Famous Actor Michael J. Fox recently described the ever-evolving state of the entertainment industry and how it differs from his prime in the 1980s. According to Fox, there was a substantially “tougher” barrier to entry for Hollywood actors and actresses.
Michael J. Fox carved out a name for himself in the 80s, starring in hit films such as the “Back to the Future” series and portraying Alex P. Keaton in the NBC sitcom “Family Ties.” However, Fox recently sat down with People to discuss how different Hollywood has become over the years. According to Fox, there is a notable distinction of being “80’s famous.”
“There’s an expression I referred to when they gave me an honorary Academy Award — somebody said to me the day before, they were talking about getting this award and being famous and they said, ‘You’re ‘80s famous,” Fox stated. “I thought, wow, that’s cool. ‘80s famous.’ Right, we were different.”
He continued describing the “tougher” nature of actors and actresses who weren’t subject to modern phenomena such as social media. “We were tougher. We didn’t have social media; we didn’t have any of that crap. We were just famous. Left to our own resources. And it was an amazing time,” he added.
When asked if it was more difficult to be famous in the 80s, he noted, “Well, you had to be talented — that helped,” he said. The actor further stated the hard work and dedication many actors would put in to succeed in the industry back then.
“We used to bust our ass, our acting muscles, and watch other actors and sit around with other actors and talk about acting — and talk about it,” Fox added. “And now you’ve got people who just go like, ‘who’s your sweater? What’s your sweater you’re wearing? And what’s that dance step? And you’re the most famous person in the world.’”
Fox has been battling with Parkinson’s Disease for years, where he has openly discussed his difficulties with the condition. The American Tribune reported on comments Fox made about the state of his health, where the actor explained that he wouldn’t live to see 80. “[Parkinson’s] banging on the door… I’m not going to lie, it’s getting hard. It’s getting harder. It’s getting tougher. Every day it’s tougher … that’s the way it is. I mean, you know, who do I see about that?” he said.
However, it appears that Fox has made peace with the disease, stating, “My life is set up so … I can pack Parkinson’s along with me if I have to.” He continued, expressing his understanding of his mortality with Parkinson’s. “You don’t die from Parkinson’s. You die with Parkinson’s … I’ve been thinking about the mortality of it.… I’m not going to be 80. I’m not going to be 80,” Fox said.
“I had spinal surgery. I had a tumor on my spine … it was benign, but it messed up my walking … then, started to break stuff … broke this arm, and I broke this arm, I broke this elbow. I broke my face. I broke my hand,” the “Back to the Future” actor said explaining the various surgeries he has had to undergo as a result from reduced motor function. However, Fox did express optimism toward the future of Parkinson’s, where significant advancements have been made toward treating and curing the disease.
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