcom Spin City, for which he won a Golden Globe Award and three more Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Health advocacy and later work

He publicly disclosed his 1991 Parkinson's disease diagnosis in 1998 and retired from full-time acting on Spin City in 2000. In 2000, he established the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, which has raised over $1.5 billion for scientific research. He became a prominent advocate, testifying before Congress and authoring several best-selling memoirs, including Lucky Man and No Time Like the Future. He made selective acting returns, earning Primetime Emmy Award nominations for guest roles on series like Rescue Me and The Good Wife, and provided his voice for characters in Stuart Little and Atlantis: The Lost Empire.

Personal life

He married actress Tracy Pollan, whom he met on the set of Family Ties, in 1988. The couple has four children and resides primarily in New York City. He became a naturalized United States citizen in the late 1990s while retaining his Canadian citizenship. His family has been a central support system throughout his health journey, a topic he frequently discusses in his writings and public appearances. In 2023, he was the subject of the Apple TV+ documentary Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie.

Filmography and awards

His extensive filmography includes major films such as The Secret of My Success, Bright Lights, Big City, Casualties of War, and The Frighteners. On television, his notable guest appearances include arcs on Scrubs, Boston Legal, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. His accolades include five Primetime Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. He has been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was appointed a Companion of the Order of Canada, the country's highest civilian honor.

Category:Canadian male film actors Category:American male television actors Category:Parkinson's disease activists Category:People from Edmonton