Jason Segel Calls Michael J. Fox 'One of the Bravest People You Could Imagine' at 2026 Emmys

Jason Segel had plenty of praise for Michael J. Fox after the actor received the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards.

On Monday, September 14, Segel was asked about working with Fox on the set of Shrinking Season 3 and what he thought about the honor, which recognized Fox's longtime work supporting Parkinson’s disease research and advocacy.

“He is one of the bravest people you could imagine,” he began in a clip. “I also had the chance to go up to Michael J. Fox and tell him how he was an inspiration to me and my crew. We used to literally say: 'If Michael J. Fox can do it, we can do it.' And I got to tell him that.”

Segel also admired the way Fox “perseveres through any adversity and shows up on set,” calling it an “honor” to be part of Shrinking.

Fox was introduced by his former The Good Wife costar Julianna Margulies during the ceremony.

“You’re such a great acting partner, and had a great time on that show,” Fox said as he spoke from the stage in a wheelchair, adding that he was happy to no longer speak in legalese.

The five-time Emmy-winning actor was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991 at age 29. He continued working throughout his career, appearing in movies such as For Love or Money and The American President as well as the hit ABC series Spin City.

Fox publicly revealed his diagnosis in 1998. Two years later, he stepped back from his lead role on Spin City and launched the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.

The organization is now considered the largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson’s research.

The Bob Hope Humanitarian Award was established in 2002. It honors someone in television whose humanitarian work reflects the values and generosity associated with its namesake.

During his acceptance speech, Fox reflected on Bob Hope's impact on his family and his own approach to helping others.

“First, a few words about Bob Hope. My parents were born during the Great Depression, during World War II. For them, Bob was more than an entertainer; he was a selfless champion of soldiers, military families like mine for decades. Christmases, Thanksgivings, other holidays where he could have been celebrating with his family, he was showing up for the troops in Berlin, Saigon, the Middle East, with a turkey leg and a golf club, and maybe, if you’re lucky, Lola Falana. He embodied everything I came to believe in years later. I learned from his example. When [things] seriously get tough, you show up, you help, and if you get a little joy while you’re doing it. That’s even better,” he shared.

Fox also looked back on the moment his diagnosis changed the direction of his life.

“I couldn’t have known how these lessons would resonate in my own life ’til my late 30s, my late 20s, when my wife handed me a role that I was looking for," he said.

Fox added, "Initially, I kept my Parkinson’s diagnosis a secret. I worried that it would affect my work and my relationships with audiences. ... I understood that accepting Parkinson’s didn’t mean I had to surrender to it. I just spent [time] doing what I could for everyone living with this disease, so I set out to advocate for patients’ needs and raise money, and help us towards a cure. I found brilliant people to lead the effort for me and vowed to fund the best science in the world. I’m proud of the progress we’ve made to benefit Parkinson’s patients and families. We move closer to eradicating this disease forever. I'm deeply grateful to our staff, donors, researchers and most of the patient community, who make our work at Michael J. Fox Foundation possible,” he stated.