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Michael J. Fox Biography: Back to the Future Star, Parkinson’s Advocate and Emmy Honouree

Daniel Reed
Michael J. Fox headshot

Michael J. Fox Biography: Back to the Future Star, Parkinson’s Advocate and Emmy Honouree

Michael J. Fox biography: Michael Andrew Fox is a Canadian-American actor born on 9 June 1961 in Edmonton, Alberta, best known as Alex P. Keaton in Family Ties and Marty McFly in the Back to the Future trilogy. Diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at 29, he became one of the world’s most influential patient advocates, founding The Michael J. Fox Foundation, which has funded more than $3 billion in research. In September 2026 he received the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award at the Primetime Emmy Awards.

Quick facts

  • Full name: Michael Andrew Fox
  • Born: 9 June 1961, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
  • Nationality: Canadian-American (US citizen since 2000)
  • Occupation: Actor, author, Parkinson’s advocate
  • Known for: Family Ties, Back to the Future, Spin City, The Michael J. Fox Foundation
  • Spouse: Tracy Pollan (married 1988)
  • Children: Four — Sam, Aquinnah, Schuyler and Esmé
  • Honours: 5 Primetime Emmys, 4 Golden Globes, Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award (2022), Presidential Medal of Freedom (2025), Bob Hope Humanitarian Award (2026)

Early life and background

Michael J. Fox was born in Edmonton, Alberta, to Phyllis Fox, a payroll clerk and actress, and William Nelson “Bill” Fox, a career soldier in the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals. He was the fifth of six children. The family moved between Canadian military bases as his father was posted around the country, and after his father retired from the army in 1971 they settled in Burnaby, British Columbia.

Fox began acting as a child, starring as Jamie in the CBC series Leo and Me at 15. At 18 he moved to Los Angeles, picking up guest spots on shows including Lou Grant and Trapper John, M.D., and early films Midnight Madness (1980) and Class of 1984 (1982). The “J” in his professional name was added because another actor named Michael Fox was already registered with the Screen Actors Guild.

Family Ties — breakthrough

Fox’s breakthrough came in 1982, when he was cast as Alex P. Keaton, the conservative teenage son of liberal parents, on NBC’s Family Ties. The role came his way only after Matthew Broderick was unavailable. The show was sold on the pitch “hip parents, square kids”, with the parents meant to be the leads — but audiences took to Fox so strongly that Alex became the focus after the fourth episode. Producer Brandon Tartikoff initially tried to have him replaced, reportedly saying “This is not the kind of face you’ll ever find on a lunchbox”; Fox later gave Tartikoff a custom lunchbox inscribed “To Brandon: This is for you to put your crow in”.

Family Ties ran for 176 episodes from 1982 to 1989, and Fox won three consecutive Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (1986, 1987, 1988), plus a Golden Globe in 1989. He also met his future wife on the show: Tracy Pollan played his girlfriend Ellen.

Back to the Future — film stardom

In January 1985 Fox was cast as Marty McFly in Back to the Future, replacing Eric Stoltz, who had already been filming for weeks; director Robert Zemeckis felt Stoltz was wrong for the comedy. For two months Fox rehearsed Family Ties from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., then shot the film until 2:30 a.m. The film became the biggest hit of 1985, spending eight consecutive weekends at No. 1 at the US box office and grossing more than $380 million worldwide. It earned Fox a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor.

The sequels, Back to the Future Part II (1989) and Part III (1990), were shot back to back. While filming the hanging scene in Part III, Fox performed the stunt himself, misplaced his hand on the noose on the third take, and choked and passed out before Zemeckis had him cut down. Other 1980s films included Teen Wolf (1985), The Secret of My Success (1987), Bright Lights, Big City (1988) and Casualties of War (1989).

1990s films and voice work

Through the 1990s Fox starred in Doc Hollywood (1991), The Hard Way (1991), Greedy (1994), The American President (1995) and Mars Attacks! (1996). His last major starring film role was The Frighteners (1996), directed by Peter Jackson. He also voiced Chance in Disney’s Homeward Bound (1993), Stuart Little in the Stuart Little trilogy (1999–2006) and Milo Thatch in Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001), and made a voice cameo in Zootopia 2 (2025).

Spin City — return to television

In 1996 Fox returned to television as Deputy Mayor Mike Flaherty on ABC’s Spin City, a role he held for 103 episodes and also executive-produced through his company Lottery Hill Entertainment. He won an Emmy for the role in 2000, three consecutive Golden Globes (1998, 1999, 2000) and two Screen Actors Guild Awards (1999, 2000). He told the cast and crew during season 3 that he had Parkinson’s disease, and announced his retirement from the show during season 4; Charlie Sheen replaced him.

Later television and retirement

Fox continued with acclaimed guest and recurring roles: Scrubs (2004), Boston Legal (2006, an Emmy-nominated guest role), Rescue Me (2009, winning the Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series), The Good Wife (2010–2016, as attorney Louis Canning, Emmy-nominated three consecutive years), Curb Your Enthusiasm (2011, 2017), his own sitcom The Michael J. Fox Show (2013–14) and Designated Survivor (2018).

