Michael J Fox brings people to tears in Bafta’s surprise appearance
Michael J Fox, renowned for his role in “Back To The Future” and living with Parkinson’s disease, made a surprise appearance at the Baftas to announce the recipient of the best film award.
The 62-year-old actor, who struggles with Parkinson’s, unexpectedly took the stage in a wheelchair but insisted on rising to his feet at the podium to present the award to Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.”
Fox’s appearance garnered a standing ovation, prompting many social media users to express tearful reactions upon seeing him onstage.
Diagnosed in the 1990s, Fox rarely makes public appearances. Although Davis Guggenheim’s documentary film, “Still: A Michael J Fox Movie,” was nominated for Best Documentary, it ultimately lost to “20 Days In Mariupol.”
As Bafta host David Tennant introduced the Canadian-American actor at the Royal Festival Hall in London, he hailed Fox as a “true legend of cinema.”
During his presentation of the best film nominees, Fox described cinema as “magic” capable of “changing your life.”
He remarked, “Five films were nominated in this category tonight, and all five share a common trait. They represent the pinnacle of our craft.”
Fox emphasized the unifying power of film, asserting that it brings people together “regardless of who you are or where you come from.”
He added: “There’s a reason why they say movies are magic because movies can change your day.
“It can change your outlook. Sometimes it can change your life.”
Social media users were quick to react to Fox’s appearance on X, formerly Twitter, with one saying he was “in floods of tears” the minute he came on stage.
“Absolute hero,” wrote another. “He’s a total legend and wonderful human,” added a third.
Fox founded the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research in 2000. According to CBS News, the Foundation has raised more than £1.58bn.
Parkinson’s disease, a condition in which parts of the brain become progressively damaged over many years, affects around 128,000 people in England, according to the NHS.
Parkinson’s UK describes it as “the fastest growing neurological condition in the world”.
