Michael J. Fox receives Bob Hope Humanitarian Award at 78th Emmy Awards for Parkinson's advocacy

Recognition at the 78th Emmy Awards

Michael J. Fox received the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award at the 78th Emmy Awards on September 14, 2026, in Los Angeles. The 65-year-old Canadian-American actor entered the stage in a wheelchair to standing ovations before and after his acceptance remarks. Julianna Margulies, who co-starred with Fox on the legal drama The Good Wife, presented the trophy after a video retrospective outlined his acting credits and advocacy efforts. Margulies addressed the audience, noting that the recognition represents only the sixth time the Television Academy has presented the honor since establishing it in 2002. The broadcast, hosted by Mariska Hargitay, also included tributes to Dolly Parton and Rob Reiner, who posthumously won the guest actor category in which Fox was nominated.

This year marks only the sixth time it has been bestowed, and I can think of no one more deserving of it than Michael.

Diagnosis, disclosure, and the turn to advocacy

Fox used his address to reflect on the early stages of his illness, which doctors diagnosed in 1991 when he was 29 years old during the production of Doc Hollywood. He initially chose to keep the diagnosis private for seven years, fearing that disclosure would damage his professional standing and alienate audiences. When he publicly announced his condition in 1998, the response from colleagues and the public proved supportive rather than damaging. That reception prompted Fox to leave his leading role on the sitcom Spin City in 2000 and dedicate himself to advancing treatments and research for fellow patients.

Initially, I kept my Parkinson's diagnosis a secret. I worried that it would affect my work and relationships with audiences. Would they laugh if they knew I was sick?

Fox drew a direct line between his philanthropic commitments and the example of Bob Hope. He noted that his parents were raised during the Great Depression and World War II, viewing Hope as an inspirational figure who regularly traveled to Berlin, Saigon, and the Middle East during holidays to entertain military personnel. Fox emphasized that acknowledging his diagnosis did not mean giving up on life or work. He closed his remarks by thanking his wife, Tracy Pollan, and their four children for their enduring patience, affection, and personal support over several decades.

I understood that accepting Parkinson's didn't mean I had to surrender to it. It just meant doing everything I could for everyone living with this disease.

Research investments and acting milestones

Fox established The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research in 2000 to coordinate fundraising and accelerate scientific development toward a medical cure. The non-profit organization has grown into the world's largest non-governmental funder of Parkinson's research, distributing more than $3 billion to scientific programs. After stepping back from acting in 2020 because speech and memory complications hindered memorizing dialogue, Fox returned to television in 2025. He took on a guest role in the Apple TV+ comedy series Shrinking, playing a patient opposite Harrison Ford. The performance brought Fox his 19th career Emmy nomination, complementing five earlier wins for Family Ties and Rescue Me.