Michael J. Fox Remembers His Late Mother's Warning About Back To The Future

Canadian-American actor Michael J. Fox may have been in the industry since the late '70s, but there's certainly one role of his which stands above all else throughout his career: that of Marty McFly in the "Back to the Future" trilogy, from 1985 to 1990. Of course, as any fan of the legendary film series will remember, Fox's Marty McFly made several journeys both to the future and the past, alongside Christopher Lloyd's "Doc" Brown, sending both the characters and the actors portraying them into worldwide recognition. 

However, the famous actor — who announced his retirement in 2020 — recently suffered a personal loss: his mother, Phyllis, died at the age of 92 on September 24. However, while remembering his mother, who also worked as an actor for a time during the family's time in Canada, Fox also recalled an admittedly accurate warning she gave him back in the '80s about his most famous film role.

As it turns out, although it was the "Back to the Future" trilogy which launched a young Michael J. Fox to international fame, his mother, Phyllis, actually warned him about taking on such a heavy role. 

After revealing that his mother died two weeks prior to his New York Comic-Con appearance, Fox remembered her with some fascinating anecdotes, per People. He recalled telling his mother that he was asked to do "this Steven Spielberg movie," though he would have to film at night and balance it with production of NBC's "Family Ties," which shot during the day. His mother responded by saying, "You'll be too tired." While he defended himself by saying, "I live for this kind of tired. It'll be okay," he added that, in retrospect, "She loved the movie, [but she was right], I got tired."

During her lifetime, Phyllis and Fox were evidently quite close. Despite his longtime battle with Parkinson's disease, Fox once hopped on a plane and flew to Belfast, in Northern Ireland (where Phyllis' mother was from), in 2009, to surprise her for her 80th birthday. He wrote of the experience in his book "No Time Like the Future" that, "Mom's reaction, upon realizing that the gents bearing her room service tray were her two sons, was a mixture of shock and delight."

Michael J. Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 1991 when he was just 29 years old. According to his memoir (via The U.S. Sun), he was told that he could only work for 10 more years. He kept the diagnosis a secret for seven of those years because he was in denial, and he didn't want to jeopardize his career.

Now, more than 30 years later, things still aren't easy for Fox. In the October 9 Comic Con panel for "Back to the Future," per Daily Mail, the actor said, "I had a rough year of getting beat up," revealing that he's broken his cheek, his eye socket, his hand, his elbow, and his shoulder. "But that was really cool because it made me realize ... with gratitude, it's sustainable."

According to The Guardian, Fox underwent surgery in 2018 to remove a tumor in his spine, but Parkinson's made the recovery "dangerous" due to the lack of coordination and balance. He was left alone at home one day and he fell, and ultimately ended up with 19 screws in his arm. But even with the hardships, the actor stayed strong and optimistic about everything.

Some of Michel J. Fox's friends also have expressed concern about him continuing his career with Parkinson's Disease. "As his friend, I was a little concerned when Mike announced he was doing a network show and wondered whether he was up for all the work," Denis Leary told AARP. He mentioned that he changed his mind once he realized how passionate Fox was about the show. The "Back to the Future" actor said that he takes days off when he's not in a scene to balance the rigor of the job with his condition.

"Parkinson's is the gift that keeps on taking," the actor said in the October 9 Comic Con panel, per People. "But it's a gift, and I wouldn't change it for anything." He mentioned that he has great friends who are always supportive. "It's not about what I have, it's about what I've been given," he added.

According to an online obituary, Fox's mother, Phyllis, did a lot of charity work. She mainly focused on raising awareness for Diabetes and Parkinson's Disease, and was on the board of her son's theatre. With all this support behind him, it's no wonder the "Stuart Little" star has been able to continue doing what he loves.