Michael J. Fox is alive, and he has jokes about it.
The “Back to the Future” star took to Threads Wednesday to address a wave of online alarm after CNN published a video and content package titled “Remembering the life of actor Michael J. Fox.” The post sent the internet into a tailspin with fears that Mr. Fox, 64, had died. There were no reports of his passing, and the piece was quickly removed.
Mr. Fox assured fans on Threads that he was alive and well, framing the mix-up as a multiple-choice dilemma.
“How do you react when you turn on the TV and CNN is reporting your death?” he asked followers, presenting options that ranged from switching to a rival network to calling his wife for reassurance. He concluded: “I thought the world was ending, but apparently it’s just me and I’m ok. Love, Mike.”
A CNN spokesperson acknowledged the blunder. “The package was published in error; we have removed it from our platforms and send our apologies to Michael J. Fox and his family,” the network said in a statement to TMZ.
Mr. Fox’s representative confirmed to TMZ that the actor was in good health. “Michael is doing great. He was at PaleyFest yesterday. He was on stage and was giving interviews,” the rep said.
The night before the CNN post, Mr. Fox appeared in person at PaleyFest in Los Angeles alongside his “Shrinking” co-stars for a panel discussion on Season 3. Mr. Fox joined the series as a guest star opposite Harrison Ford. Creator Bill Lawrence said he hoped to bring the actor back for Season 4, with Mr. Fox telling the audience he was open to it.
Mr. Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at age 29 in 1990 but did not announce his diagnosis publicly until 1998. He has since become a prominent advocate for Parkinson’s research, founding the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research in 2000, which has funded more than $2 billion in research.
“Shrinking” marked Mr. Fox’s first acting role since 2020, when he announced his retirement via his book “No Time Like the Future,” citing the difficulty Parkinson’s posed for memorizing lines and working on set. “Shrinking” Season 3 is now streaming on Apple TV+.
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