He retired from acting in 2020, saying that “not being able to speak reliably is a game-breaker for an actor”. The documentary Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, directed by Davis Guggenheim, was released on Apple TV+ in May 2023 and won four of its seven Emmy nominations. In June 2024 he played guitar with Coldplay at the Glastonbury Festival. In 2026 he returned to acting in season 3 of Apple TV+’s Shrinking, playing Gerry, a character living with Parkinson’s, in three episodes — a role that earned his 19th Emmy nomination. He did not win; the award went posthumously to the late Rob Reiner for The Bear.

Parkinson’s disease and advocacy

Fox first noticed symptoms in early 1991 while shooting Doc Hollywood — a sore shoulder and a twitch in his little finger. He was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson’s disease later that year, at 29, and was told he had “ten good working years left”. He kept the diagnosis private for seven years, disclosing it publicly in 1998, the same year he had a thalamotomy, a form of brain surgery. After the diagnosis he drank heavily and became depressed; he sought help and stopped drinking in 1992.

In 1999 he testified before a US Senate subcommittee — deliberately without taking his medication, so senators could see the disease’s effects — and testified again alongside Muhammad Ali in 2002. In 2006 he starred in a campaign advertisement supporting embryonic stem cell research that The New York Times called “one of the most powerful and talked about political advertisements in years”.

In 2000 he founded The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, the world’s largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson’s research, which as of September 2026 has funded more than $3 billion in research globally. Its landmark Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative is a study of more than $100 million running since 2010, and in September 2026 the foundation launched a campaign to raise a further $2.5 billion. Fox was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in 2007.

The 2026 Emmy honour

On 29 July 2026 the Television Academy announced that Fox would receive the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award, recognising his contribution to Parkinson’s research and advocacy. It was presented on stage at the Peacock Theater, Los Angeles, on Monday, 14 September 2026, at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards, by his former The Good Wife co-star Julianna Margulies. Fox was brought onstage in a wheelchair and received two standing ovations. He opened his speech with a joke to the still-standing audience: “I have to sit, so you enjoy it.” He thanked his family for their “sacrifices” and said he refused to “surrender” to the disease. He attended with his wife Tracy Pollan, reported to be the couple’s first appearance together at the Emmy Awards in 13 years. The award, established in 2002, had been presented only six times before 2026.

The same year brought two more honours: the Lasker~Bloomberg Public Service Award, announced on 9 September 2026, and promotion to Companion of the Order of Canada — Canada’s highest level — announced on 26 June 2026 and invested at Rideau Hall, Ottawa, on 2 October 2026. Earlier honours include the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award (2022) and the Presidential Medal of Freedom (4 January 2025). He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (2002) and is on Canada’s Walk of Fame (2000).

Books and personal life

Fox has written five books: Lucky Man: A Memoir (2002), Always Looking Up (2009), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Future (2010), No Time Like the Future (2020) and Future Boy (14 October 2025). The audiobook of Always Looking Up won him a Grammy Award in 2010. He married actress Tracy Pollan on 16 July 1988 at the West Mountain Inn in Arlington, Vermont. They have four children: son Sam Michael Fox (born 30 May 1989), twin daughters Aquinnah Kathleen Fox and Schuyler Frances Fox (born 15 February 1995), and daughter Esmé Annabelle Fox (born 3 November 2001).

Net worth snapshot

Michael J. Fox’s net worth is estimated at $65 million as of 2026, according to Celebrity Net Worth — the most widely cited published estimate, though no Forbes or Bloomberg figure exists. His income has come from acting — including a reported $250,000 for the first Back to the Future film and $5 million each for the sequels — producing Spin City, five bestselling memoirs and decades of residuals. The full breakdown is in Michael J. Fox’s net worth.

Frequently asked questions

How old is Michael J. Fox?

Michael J. Fox is 65 years old. He was born on 9 June 1961 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

When was Michael J. Fox diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease?

Michael J. Fox was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson’s disease in 1991, at the age of 29, after first noticing symptoms while filming Doc Hollywood. He kept the diagnosis private for seven years and disclosed it publicly in 1998.

What award did Michael J. Fox win at the 2026 Emmys?

Michael J. Fox received the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards on 14 September 2026, recognising his leadership in advancing Parkinson’s research. The award was presented by Julianna Margulies, and Fox received two standing ovations.

Who is Michael J. Fox married to?

Michael J. Fox has been married to actress Tracy Pollan since 16 July 1988. They met on the set of Family Ties, where Pollan played his girlfriend Ellen, and they have four children together.

What is Michael J. Fox’s most famous role?

Michael J. Fox is most famous as Marty McFly in the Back to the Future trilogy (1985–1990) and as Alex P. Keaton in Family Ties (1982–1989), the role that won him three consecutive Emmy Awards.

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