Michael J. Fox Admits Dealing With Parkinson's Disease Has 'Gotten Harder Over the Years'

Michael J. Fox is getting candid about the increasing challenges of living with Parkinson's disease.

The 65-year-old Back to the Future icon admitted his condition has become more difficult to manage as the years have passed, but he's refusing to give up hope as he continues dedicating himself to finding a cure.

Fox, who first began experiencing symptoms of Parkinson's disease at age 29, acknowledged the physical toll the progressive condition has taken on him.

"Of course, things have gotten harder over the years," he told People while discussing his continued work with the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

Despite those challenges, Fox said he feels "privileged" to devote his time and energy to doing everything he can to help cure the disease.

Fox isn't letting the increasingly difficult symptoms dampen his optimism about the future of Parkinson's research.

"We don't know exactly when it'll happen, but it will happen," he said of reaching a world without the disease.

The actor pointed to increasing research breakthroughs, new medications that help people with Parkinson's live well and improved tools that allow scientists to work faster.

"And the science is showing we're getting close," he added.

Fox founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research in 2000, two years after publicly revealing his diagnosis.

Since then, the organization has funded more than $3 billion in Parkinson's research and is now preparing to launch another massive fundraising campaign with a goal of raising an additional $2.5 billion.

Fox's efforts are now being recognized with the prestigious 2026 Lasker-Bloomberg Public Service Award for his contributions to Parkinson's research and advocacy.

Fox has also found his way back in front of the camera after previously stepping away from acting due to challenges caused by Parkinson's.

He recently guest-starred in Season 3 of Apple TV's Shrinking, marking his first on-camera acting role in six years.

"This new character allows me to show up on set as myself," Fox explained, adding that the role lets him use how he's feeling on any particular day and channel it into his performance.

Fox initially stepped back from acting again in 2020 after realizing Parkinson's was affecting his ability to memorize dialogue.

The demanding 12-hour workdays he'd once handled were no longer realistic, and Fox questioned whether he'd be able to experience the same joy from acting again.

Shrinking, however, offered him a different kind of environment where his condition could become part of the character rather than something he needed to work around.

Although acting remains part of his life, Fox made it clear that his foundation's mission continues to be one of his greatest priorities.

The longtime advocate said scientific progress requires enormous amounts of money, time and collaboration, but he remains determined to see the work through.

"It's heartening progress," Fox said of recent developments in Parkinson's research. "And we're going to stay on it till the job is done."