Michael J. Fox

Cast · Writer · Director

Born

June 9, 1961 · Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Birth name

Michael Andrew Fox

“Pain is temporary, movies are forever.” Michael J. Fox is a Canadian actor best known for his role as Marty McFly in the Back to the Future trilogy. He dropped out of school to pursue acting and made a name for himself on the series Family Ties, which aired on NBC for seven seasons. He played the young Republican Alex Keaton, a role that earned him three Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe. He also participated in films such as Teen Wolf (1985), Light of Day (1987) along with Joan Jett and also in Bright Lights, Big City (1988). In 1989, he appeared in Casualties of War, a war drama directed by Brian De Palma about the Vietnam War. His last film performances were in 1996, in The Frighteners, directed by Peter Jackson and Tim Burton's Mars Attack! In 1998, Fox went public with his battle against Parkinson's disease, becoming a strong supporter of research related to the condition. He founded The Michael J. Fox Foundation, dedicated to supporting Parkinson's research. After receiving his diagnosis, he continued to work as a voice actor, played the mouse protagonist of Stuart Little (1999) and gave life to Milo, protagonist of Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001). Not only did he leave a mark on film and television, but he inspired many people with his life story.