Michael J Fox Breaks Five-Year Acting Silence With Parkinson's Scene Alongside Harrison Ford in 'Shrinking'

Michael J Fox has made his return to acting after five years, appearing in the newly released trailer for Shrinking season 3 alongside Harrison Ford in a poignant scene addressing Parkinson's disease with characteristic humour.

The 64-year-old actor, who stepped away from acting in 2020 due to speech and memory issues linked to his Parkinson's diagnosis, appears in a waiting room at a medical facility, seated next to Dr Paul Rhoades, played by Ford.

'What are you in for?' Fox's character asks. 'Parkinson's. You?' Paul responds. Fox delivers a perfectly timed quip: 'Just a haircut,' prompting laughter from both characters, according to Variety.

The Apple TV series released its season 3 trailer on 30 December, offering the first glimpse of Fox's return to live-action television since his 2020 guest appearance on The Good Fight.

Reunion With Bill Lawrence After 25 Years

Fox's casting marks a reunion with series co-creator Bill Lawrence, with whom he previously collaborated on the ABC sitcom Spin City for four seasons before departing in 2000 due to early Parkinson's symptoms.

The actor also appeared in a memorable two-episode arc on Lawrence's medical comedy Scrubs in 2004.

Fox revealed that he personally called Lawrence after learning the show featured a character with Parkinson's disease, asking why he hadn't been approached for the role, per Variety. Lawrence immediately expressed interest in having him join the series.

Lawrence confirmed that Fox had personally called him to enquire about joining the series after learning Ford's character was dealing with Parkinson's disease, a story line introduced in season 1.

Ford Calls Fox's Presence 'Essential'

Harrison Ford, who received his first Emmy nomination for his role in the series, praised Fox's involvement as crucial to his portrayal of a therapist living with Parkinson's.

In a July interview with Variety, Ford described Fox's courage, fortitude, and grace as being on full display, calling him a smart, brave, and generous example to everyone, regardless of whether they face Parkinson's themselves.

Ford emphasised his commitment to portraying Parkinson's accurately rather than for entertainment value, stating that the disease is not funny and that he wants to get the representation right.

Lawrence previously revealed at a December 2024 PaleyLive event that Fox had been his first mentor, describing the actor as inspiring in how he has handled his diagnosis and continues to work harder than anyone he knows, People reported.

Five Years Away From Acting

Fox announced his retirement from acting in 2020 after struggling with memory and speech issues during production on The Good Fight.

In his 2020 memoir No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality, Fox explained that being unable to speak reliably was a fundamental barrier for an actor, noting that memorising lines had become increasingly challenging due to his Parkinson's symptoms.

The Back to the Future star was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson's disease in 1991 at age 29, though he only disclosed his condition publicly in 1998.

During his five-year hiatus, Fox focused on his advocacy work through the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, which he founded in 2000. He also appeared in the 2023 documentary Still: A Michael J Fox Movie and provided a voice cameo as 'Michael J The Fox' in this year's animated film Zootopia 2.

Turning Challenges Into Comedy

Fox revealed that filming Shrinking allowed him to incorporate his real-life challenges into his performance in a way that felt liberating rather than limiting.

The actor described the experience as freeing, saying he could simply show up on set without worrying about fatigue or other symptoms, and that when difficulties arose, he could work them into his performance rather than fighting against them.

Lawrence had earlier said that Fox had enjoyed filming so much that he ended up shooting multiple episodes rather than just the planned single appearance.

The series co-creator emphasised that Fox's character is far from preachy, describing him as a wise-arse who remains as acerbic as ever and plays a key role in the first episode.

Season 3 Premiere Details

Shrinking season 3 will premiere globally on Apple TV with a one-hour season premiere episode on 28 January 2026, Deadline reported. New episodes will be released weekly through 8 April.

The series, created by Lawrence, Jason Segel, and Brett Goldstein, follows Jimmy, a grieving therapist who begins using unconventional methods in his practice. The cast includes Segel, Ford, Jessica Williams, Luke Tennie, Michael Urie, Lukita Maxwell, Christa Miller, and Ted McGinley.

The trailer also revealed the return of Cobie Smulders, who plays Jimmy's love interest Sofi, reuniting her with former How I Met Your Mother co-star Segel. Additional guest stars for season 3 include Jeff Daniels, Sherry Cola, and Isabella Gomez.