Michael J. Fox (“Back to the Future”) receives an honorary Oscar for his fight against Parkinson’s in emotional ceremony

This Saturday, November 19, the Governors Awards gala took place. At the Fairmont Century Plaza hotel in Los Angeles, Michael J. Fox received an honorary Oscar for his fight against Parkinson’s. The well-known ‘Back to the Future’ actor speaks and makes visible the disease he has suffered from since 1991, when he was diagnosed at the age of 29. Since, created the Michael J. Fox Foundation, the largest association in the world in the fight against Parkinson’s which raises money to help and raise awareness of a disease that affects millions of people.

As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, starring in the evening’s most emotional moment, in front of an audience at the flag; Fox received the award at the hands of Woody Harrelson, an actor who worked with him just as he was diagnosed with the disease during the filming of ‘Doc Hollywood’. “All your work carries a great humanity, you showed how to fight without losing faith in the art. You never wanted them to feel sorry for you. Victim, never; inspiration, always. In addition to being talented, you are an exceptional person”said Harrelson as he introduced the star who gave life to the beloved Marty McFly.

“they make me tremble”joked Fox to a standing ovation from a star-studded audience. Cate Blanchett, Jennifer Lawrence, Florence Pugh, Brendan Fraser, Ana de Armas, Tom Hanks or Kevin Feige were some of the many familiar faces present who surrendered to the tireless struggle of the 61-year-old actor.

“The most difficult thing was to come to terms with the certainty of the diagnosis and the uncertainty of the situation”said Fox before again referring to Parkinson’s as “the gift that never ceases to be felt. During his Comic Con reunion with Christopher Lloyd, Fox already defined the disease the same way: “It’s a gift that continues to weigh you down, but it’s a gift and I wouldn’t change it at all…”.

“Well, the song ‘No Surrender’ (by Bruce Springsteen) has always been my personal anthem, so it was easy; it’s not that bad. I didn’t do anything heroic”said the actor as he went up to pick up the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. “Let’s not kid ourselves, it’s bullshit I was diagnosed at 29 years old. Don’t clap, it’s like this, these are things that happen and it’s synonymous with being alive”assured Fox, bringing audience feelings to the surface. “Say what they say, no one can deny I was a very famous actor in the 80s”he ended up saying between laughs.

documentary in progress

Fox will star in a new documentary, currently in production, that Academy Award-winning director Davis Guggenheim has in the works.. This new project for Apple will follow the life of Fox, exploring his personal triumphs and defeats and what happens when a tireless optimist faces an incurable disease.