HEALTHParkinson's-Stricken Michael J. Fox Emerges Alongside Harrison Ford for Rare PSA : 'Don't Make It Weird'
Michael J. Fox and Harrison Ford appeared together in a PSA.
Sept. 2 2026, Published 5:26 p.m. ET
Michael J. Fox made a rare public appearance alongside longtime friend Harrison Ford to spread awareness about Parkinson's disease.
The duo addressed viewers side-by-side in a Wednesday, September 2, YouTube video, sharing how friends and family can show up for loved ones who are battling the progressive brain disorder.
"Don't make it weird," Fox said to audience members who may just be discovering their loved ones were diagnosed. "You should write that down."
Michael J. Fox and Harrison Ford teamed up for a PSA.
Michael J. Fox encouraged people to be there for their loved ones with Parkinson's disease.
"I don't have to write it down; I have a mental note," Harrison joked back.
Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1991 when he was just 29 years old, but the star refrained from sharing his struggle with the public until 1998.
He seemed in good spirits as he quipped with his friend and fellow actor, making a lighthearted informational video on behalf of the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.
'Keep It Simple'
Michael J. Fox told viewers to 'keep it simple.'
Fox went on to encourage those who wish to support a loved one with Parkinson's to "keep it simple" when they reveal their diagnosis.
"You don't need to do any fancy speeches," he explained, to which the Star Wars actor responded, "Good, I hate big speeches."
The Back to the Future star also discouraged people from looking up potential "cures" online in an attempt to "fix" the chronic disease.
"Try not to confuse helping with fixing," he noted. "Saying you found a cure on the internet is not helping."
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What Is Parkinson's Disease?
Michael J. Fox was diagnosed in 1991.
Parkinson's disease is an incurable illness that causes tremors and slowed mobility, as well as stiff muscles and loss of automatic movements.
The disease can eventually impact speech, causing individuals to slur or speak more softly than they normally would.
Fox previously revealed that the severity of his symptoms would dictate whether or not he could continue working. At one point, he was forced to take a hiatus due to his condition.
"I couldn't rely on my ability to speak on any given day," he told AARP in 2021. "Which meant I couldn't act comfortably at all anymore."
Harrison Ford appears alongside his friend in 'Shrinking.'
As OK! previously reported, he credits acting with "prolonging his life."
Fox returned to the screen in Season 3 of the Emmy-nominated Apple TV+ series Shrinking, in which Ford also stars alongside Jason Segel.
"It was the first time ever I got to show up on-set, and I didn't have to worry about, am I too tired or coughing or anything," Fox shared of his return to the screen. "I just do it. It was really good, because for the moments when I say, ‘I'm not going to be able to do this,' then I say, ‘Well, I'll just deal with how I can't do it in the scene.' And you get through it."
