Michael J Fox has revealed the heartwarming reason he will forever be grateful for his role on Family Ties.
The actor, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991, made a rare appearance at the 2026 SAG Awards on Sunday night where he made a sweet speech about his journey to fame – which led him to the “biggest gift”.
“When I left school and moved from Canada to LA to make it as an actor, a teacher of mine told me, ‘Fox, you’re not gonna be cute forever’,” the 64-year-old began.
The actor, who has starred in hit films such as Back To The Future and Stuart Little, could be seen sitting at a table with his fellow actors during the awards show speech.
“I didn’t know what to say to that so I said, ‘Maybe just long enough, sir’,” he added.
He went on to reflect on the early days of his career, detailing the dire circumstances before his big break and the TV show that put him on the map.
“After two years of dumpster diving in LA, I ended up on Family Ties, where I received the biggest gift of my career.”
He went on: “I met my wife Tracy Pollan, who played Ellen my girlfriend, and she gave me four gifts. Our kids.”
The actor – who attended the awards ceremony on account of his role in Apple TV series Shrinking – wed Pollan in 1988, just three years before his diagnosis.
Around ten million people are currently living with Parkinson’s disease – a neurological disorder that affects movement and brain function, and is caused by the death of neurons that produce dopamine.
There is no known cure for Parkinson’s.
In the past, Fox has spoken candidly about his battle with the disease and the painful injuries he’s incurred as his condition worsens.
In 2022, he told People Magazine that he’d been faced with multiple health hurdles in the space of a year, while also grieving the loss of his mother.
“I broke my cheek, then my hand, then my shoulder, had a replacement shoulder put in and broke my [right] arm, then I broke my elbow,” he told the publication.
“I’m 61 years old, and I’m feeling it a little bit more.”
Fox went on to reveal that on top of his injuries he had contracted an infection in the wake of his hand surgery, which saw him struggle with his balance.
He assured fans that his long list of health issues was not an indicator that his Parkinson’s disease was progressing any faster, but confessed they had had an effect on his personality, leaving him frustrated.
“I was never really a cranky guy, but I got very cranky and short with people,” he revealed.
“I try to nip it in the bud. I always think of these aides who work with me. And I often say to them, ‘Whatever I say, just imagine I said “please” at the beginning and “thank you” at the end. Just take a second and absorb that I might have said that if I was more myself, but I didn’t, so I apologise.'”