Michael J. Fox announced his retirement from acting back in 2020, but that turned out to be more of a break. The beloved star has now completed filming a supporting role in the upcoming season of the Apple TV+ comedy “Shrinking.” This marks his first return to on-screen acting since he appeared in “The Good Fight” in 2020. Recently, Fox humorously commented to People magazine: “I’m always retiring.”
Regarding his return to acting, Fox has yet to share much information about “Shrinking” Season 3, aside from the fact that it was his initiative to take on a role after learning that Harrison Ford’s character, Dr. Paul Rhoades, is living with Parkinson’s disease. Fox himself has been battling Parkinson’s since 1991, a condition he revealed publicly in 1998. He personally reached out to “Shrinking” creator Bill Lawrence expressing interest in a role in the show.
“I told him, ‘You made a show about Parkinson’s, and you didn’t think to call me?’ He replied, ‘Oh, you want to do it?’ and I said, ‘Absolutely!’” Fox recounted. “He said, ‘Let me see what I can do with this,’ and he worked on creating a concept that is really good.”
“This was the first time ever where I showed up on-set without the pressure of worrying about how tired I am, or if I’ll cough. I could just focus on performing. It was a positive experience, because when I thought, ‘I can’t do this,’ I realized, ‘Well, I’ll just incorporate my challenges into the scene,’ and push through it.”
In discussing life with Parkinson’s, Fox said: “I wake up each day knowing what I’ll likely face, and I adapt. I encounter new physical challenges regularly, and I manage to get through them. I spend a lot of time in a wheelchair, which has been an adjustment. You have to embrace the good and make the most of it.”
Returning to “Shrinking” seems to have sparked Fox’s passion for acting again. He reflected: “Seeing the work of others makes me think that maybe I can discover new opportunities for myself as an actor and writer. I still have plenty to accomplish as a parent, spouse, and friend.”
Although plot specifics for Season 3 of “Shrinking” remain undisclosed, it’s expected that Fox and Ford will share scenes depicting characters both living with Parkinson’s. Earlier this year, Ford told Variety that Fox joining the cast was “essential.”
“Michael showcases tremendous courage, resilience, and grace. He’s incredibly intelligent, courageous, noble, generous, and passionate—an example for all of us, whether we are dealing with Parkinson’s or not,” Ford stated. “It’s truly remarkable how he handles everything with such dignity… Parkinson’s isn’t a laughing matter, and we want to approach it with the respect it deserves by avoiding its misuse for entertainment purposes.”
Fox first disclosed his retirement from acting in 2020 through his book, “No Time Like the Future,” where he shared that the challenges presented by Parkinson’s made it increasingly tough to memorize lines and work on set.
“The gradual decline in my ability to recall words is just one of the many challenges that have emerged,” Fox wrote. “There are multiple reasons for my memory lapses—be it age, cognitive effects of the disease, distractions caused by Parkinson’s, or spinal issues—but I interpret it as a signal, an indication of where I’m at.”
“There’s a right moment for everything, and my days of enduring long hours and memorizing extensive dialogue seem to be behind me, at least for now… For my own sake and the sake of producers, directors, editors, and everyone on set, I am enacting another retirement. That situation may change, as everything is variable. If this truly is the conclusion of my acting career, I will accept it.”
Before taking on a role in “Shrinking,” Fox had been absent from screens since “The Good Fight,” but he did engage with the public in 2023 to promote his Apple TV+ documentary “Still.” He described participating in the film as a “big thrill” and expressed to Entertainment Tonight in 2024 that he would consider acting again if a role aligned with his realities and challenges.
“If someone offers me a [new] role, and if I have a positive experience, terrific,” he remarked.
Currently, Apple TV+ has not revealed when Fox’s season of “Shrinking” is set to premiere.
