- Michael J. Fox received a standing ovation at the 2024 BAFTAs on Sunday.
- The "Back to the Future" star presented the award for best film to "Oppenheimer."
Michael J. Fox received a standing ovation at the 2024 BAFTAs on Sunday night in a rare awards show appearance.
Host David Tennant introduced Fox, who presented the award for best film to Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" at the ceremony in London.
Fox, who is best known for his role as Marty McFly in the "Back to the Future" trilogy, was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1991 and continued to work until his retirement in 2020.
During his presentation speech, Fox praised the nominees and spoke about how important movies are.
"No matter who you are or where you're from, these films can bring us together. There's a reason why they say movies are magic because movies can change your day," he said. "It can change your outlook. Sometimes it can change your life."
@bbc Michael J. Fox gets a standing ovation for presenting the award for Best Film ❤️ #BAFTA #iPlayer ♬ original sound - BBC
The audience was visibly moved by Fox’s appearance.
Aside from being one of the biggest stars of the 1980s, in 2000, the actor started The Michael J. Fox Foundation to fund research into a cure for Parkinson’s disease, and has since raised over $2 billion for research.
Although Fox retired from acting in 2022, he was recently the focus of Davis Guggenheim's 2023 documentary, "Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie," which examines how the actor has dealt with having Parkinson's.
In an interview with The Guardian earlier this month, Fox said he chooses to be optimistic about his condition and finding a cure.
"I am not the story. The story is the power of optimism. That it's really a choice. Acceptance doesn't mean being resigned to something. You look at it and say: 'What does this truth require of me?'"
During a 2023 Q+A about the documentary (via ET Online), Fox said that he doesn’t like pity.
"Pity is a benign form of abuse. I can feel sorry for myself, but I don't have time for that. There is stuff to be learned from this, so let's do that and move on,” he said.