Fox in 2000, he confessed that for ten years he had been struggling with Parkinson’s disease – an incurable neurological disease based on the progressive process of degeneration of nerve cells. It manifests itself in gradual deterioration of motor skills, impaired body posture and slower reactions. A particularly severe effect of the disease, which Fox was diagnosed with when he was only 29, was problems with short-term memory.
Despite this, the actor remained professionally active until 2020, when he announced his retirement. This does not mean that it has disappeared from the screens. “Incessantly: The Michael J. Fox Story”, a documentary about the actor’s life, was nominated for a BAFTA award this year. But no one expected Fox to appear on the scene.
Stellar “Back to the Future” announced the gala host David Tennant, calling him “a true legend of cinema”. Fox was wheeled out in a wheelchair by his assistant. He then stood up to present the award. Before this happened, the cinema people gathered at the gala welcomed him with a long standing ovation. His presence moved some to tears.
“There’s a reason they say movies are magical. It’s because they can change your day. They can change your attitude, and sometimes even your life,” Fox said. Then he presented the BAFTA award for the best production of the year to the creators “Oppenheimer” Christopher Nolan.