Michael J. Fox Brings A-List Emmys Audience to Tears as Actor Accepts Award Amid Parkinson's Battle
Michael J. Fox spoke about the support he has received over the years.
Sept. 15 2026, Published 3:00 p.m. ET
Michael J. Fox reduced fellow A-listers, including Harrison Ford and Nicole Kidman, to tears while accepting an award at the Emmys, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The legendary actor, 65, opened up about being diagnosed with Parkinson's at the age of 29, admitting he wanted to keep his illness secret from his peers.
Michael J. Fox Refuses to 'Surrender' to Parkinson's
A-listers including Harrison Ford and Nicole Kidman were seen welling up in the audience.
Speaking on stage after collecting the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award, Fox said: "Initially, I kept my Parkinson's diagnosis a secret. I worried it would affect my work and relationships with audiences.
"Would they laugh if they knew I was sick? I was stunned by the support from all of you, so uplifted, and I hadn't lost what I do."
The movie star continued, "They couldn’t take it away from me. And it’s because you stood up for me… I understood that accepting Parkinson's didn’t mean I had to surrender to it.
"It just meant I had to do everything I could for everyone living with this disease."
Michael J. Fox Pays Tribute to Family
Fox thanked his wife and family during his speech.
The Back to the Future star continued: "I set out to advocate for Parkinson’s disease and raise money. I found people to lead the effort for me and vowed to fund the best science in the world.
"I'm proud of the progress we’ve made to benefit Parkinson’s patients and families. We move closer to eradicating this disease forever."
He added, "I'm deeply grateful to our staff, donors, researchers, and most of all the patient community who make our work at the Michael J. Fox Foundation possible."
The actor, whose foundation has now raised more than $2billion, thanked wife Tracy Pollan and their four adult children, Sam, Aquinnah, Schuyler and Esme.
"I thank Tracy and our kids for their sacrifices, for their patience and for their love. You have no idea," he said.
Michael J. Fox Continues to Work
Fox and wife Tracy Pollan's appearance at the Emmys was their first in over a decade.
Fox was honored with the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award for his advocacy and philanthropic work supporting Parkinson’s disease research.
Monday’s ceremony was the first time in 13 years that Fox and his wife had attended the Emmys. Fox is no longer able to "memorize" lines following his Parkinson’s diagnosis.
However, that hasn't stopped him from coming out of retirement to play the role of Gerry in the Apple TV series Shrinking, who also suffers from the condition, because he was allowed to "show up on set" as himself.
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
The actor was nominated for an Emmy for his performance in 'Shrinking.'
He told People: "A new variable emerged: my ability to memorize lines.
“There's a time for everything, and the time for 12-hour workdays was behind me."
Fox was nominated for a Primetime Emmy in the Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series category won by late Rob Reiner which was announced earlier this month.
Fox first retired from acting in 2000, two years after publicly sharing his diagnosis.
He did make several cameos on television series Scrubs and The Good Wife before being forced to take a break from acting again in 2020.
