Michael J. Fox Credits "Back To The Future" For Positive Outlook On Life

Michael J. Fox had a sit down with AARP recently. The former actor answered questions about virtually anything and everything in his life. Naturally a lot of the questions in the interview gravitated to Michael’s ongoing battle with Parkinson’s. The man who played Marty McFly though seems to be “at peace” with the disease. As well as his acting career. He’s gone into retirement once again, and this time it’s looking like he’s going to stay retired for good. Sadly it is Parkinson’s that lead him to make the decision to step away from the stage. He isn’t getting too down on himself though. He credits Back to the Future fans for that!

In later life as his battle with Parkinson’s has progressed Michael J. Fox still found ways to continue to act. He even mentioned in the interview that he had enjoyed some of the roles that he was cast in later in life. Since many of them allowed him to still bring some wit to an obviously disabled character. Saying, “I loved the idea that disabled people can be a--holes, too”. Ultimately though his disease did not allow him to continue acting. He mentioned,

“ I reached the point where I couldn’t rely on my ability to speak on any given day, which meant I couldn’t act comfortably at all anymore. So, last year I gave it up.”

Michael J. Fox did mention that he does not fear death, and that he understands that a cure for Parkinson’s isn’t necessarily something that he’s going to see in his lifetime. Those are realizations that he lives with on a daily basis. While admitting though that he usually doesn’t get too down on himself. There are a few things that frustrate him though. Some of these things include trying to text or use voice commands. He mentioned on those topics,

“Among the things that bother me the most right now is how hard it is to communicate quickly through electronic means. Voice-enabled technology just isn’t good enough. You say, “I’m catching a lot of s--- for that” and wind up with, “I’m flying on a ship tomorrow.” It’s so frustrating.”

Marty McFly did admit that there was a point in his life where he really got down on himself, and he felt depressed. Fans, and particularly fans of the Back to the Future franchise, are a big part of helping Michael J. Fox get out of an emotional slump. On fans, he says,

“It’s amazing — more people, of all ages, approach me now about that movie(Back to the Future) than ever before. I’m not sure I understood why. Then I came across it on TV last Christmas. And I thought I was really good in it, better than I thought I’d been. More important, I got the spirit of the movie. I understood it was just a big giggle and that we all need”

He would go on to credit watching Mohamed Ali deal with the disease as another up lifter. Sadly it seems that Michael J. Fox is done with movies!