Michael J. Fox adapts to advancing Parkinson's, guest on Shrinking

Michael J. Fox, 64, said he is adapting to life with advancing Parkinson's disease while returning to acting in a guest role on the Apple TV series Shrinking. In recent interviews and remarks at his foundation's annual gathering in November 2024, the actor described increased physical challenges, a shift to using a wheelchair much of the time, and a pragmatic acceptance of how the condition has reshaped his daily life.

Fox was diagnosed in 1991 at age 29 and went public with his condition several years later. He said Parkinson's remains unpredictable and progressive, and that as symptoms have intensified he has suffered multiple fractures and serious infections. "It's absolutely incredible the stuff I broke," he said, recounting a period in which he broke an elbow, a hand, a shoulder and a cheekbone, and nearly lost a finger to infection. He added that he can still walk but prefers to use a wheelchair because walking can be dangerous for him.

Medical specialists describe Parkinson's as a movement disorder in which nerve cells in the brain deteriorate over time, producing tremors, stiffness, slowed movement and balance problems that increase the risk of falls. Fox said he now...