Michael J. Fox has long been open about his battle with Parkinson’s disease. But now, he’s letting fans in on even more of his journey—specifically, the first jarring signs that something was wrong.
In Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, (which debuts on Apple TV+ May 12th) he gives us a sneak peek into his early days with the degenerative condition.
Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination, per the National Institute of Health (NIH). Symptoms usually begin gradually and worsen over time.
The Back to the Future star was first diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991, but has said that he was in denial of his condition for a long time, waiting seven years to share the diagnosis with the public. Since opening up about his Parkinson’s, Fox has kept the public intermittently updated on his health and well-being. He also has shared how the disease has affected him and his career, such as his memory loss affecting his ability to read lines.
Now, Fox takes the audience with him as he chronicles his condition. The newly released trailer for the film shows just how much the star is sharing—particularly, his hidden Parkinson’s beginnings.
In the trailer, Fox shared that his first sign something was awry started small, with just a finger moving beyond his control. “I woke up and I noticed my pinky,” he said. When he broke the news to his wife, he recalled her responding: “In sickness and in health.” Fox said that no one outside of his family knew about his diagnosis, “But all those years of hiding was shaking me awake.”
In the moving trailer, Fox explained how he continued to persevere, saying, “To deny that part of me that wants to continue to go on and to do things, is to quit… I’m a tough son of a bit*h.”
The Family Ties star shared the trailer on Instagram, where fans flooded the comments with love and excitement for the release of the documentary. One wrote, “We’ve all been waiting for this and we didn’t know it until now. I cannot wait. Counting the days ????.” Another chimed in: “I just Love M.J Fox. Charismatic, intelligent, sympathetic, empathetic, and HUGE professional. I’m sure that his story and disease serves a higher purpose.” Another wrote, “What a great edit… I crushed on young Michael and now I’m crushing on the man who refuses to let Parkinson’s crush him ????❤️????.”
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie premieres on May 12th on Apple TV+.
Madeleine, Prevention’s assistant editor, has a history with health writing from her experience as an editorial assistant at WebMD, and from her personal research at university. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in biopsychology, cognition, and neuroscience—and she helps strategize for success across Prevention’s social media platforms.
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