A very much alive Michael J Fox, famous for his movie role in Back to the Future and on TV as the Reagan-loving briefcase-toting Alex P. Keaton on Family Ties, mocked CNN for sharing a tribute video implying the actor had passed away.
Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991, but he has maintained his acting career, with roles as recently as AppleTV+’s Shrinking in 2026.
The network released a video package titled “Remembering the life of actor Michael J. Fox,” which prompted him to reassure worried fans.
Fox wrote on his Threads account, “How do you react when you turn on the TV and CNN is reporting your death?”
“Do you…A) switch to MNSBC, or whatever they are calling themselves these days, (B) Pour scolding hot water on your lap, if it hurts your fine, (C) Call your wife, hopefully she’s concerned but reassuring, (D) Relax, they do this once every year, (E) Ask yourself wtf ?”
“I thought the world was ending, but apparently it’s just me and I’m ok. Love, Mike.”
The network apologized for the error.
A spokesperson for the network told Entertainment Weekly, “The package was published in error; we have removed it from our platforms and send our apologies to Michael J. Fox and his family.”
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The video in question showed viewers clips of Fox’s work over the years, as well as interview excerpts.
“He came into our living rooms on the small screen each week as Alex P. Keaton [on Family Ties] and eventually onto the big screen as Marty McFly in [Back to the Future],” the narrator said. “But Michael J. Fox had a compelling third act as Parkinson’s sufferer and stem cell research advocate.”
In 2025, Fox received the Presidential Medal of Freedom primarily for his decades of advocacy and work through The Michael J. Fox Foundation to advance Parkinson’s disease research.
He is married to actress Tracy Pollan, who he met on the set of Family Ties.
They were married in 1988 and have been since having four children: one son and three daughters.
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