Fox was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and raised in Burnaby, British Columbia. He began acting in high school and starred in a number of Canadian television shows before gaining international fame for his role in _Back to the Future_. The film was a box office success and spawned two sequels, _Back to the Future Part II_ (1989) and _Back to the Future Part III_ (1990).
Fox's other film roles include _Teen Wolf_ (1985), _The Secret of My Succe_s (1987), _Mars Attacks!_ (1996), and _Atlantis: The Lost Empire_ (2001). He also starred in the television series _Spin City_ (1996–2001) and _The Michael J. Fox Show_ (2013–2014).
In 1991, Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, a neurodegenerative disorder that causes tremors, stiffness, and difficulty with movement. He went public with his diagnosis in 1998 and has since become an advocate for Parkinson's research. He founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research in 2000, and the foundation has raised over $1 billion for research.
Fox has received numerous awards for his work in film and television, including an Emmy Award, three Golden Globe Awards, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. He was also inducted into the Canadian Walk of Fame in 1998 and the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2002.
In addition to his acting and activism, Fox is also an author. He has written three books: _Lucky Man: A Memoir_ (2002), _Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist_ (2009), and _A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Future: Or, How to Live with Parkinson's_ (2020).
Fox is married to actress Tracy Pollan, and they have four children. He continues to act and advocate for Parkinson's research.