What happened to Michael J. Fox? Illness and health update explored as Back to the Future star shares heartwarming reunion with Christopher Lloyd 

Canadian-American actor Michael J. Fox had a reunion with former co-star Christopher Lloyd, 37 years after the duo starred together in the 1985 sci-fi film, Back to the Future.

On October 9, the 61-year-old star, along with Lloyd, appeared at the New York Comic Con and spoke on a panel about their friendship and the franchise’s legacy.

Addressing their 20-year-old bond, Lloyd said that he did not know anything about Michael J. Fox but had heard of him. However, he revealed that the duo had an "instant chemistry" when they first met on set.

Meanwhile, Fox, who is suffering from Parkinson's disease, stated that for him, the "best part" of the movie was "working with Chris" and dubbed him “the king of exposition.”

He said:

“No one wants to do exposition because it’s boring…The freaking thing is you retain it all, because he’s just so good at it, and he’s brilliantly entertaining… I would be like, ‘I gotta watch my a**, because this guy will blow me off the screen.’”

After the video of the duo went viral, fans were delighted to see their reunion and called it "wholesome" and "beautiful."

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Michael J. Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 1991

Michael J. Fox was first diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1991 at the age of 29 while he was at the peak of his professional career. As per the National Institute of Aging, Parkinson's is a central nervous system disorder that results in stiffness, imbalance, shaking, and difficulty with coordination in a person who is suffering from it.

The site also mentions that the symptoms worsen with time and that a person with the condition may also experience memory loss, difficulty in talking and walking, and fatigue. It also states that an individual with Parkinson's disease may suffer from depression as one of the symptoms.

Michael J. Fox did not reveal his condition until 1998 and continued acting for several years. In June 2022, the Teen Wolf star appeared on Working It Out hosted by Mike Birbiglia and talked about how difficult it became to remember lines with time.

He stated:

"When I did the spinoff from 'The Good Wife,' which is 'The Good Fight,' I couldn't remember the lines. I just had this blank, I couldn't remember the lines."

He also mentioned that a very common symptom of Parkinson's disease that has affected him over time is loss of smell. In the interview, the star revealed that his olfactory senses are affected, but he enjoys reminiscing about certain smells from his childhood.

He shared:

"I remember the smell of pine, just after Christmas, in this apartment building I lived in. It had balconies, fire escapes, and everyone would put the trees out there for New Year's before they got picked up, because you couldn't put them on the road. And the whole place smelled like pine. It smelled like a pine forest."

After he went public with his disease, Michael J. Fox appeared in several series and films like Spin City, Interstate 60: Episodes of the Road, Scrubs, Boston Legal, Rescue Me, The Michael J. Fox Show, The Good Wife, Designated Survivor, See You Yesterday, and more.

Although doctors were unsure if he would be able to act post his diagnosis, Fox continued working until 2020, when he announced his retirement.

During his recent Comic Con appearance with Christopher Lloyd, Fox also spoke about the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

Michael J. Fox said:

"Parkinson's has brought people who are still coming in, but it's a gift, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. People like Chris have meant so much to me, and so many of you have too. It's not about what I have, it's about what you've given me: a voice to do that and help people."

Founded in 2000, the Michael J. Fox foundation happens to be the world's largest organization for Parkinson's research.