Michael J. Fox was met with a standing ovation and rapturous applause after he made a rare appearance at the 2024 BAFTA awards in London last night.
The Back to the Future star was on hand to present the Best Film award to the cast and crew of Oppenheimer, and his presence at the ceremony was certainly appreciated by those in the audience.
Fox, who has lived with Parkinson’s disease since 1991, rose from his wheelchair to deliver the award, showcasing the courage and resilience he has become synonymous with over the past three decades.
According to reports, Fox received a standing ovation from the audience as he took the stage last night. His wife, Tracy Pollan, was also in attendance at the gala.
The actor expressed his thanks at getting to be a part of the prestigious evening, sharing a message with the audience prior to handing out the award for Best Film.
“Thank you very much,” the 62-year-old began. “Five films are nominated in this category tonight. All five have something in common. They are the best at what we do. No matter who you are or where you’re from, these films can bring us together.”
Needless to say, the internet reacted joyfully at watching Fox rise from his wheelchair to hand out an award.
“Legend. What a moment…” one X user wrote.
Another added: “His condition may have gone for him but his strength and will to fight it is an example to us all. Every time I see him he is no less a person, no less a man than when I first saw him in the 1980s.“
A third said: “I was in the kitchen, heard his name from the next room, shrieked and ran in. That man is a legend and an incredible human being.”
A fourth wrote: “His foundation for Parkinson’s research has raised $2 BILLION??? That’s incredible, except when you think of his courage, his perseverance and his integrity! Love him always.“
Fox’s appearance at the BAFTAs will no doubt have reassured fans left worried by comments the actor made last year regarding the fact that his life with Parkinson’s is “getting tougher”.
Speaking with CBS Sunday Morning anchor Jane Pauley, Fox said that while he’s made the most of his life despite the diagnosis, he can now feel Parkinson’s “banging on the door.”
“I’m not gonna lie. It’s gettin’ hard, it’s gettin’ harder. It’s gettin’ tougher,” the retired actor said. “Every day it’s tougher. But, but, that’s, that’s the way it is. I mean, you know, who do I see about that?”
He revealed last May that he had undergone spinal surgery after a tumor was found on his spine. While it was benign, it affected his ability to walk, and he was subsequently injured from falling.
“[I] broke this arm, and I broke this arm, I broke this elbow. I broke my face. I broke my hand,” Fox told Pauley.
The Back to the Future star explained that falling is a “big killer” for people with Parkinson’s, along with aspirating food and getting pneumonia.
“You don’t die from Parkinson’s. You die with Parkinson’s,” Fox said. “I’ve been thinking about the mortality of it. … I’m not gonna be 80. I’m not gonna be 80.”
I don’t know about you, but I’m glad whenever I get to see Michael J. Fox. He’s such an inspiring figure!
