Michael J. Fox has made his comeback to television after a six-year hiatus, marking a significant moment with his role in the third season of the Apple TV+ comedy series Shrinking. This return highlights the actor’s ongoing connection to portraying characters affected by Parkinson’s disease, a condition he himself was diagnosed with in 1991.
Michael J. Fox Joins Season 3 of Shrinking
The 64-year-old iconic actor reenters the acting world by taking on the role of Jerry in Shrinking, reconnecting with showrunner Bill Lawrence, who had previously collaborated with Fox during the run of Spin City. In this current season, Fox’s character Jerry is a patient living with Parkinson’s disease. He forms a bond with Harrison Ford’s character, Dr. Paul Rhoades, a therapist who also battles the same neurodegenerative illness.
Their characters meet initially in a doctor’s waiting room, and in one pivotal episode, Jerry appears as a hallucination to Paul after Paul marries Dr. Julie Baram, played by Wendie Malick. This encounter acts as a catalyst for Paul to face his Parkinson’s diagnosis and the challenges of treatment. Fox is scheduled to appear in two additional episodes during this season.
How Fox Was Invited Back to the Show
Fox’s decision to return to acting in Shrinking came after a conversation with Bill Lawrence, who co-created the series alongside Jason Segel and Brett Goldstein. The show explores the lives of three therapists: Jimmy (Jason Segel), who struggles with grief after losing his wife; Paul, managing life with Parkinson’s; and Gaby (Jessica Williams), who faces personal and professional difficulties.
Following the show’s premiere in January 2023, Fox contacted Lawrence about joining the cast. Reflecting on this, Fox shared,
“I said, ‘You did a show about Parkinson’s, and you didn’t call me?’ And he said, ‘Oh, you want to do it?’ And I said, ‘I’d love to do it,’”
Michael J. Fox told PEOPLE.
“He said, ‘Let me think about it, see what I can do.’ He worked on it and came up with this concept. It’s really good.”
Fox’s Experience Returning to a Television Set
After several years away from regular acting roles, Fox described his experience returning to the set as refreshing yet cautiously hopeful. He revealed,
“It was the first time ever I got to show up on set, and I didn’t have to worry about am I too tired or coughing or anything,”
adding,
“I just do it. It was really good, because for the moments when I say, ‘I’m not going to be able to do this.’ Then I say, ‘Well, I’ll just deal with how I can’t do it in the scene.’ And you get through it.”
Fans of Shrinking can look forward to new episodes of the show’s second season releasing every Wednesday on Apple TV+ until May 22, continuing to explore nuanced stories around Parkinson’s and personal healing.
