On November 19, actor Michael J. Fox received an honorary Oscar at the 13th edition of the Governors Awards, held in Los Angeles, California, for his action in favor of the fight against Parkinson’s.
The 61-year-old Canadian actor who wowed audiences in the 1980s TV sitcom family ties and of course the trilogy Return to the futurewas diagnosed with Parkinson’s, a nerve disorder that affects movement and often causes tremors, at age 29.
As a consequence, in 2000, the Canadian limited his acting career and created the Michael J. Fox Foundation for research into the disease and the search for a cure.
The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award was presented to the legendary actor by his colleague and friend Woody Harrelson, in recognition of his efforts in the fight against Parkinson’s.
Michael J. Fox’s tireless support of scientific research to combat Parkinson’s disease and his incredible optimism are examples of how one person can change the future of millions of individuals.
–Woody Harrelson
Fox received a standing ovation. “They make me tremble”, he said after making his stage debut with the usual irony that characterizes him. In addition, he thanked Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale and Steven Spielberg, for whom the documentary Back in Time (2015), which portrays the impact of the trilogy Return to the future in our culture, saw the light.
Meanwhile, his right hand continued to shake and the actor ordered him to stop, then ironically added, “It’s not time yet,” pretending to want to win the Oscar.
Fox later revealed that he hid his illness for seven years and spoke of the birth of the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which in 20 years has raised more than $1.5 million for Parkinson’s research.
I went into seven years of denial, trying to make sense of it all. Finally, I felt like I had to tell everyone. I understood that it would have a huge impact on my career. What happened next was remarkable. The outpouring of support from the general public and the lovely response from all my peers in the entertainment world, all of you and the people I’ve worked with has been transformative.
Also present at the ceremony were Fox’s four children and his wife, Tracy Pollan, whom he thanked for always being by his side during his illness.
My optimism is fueled by my gratitude and with gratitude, optimism is sustainable. I can’t believe I’ve been standing here this long, it’s a miracle.
Fox concluded, thus inviting his wife to join him in helping him with the precious prize:
I can’t walk and carry this [el Óscar]so once again I ask Tracy to come up here to once again carry the weight.
Other Governors Award winners included prolific songwriter Diane Warren, whose songs have appeared in more than 100 films, Australian director Peter Weir, known for films like witness Y Dead Poets Societyand Euzhan Palcy, who became the first woman of color to direct a film for a major Hollywood studio with A Dry White Season.
Source: Okchicas
I’m Susan Karen, a professional writer and editor at World Stock Market. I specialize in Entertainment news, writing stories that keep readers informed on all the latest developments in the industry. With over five years of experience in creating engaging content and copywriting for various media outlets, I have grown to become an invaluable asset to any team.
