Michael J. Fox Gets Honored By One Of The Greatest Directors In History
Martin Scorsese honored Michael J. Fox at the Spring Moving Image Awards for the latter's work with Parkinson's research and advocacy over the last couple of decades.
Michael J. Fox was recently honored by Martin Scorsese at the 2023 Spring Moving Image Awards. The Back to the Future star received a lifetime achievement award for his acting work and Parkinson’s advocacy. The museum also dedicated a seat in its Redstone Theater to him. The legendary director spoke about Fox’s career and how his talent has amazed him.
“Back in the ’80s, it was really an amazing thing to witness how Michael’s career took off. I watched him in those early pictures, and I was stunned,” Martin Scorsese said via the New York Post.
He added that seeing Michael J. Fox on screen for the first time was like watching James Cagney in Public Enemy. “Michael is a powerhouse who was made for movies,” the director continued.
Martin Scorsese also revealed how Michael J. Fox’s struggles with Parkinson’s helped his own wife, Helen Morris, who was diagnosed with the illness in 1990. “Pay attention to the amount of work he’s done since his diagnosis,” the filmmaker said. “He’s become a real guiding light for so many with Parkinson’s. That includes my wife, Helen. Michael, your support has meant the world to her and me.”
When receiving his award, Michael J. Fox expressed his gratitude to the audience and acknowledged their support. “I have so many great things in my life. I don’t have a weepy, sad life,” the Teen Wolf star said. “I have this thing that happened, which really sucks, but it put me in a position to do other things that were effective and perhaps will make things better.”
Martin Scorsese and his wife have frequently collaborated with Michael J. Fox’s Parkinson’s Foundation to actively find a cure or treatment for the debilitating disease. Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991 at the age of 29. The illness is described as a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects movement control.
Michael J. Fox initially kept his diagnosis private and continued to work in the entertainment industry. However, as his symptoms became more noticeable, he eventually revealed his condition to the world in 1998. Fox’s disease progressed over the next few years affecting his entire left side with tremors and stiffness.
In 2000, he established The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, a nonprofit organization dedicated to finding a cure for the disease. The foundation has funded numerous research initiatives and clinical trials to develop improved treatments and ultimately discover a cure for Parkinson’s – a condition that was previously underfunded for research development.
Michael J. Fox retired from acting in 2020 due to struggles with learning lines due to the disease. However, he recently released an Apple TV+ documentary called Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, in which he candidly talks about the mental health issues he has faced due to the illness.
Directed by Davis Guggenheim, the Michael J. Fox docu-movie premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival in January. It was released on AppleTV+ in May. The film has been described as “poignant and profound,” offering viewers an inside look at the life and career of a beloved actor.
