Michael J. Fox Celebrates His 60Th Birthday — Happy Birthday to a Legend
Everybody Loves Michael J. Fox. He Was One of the Biggest Stars of the ’80S, Between His Breaking Role in the Sitcom Family Ties to His Iconic Performance in...
Everybody loves Michael J. Fox. He was one of the biggest stars of the ’80s, between his breaking role in the sitcom Family Ties to his iconic performance in the timeless Back to the Future series.
But Fox has also become an inspiration to millions in real life: he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, and has since been advocating for others and raising money for a cure through his Michael J. Fox Foundation.
While Fox doesn’t appear on our screens as much these days — he announced his retirement last year due to worsening health — he’s still living every day to the fullest. And today, the star is celebrating a major milestone: his 60th birthday!
In honor of this amazing milestone, read about his incredible career and what he’s up to now.
Early career & breakout success
Fox was born on June 9, 1961 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He began a professional acting career as a teenager. After appearing in the films Midnight Madness and Class of 1984, he landed his breakout role as Alex P. Keaton on NBC’s Family Ties.
As the Reaganite teen son of two ex-hippie parents, Fox became the show’s breakout star. He won three Emmy Awards for Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.
He catapulted even further to legendary fame after being cast in the lead role of Marty McFly in the 1985 time travel comedy Back to the Future. He wasn’t the first choice—he replaced Eric Stoltz after filming started—but it’s hard to imagine anyone but Fox in the role.
The film, about a teen going back to the 1950s in a time-travelling DeLorean and running into his teenage parents, became a massive critical and commercial hit and is still one of the most beloved Hollywood films.
The same year, he starred in the teen comedy Teen Wolf. He returned to Back to the Future in its two sequels, which were also huge hits.
After achieving fame as a leading man, he starred in further comedies like The Secret of My Success and Doc Hollywood, as well as more dramatic work in films like Bright Lights, Big City and Casualties of War.
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Love & family
Fox’s career also led to him meeting the love of his life. He met his future wife Tracy Pollan on the set of Family Ties, when she was cast as his girlfriend.
The couple married on July 16, 1988. They have four children together: their son Sam, twin daughters Aquinnah and Schuyler, and Esmé.
Maya is a hardware enthusiast who tests and reviews smart home devices, smartphones, wearables, and audio gear. She focuses on practical consumer value and build quality.
