Michael J. Fox Returns to Acting in ‘Shrinking’ Season 3 After 5 Years Away—Here’s Why He Said Yes
The beloved actor explains why 'Shrinking' inspired him to step back in front of the camera again
Several years ago, Back to the Future (1985) star Michael J. Fox stepped away from acting after his Parkinson’s diagnosis began to take a more significant physical toll on him. In a conversation with Empire, the actor looked back on the moment that led him to his 2020 decision. While filming The Good Fight, Fox had a moment when he couldn’t remember his lines—a problem that reminded him of something he’d seen in a film. “I thought of Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. There’s a scene where Leonardo DiCaprio’s character can’t remember his lines anymore. He goes back to his dressing room and he’s screaming at himself in the mirror. Just freaking insane,” he recalled. “I had this moment where I was looking in the mirror and thought, ‘I cannot remember it anymore.’”
Despite stepping away from acting, during his retirement, Fox has stayed busy. An advocate for Parkinson’s research, he continues to dedicate himself to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. Additionally, you may have caught his viral moment in which he joined Coldplay on stage and lent his guitar skills to beloved songs like “Fix You.” Despite his decision to step away from a life in front of the camera, there was one series in particular that made him rethink his decision: Shrinking.
The Apple TV dramedy stars Jason Segel as a therapist mourning the loss of his wife and juggling his grief, career and role as a father. In the thick of his grief, he takes on a new approach when it comes to his clients, responding to their problems and circumstances with unfiltered, brutal honesty. Along the way, we get to know his friends, family and colleagues, including Harrison Ford’s character, Paul, a therapist who has Parkinson’s. Paul’s character, the touching story and brilliant writing ignited something in Michael J. Fox—leading him to join the series in the upcoming third season. Here, read more about the actor’s decision to jump in front of the camera once again.
Michael J. Fox joins ‘Shrinking’ cast
The co-creator of Shrinking, Bill Lawrence, actually worked with Fox years prior on Spin City, and in conversation with People, Fox revealed that he gave Bill a call. “I said, ‘You did a show about Parkinson’s, and you didn’t call me?’ And he said, ‘Oh, you want to do it?’ And I said, ‘I’d love to do it,’” he shared. While not much is known yet about the specifics of his role, the trailer for Season 3 showed Fox sitting alongside Ford in the waiting room of a doctor’s office, and the actor has revealed that he does play a character with Parkinson’s.
“It was the first time ever I get to show up on-set, and I didn’t have to worry about am I too tired or coughing or anything,” he said. “I just do it. It was really good, because for the moments when I say, ‘I’m not going to be able to do this,’ then I say, ‘Well, I’ll just deal with how I can’t do it in the scene.’ And you get through it.”
Catch Michael J. Fox in the new season of Shrinking, premiering on January 28.
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