Michael J. Fox calls Parkinson’s disease a ‘bully’ in new interview

Michael J. Fox is blasting “bully culture” and sharing his own experience with what he calls his biggest bully — Parkinson’s disease.

For the 40th anniversary of “Back to the Future,” Fox and his co-stars — Christopher Lloyd (Doc Brown) and Lea Thompson (Lorraine McFly) — sat down with Empire to discuss the iconic sci-fi movie. Fox noted that, like in the film, bully culture remains alive and well.

“We live in a bully culture right now. We have bullies everywhere — you don’t need me to point the finger at who, but there are all these bullies,” Fox said.

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“In this movie, Biff is a bully. Time is a bully. For me personally, Parkinson’s is a bully. And it’s all about how you stand up to them and the resolve that you take into the fight with them. It’s about your resilience and your courage,” he said.

According to Fox, the movie still resonates with fans four decades later because of the seemingly impossible odds the characters overcome.

“I think there’s a lot to that right now. I think a lot of people are responding to the movie because it strikes chords they wouldn’t otherwise recognize,” he said.

“We live in a bully culture right now. We have bullies everywhere — you don’t need me to point the finger at who, but there are all these bullies.”

— Michael J. Fox

For the past three decades, Fox hasn’t let his “bully” win.

The star is set to return to the screen after five years in retirement with his most personal role yet in the upcoming season of “Shrinking.”

Michael J. Fox performs during the prom scene in “Back to the Future.” (Sunset Boulevard/Getty Images)

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“I just feel I have to,” he told USA Today. “It’s a tradeoff. I want to be around for everything.”

“I want to be active at everything, keep working, keep my partnerships going, my good friends, and enjoy my time with my family,” he added. “And it’s all good; it’s so much better than it could be.”

Michael J. Fox on set for “Back to the Future Part III” (1990). (Universal Pictures/Getty Images)

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Parkinson’s disease, a degenerative brain disorder that affects the nervous system and mobility, has been central to Fox’s life since his diagnosis in 1991, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Throughout much of his acting career, Fox has found ways to work around his symptoms. Now, he’s landed his first role where he doesn’t have to worry about the disease.

In “Shrinking,” Fox’s character also has Parkinson’s disease.

Michael J. Fox has had Parkinson’s since 1991. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

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“It was the first time ever I get to show up on-set, and I didn’t have to worry about am I too tired or coughing or anything,” he told People. “I just do it. It was really good, because for the moments when I say, ‘I’m not going to be able to do this,’ then I say, ‘Well, I’ll just deal with how I can’t do it in the scene.’ And you get through it.”

Fox’s return to acting comes after a five-year hiatus that began with his 2020 retirement announcement. The “Family Ties” star opened up about his future with the ‘mysterious’ disease — which he was diagnosed with at age 29 — in an interview with The Times (U.K.).

Michael J. Fox filmed “Back to the Future” at the same time as “Family Times.” (Universal/Getty Images)

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“There’s no timeline, there’s no series of stages that you go through – not in the same way that you would, say, with prostate cancer. It’s much more mysterious and enigmatic,” he explained.

“There are not many people who have had Parkinson’s for 35 years,” Fox continued. “I’d like to just not wake up one day. That’d be really cool. I don’t want it to be dramatic. I don’t want to trip over furniture, smash my head.”