Michael J. Fox retiring from acting roles due to declining health

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Michael J. Fox is retiring again. After being a poster boy for films in the 1980s, the former teen actor turned 1990s sitcom star in Spin City took a hiatus from appearing in front of cameras due to his Parkinson's Disease diagnosis. That hiatus did not last long as he continued to appear steadily in roles ranging from series like Rescue Me and Scrubs to Boston Legal, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Good Wife, and many more. Through all of those roles, Fox maintained a steady dedication to his non-profit organization through fundraisers and personal appearances that redefined his legacy as a man of the people in Hollywood.

After twenty years of navigating his diagnosis in a public forum, Fox is once again stepping away due to declining health. We here at JoBlo.com are huge fans of the Back to the Future star and wish him nothing but the best as he takes time for himself and his family. I don't want this to sound like an obituary because clearly, Michael J. Fox is doing better than the vast majority who share his illness but I would imagine that such a thing takes its toll.

Fox recently revealed that the reason for his retirement is that it is becoming more difficult to memorize the lines needed for acting roles, so he may stick to limited appearances, like his cameo in the recent music video for Lil Nas X. He made the announcement in his second memoir, "No Time Like the Future", which was excerpted by the L.A Times. In it, he writes:

“There is a time for everything, and my time of putting in a twelve-hour workday, and memorizing seven pages of dialogue, is best behind me…At least for now … I enter a second retirement. That could change, because everything changes. But if this is the end of my acting career, so be it.”

It also sounds as if Fox plans to continue advocating for his foundation, which you must admit is a baller move, given the circumstances. I think that we can all agree that the last thing anyone needs in 2020 is another emotional gut-punch, which is why I'm choosing to believe that this is not a goodbye for Mr. Fox, but rather we'll see you soon and on your terms kind of deal.

Again, we here at JoBlo wish Mr. Fox nothing but the very best as he continues to remain a legend of the silver screen in our eyes. Go forth, good sir, you're one of the good ones. Fox's new memoir is available now and can be purchased here!