Michael J. Fox was celebrated for his outstanding contributions to humanitarian causes at the Oscars' 13th Governors Awards with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. The award was presented by Woody Harrelson, who worked with Fox on the movie, Doc Hollywood. As he introduced Fox, Harrelson said “to his cause, Michael J. Fox has brought understanding, empathy and resolve, and, with it, inspiration to millions who now stand a little taller, speak in a voice a little stronger and hold on just a little tighter to something all of humanity needs a whole lot more of — hope.”
Fox, who rose to fame on the NBC sitcom Family Ties, is best known for his role as Marty McFly in the Back to the Future trilogy. Throughout the 1980s he went on to star in a variety of films including Teen Wolf, The Secret of My Success, Casualties of War, and The Frighteners. Just before turning 30 in the early 90s, Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He became an outspoken advocate and founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2000 to help fund the research for a cure. Despite his diagnosis, Fox continued acting until he retired in 2020, after a long run as the recurring character Louis Canning on The Good Wife and its spinoff series The Good Fight.
Receiving a standing ovation as the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award was presented to him, Fox gave an open and emotional speech about how the hardest part of living with Parkinson’s was “grappling with the certainty of the diagnosis and the uncertainty of the situation,” and he went on to call it the “gift that keeps on taking.”
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The Michael J. Fox Foundation has raised $1.5 billion for research over the years. It works towards translating scientific discoveries into treatments to benefit the estimated five million people living with Parkinson’s disease today. The organization also hosts the Fox Trial Finder which matches research participants in the United States to clinical trials.
As he accepted his award, he thanked his colleagues, friends, and the people he worked with at the foundation. "My optimism is fueled by my gratitude," Fox said. "With gratitude, optimism is sustainable.” He thanked his children and his wife, Tracy Pollan, for her unwavering support. To conclude his speech, he invited his wife to the stage to walk with him and asked for his wife to “once again, carry the weight,” referring to the award given to him.
You can watch Fox's acceptance speech down below.