Michael J. Fox Reveals Beloved A-Lister Is Very Protective of Him

Michael J. Fox is praising his “Shrinking” co-star Harrison Ford.

He revealed how Ford was genuinely caring when they worked together on the Apple TV+ dramedy’s third season.

In an interview with PEOPLE at the Michael J. Fox Foundation’s gala on Saturday, Nov. 15, Fox shared how supportive Ford was on set—and how much it meant coming back to acting after years away.

“It was amazing,” Fox said. “Harrison is so good… I should say he’s an underrated actor because everybody knows how great he is, but the subtlety of his work.”

He added, “[He’s] so brilliant and so fun to work with. [He’s] so protective of me and wanted me to have a great experience.” 

Fox, who is returning to on-camera work following his 2020 retirement, said he approached the “Shrinking” creators, including Bill Lawrence, because of how Ford’s character, Dr. Paul Rhodes, lives with Parkinson’s disease—mirroring Fox’s own real-life diagnosis.

A Personal and Professional Reunion

For Fox, joining “Shrinking” wasn’t just about returning to TV—it was deeply personal.

He revealed that he told Lawrence, “You did a show about Parkinson’s, and you didn’t call me?”

His return comes as a chapter in which he’s no longer just acting around his disease—he’s portraying it honestly, without hiding.

Fox described how it was on set. “It was the first time ever I get to show up on-set, and I didn’t have to worry about am I too tired or coughing or anything,” he told the outlet.

The Role of Ford Was Inspired by Fox

Lawrence revealed that Ford’s character was actually inspired by Fox, as the two previously worked together on “Spin City” in the ’90s.

“It’s cool to get to write about things you care about now, and Michael J. Fox is my first mentor, so we wanted to represent it in hopefully an inspiring and not sad or tragic way,” he told PEOPLE in December 2024.

Ford also praised Fox in an interview with Variety in July.

“Michael’s courage, his fortitude and his grace, more than anything else, is on full display,” he stated. “He’s very smart, very brave, noble, generous, passionate guy, and an example to all of us, whether we’re facing Parkinson’s or not. You cannot help but recognize how amazing it is to have such grace.”

The “Back to the Future” star described how much everyone’s support meant to him while at the event benefiting his Parkinson’s research foundation.

“All these people are friends of mine, family, and it’s really great to see them, and I walk on the red carpet surprised to see them, and I think, ‘Well, why should I be surprised?’” he told reporters.

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