Michael J Fox Recalls Recently-Deceased Mom's Words – She Was against His 'Back to the Future' Role

• Michael J. Fox's relationship with his mother was close, and she was once against his role in "Back to the Future."

• Even after struggling with a complicated disease, the actor has remained a great family man.

According to Dignity Memorial's obituary, Michael J. Fox's mother, Phyllis Evelyn Fox, was born on November 27, 1929, and sadly passed away on September 24, 2022. The actor's late mother was described as a devoted and steadfast friend and mother.

Phyllis had been somewhat of a philanthropist in several causes and organizations. She worked with The Order of the Amaranth and proudly raised awareness for Diabetes and Parkinson's Disease.

The star's mother also served on Burnaby's Michael J Fox Theatre board. Dignity Memorial revealed that Phyllis was survived by her children, Michael, Steve, Jackie, and Kelli, including several grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and her great-great-granddaughter, Saige, with the obituary stating:

"Nothing made her happier than watching her family grow."

Before Michael's mother died, she had been happy to hear that one of her granddaughters was getting married. Early in 2023, Phyllis was also going to receive another great-great-grandchild.

Two weeks after her death at 92 paid tribute to her at the "Back to the Future" Reunion Panel. While at the New York Comic-Con (NYCC), the actor, then 61, shared how his mother had initially been against his early work.

The star said Phyllis disapproved of him working on "Back to the Future" at night and "Family Ties" during the day in the 1980s. He recalled being 23 and calling her while she was in Canada, confessing:

"They want me to do this Steven Spielberg movie, but I have to do it at night, and I have to do 'Family Ties' in the daytime."

Michael said his mother blatantly told him, "'You'll be too tired.'" The star tried to persuade his mother by telling her he lived for that kind of tiredness and promised to be okay.

The actor revealed that until the day Phyllis passed, she'd believed it was a bad idea for him to star in "Back to the Future." Michael admitted that his mother loved the movie but confessed Phyllis was right; he got tired!

The star had his parents' support when he told them he wanted to become an actor; however, he later struggled to continue fulfilling his dream job because of severe disease. The illness didn't stop him from becoming a loving family man and husband.

Becoming an Actor and Struggling with Parkinson's

During a November 2020 Parade interview, Michael revealed that in 1979 he dropped out of high school and moved from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Hollywood. At the time, his father, William, was a policeman, while his mother was a payroll clerk.

When he told his parents he wanted to become an actor, his father told him it was a bad idea and discouraged him from doing it. However, seeing Michael perform at the local theater, William said:

"If you want to be a lumberjack, go to the [expletive] forest."

Even though it had been hard to win, that approval gave Michael the push he needed to chase his dreams. One of his earliest Hollywood memories was living in a $225-a-month apartment.

The abode was above a garage and was half the size of his 2020 Manhattan home office. The star recalled having only his mattress before he went thrift shopping for appliances and furniture.

He bought an $18 canvas wooden director's chair and carried it back to his apartment. Michael walked down Olympic Boulevard near Beverly Hills High School, and some students shouted at him to return to the Valley.

The star hilariously revealed that he didn't know what the Valley was and speculated that they were referring to Vancouver's Fraser Valley! Micheal told the publication that he still had that chair.

Three years after relocating, the actor got a role on "Family Ties" starring as Alex P. Keaton. Michael said the episode he loves and showed to his son, Sam Pollan, was a 1987 one where his character visited a psychiatrist after his friend passed.

The star shared how relatable the episode was to him despite being an underachiever, unlike Keaton, because he didn't perform well at school. He recalled how he hadn't used his reach for good back in those days but knew:

"There were things more important beyond what I understood. Alex comes to realize this too."

Sadly, in 1990, Michael was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, and he only went public with the news in 1998. In a The Guardian interview, the actor revealed how his diagnosis affected his career.

He said like walking, it was something he could do fast, but now each step felt like a mathematics sum, forcing him to take it slow. With acting, he would rush to the punchline but had to start paying attention because he couldn't "skate over any moment."

During his Comic-Con appearance, the star shared how he was optimistic despite the challenges he faced with the disease. The star said in 2021, he broke many parts of his body but found it "cool because he realized the illness was sustainable with "gratitude."

In an AARP interview, Tracy [Pollan] noted how her family faced challenges daily.

Michael noted that it was better if one could find something to be grateful for, so he remained optimistic. He said optimism was a way of thinking things would get better instead of worse, and being thankful for it sustained his life.

Although he lived with the debilitating disease, Michael managed to function quite well and was a loving family man. Before his mother passed away, the actor surprised her in a particular way.

How Michael Once Surprised His Mother and His Role as a Family Man

On Phyllis' 80th birthday, Michael surprised her by flying with his brother, Steve, to Belfast! The actor and his sibling delivered room service to their hotel suite while she was on holiday with her daughters Kelli and Jackie!

When Michael wasn't surprising his mother, he played the role of a doting father to his four children, Sam, Aquinnah, Schuyler, and Esmé, whom he shared with his longtime wife, Tracy Pollan.

After getting married in 1988, the star and his wife welcomed Sam the following year. The twins, Aquinnah and Schuyler, were born in 1995, and the last addition was received in 2001.

In an AARP interview, Tracy noted how her family faced challenges daily. For instance, any family outings had to be timed to Michael's medication schedule, and sometimes when his children needed his help, he wouldn't be up to it.

His wife confessed that she worried more than he did. However, the first thing he did when he was feeling better was to go back to his brood to assist, and Tracy felt it taught the children empathy and patience.