Michael J. Fox Receives Standing Ovation After Surprise Appearance At BAFTAs
Beloved actor Michael J. Fox received a standing ovation after making a surprise appearance at Sunday's BAFTA Film Awards.
The actor, who is living with Parkinson's disease and uses a wheelchair, stood at the podium and addressed the crowd. Host 'Doctor Who' star David Tennant described him as a "true legend of cinema." Robert Downey Jr., Ryan Gosling, and Margot Robbie gave a standing ovation as Fox took the stage.
"No matter who you are or where you're from, these films can bring us together," Fox, 62, said of the nominated films 'Oppenheimer,' 'Poor Things,' 'Anatomy of a Fall,' and others.
He continued: "There's a reason why they say movies are magic. Because a movie can change your day. It can change your outlook. Sometimes it can even change your life."
Read also: Michael J. Fox In Danger: Retired Actor Breaks Silence On Recent Alarming Health Diagnosis
The 'Back To The Future' star walked the BAFTA red carpet with his wife, Tracy Pollan, earlier in the evening.
Although he was not nominated, Davis Guggenheim's documentary about Fox, 'Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie,' was nominated for a BAFTA this year, but lost to the Ukrainian film '20 Days in Mariupol.'
The film documents the Canadian's life with Parkinson's disease. According to the Mayo Clinic, Parkinson's disease is "a progressive disorder that affects the nervous system and the parts of the body controlled by the nerves."
He was diagnosed with Parkinson's at age 29 in 1991. Fox founded The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research in 2000, which has since raised more than $2 million dollars to date.
