Congratulations are in order for Michael J. Fox, who has landed his first Emmy nomination in a decade. The 65-year-old actor made a welcome return to acting in season three of Apple TV's Shrinking, after announcing his "second retirement" in 2020 due to the progression of his Parkinson's disease.
Michael plays Gerry, a patient with Parkinson's disease, in a multi-episode arc on the comedy drama, with stars Jason Segel and Harrison Ford.
© Apple TVThe Back to the Future star was nominated in the Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series category, and will go up against Brett Goldstein (Shrinking), Hamish Linklater (Widow's Bay), Christopher McDonald (Hacks) and Connor Storrie (Saturday Night Live).
© Getty ImagesThis marks Michael's first nomination since 2016, when he was nominated in the Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series category for The Good Wife. The actor has won five Emmys in total: three for Family Ties, one for Boston Legal and one for Rescue Me.
Michael's retirement from acting
Michael was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1991 at just 29 years old. He kept his condition private for several years before going public in 1998.
© Ron Galella Collection via GettyHe later stepped away from his popular ABC sitcom Spin City because he felt the symptoms were starting to impact his performance. Instead, the actor focused on advocacy and fundraising for Parkinson's disease, gradually reducing his acting workload and only taking limited roles in shows.
© Getty ImagesHe later starred in The Good Wife and The Michael J. Fox Show before retiring in 2020 due to his health.
Since then, he has taken voice roles such as Michael J. The Fox in Zootopia 2, and appeared in documentaries, including 2023's Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie.
Michael's return to acting
Michael returned to acting in a guest role in season three of Apple TV's comedy drama, Shrinking.
The character was created for him by Shrinking co-creator Bill Lawrence, who previously worked with Michael on Spin City and Scrubs.
The actor, who plays a character living with Parkinson's disease in the series, last appeared on TV screens in 2020, when he guest starred in the legal drama, The Good Fight.
© AppleTV Via Getty ImagesShrinking follows a grieving therapist who starts to break the rules and tell his clients exactly what he thinks.
On joining the cast, Michael told The LA Times: "The depth of character, the quality of relationships, the language — it’s just a beautiful show.
"And I thought, just do that for its own sake. I don't have an agenda. Don't have to be coming back into acting or anything. It'll be fun. And there’s Harrison Ford, which is insane."
