Harrison Ford celebrated his new costar Michael J. Fox while attending the Shrinking FYC event on Sunday in Los Angeles.
It was recently announced that 63-year-old Fox will join 82-year-old Harrison on season three of the hit AppleTV+ series.
Fox, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at age 29, is returning to the small screen after previously announcing his retirement from acting in 2020.
‘His willingness to be part of our show is a great source of inspiration and gives us a real purpose,’ Ford told People.
The octogenarian actor plays therapist Dr. Paul Rhodes in the TV show, who faces his own Parkinson’s diagnosis.
He explained, ‘It’s not just us coming together, two actors. There’s a story to tell, and our commitment to the story is what joins us together. I appreciate his willingness to be a part of the show.’
Harrison Ford celebrated his new costar Michael J. Fox while attending the Shrinking FYC event on Sunday in Los Angeles
It was recently announced that 63-year-old Fox, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991, will join 82-year-old Harrison on season three of the hit AppleTV+ series
Ford also told the outlet that the Back to the Future star is ‘pleased’ that the show is ‘bringing Parkinson’s more into the light.’
When asked if working with Fox aided his depiction of the disease, Ford said, ‘I’m sure that there are subtle things that will show up later. When we were together, it was an accomplishment of all of us trying to meet all the ambitions, both obvious and attendant, to the ideas we’re trying to deal with.’
Harrison noted, ‘I’ve done what I could to acquaint myself with the aspects of the disease that I’m portraying,’ before adding, ‘My character’s in a much different stage of the disease than Michael’s. But Michael is totally there on the intellectual level. And emotionally, his humor and his courage are evident.’
Despite the veteran actors having met on various occasions throughout their careers, this collaboration has given them a deeper connection.
It’s yet to be revealed what the storyline of Fox’s character in Shrinking will be.
After his diagnosis, Michael continued working, appearing in Spin City from 1996 to 2001 and in The Good Wife from 2010-2016.
He launched the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research in 2000.
His Shrinking casting marks a reunion with series co-creator Bill Lawrence, whom he previously worked with on Spin City.
The octogenarian actor plays therapist Dr. Paul Rhodes in the TV show, who faces his own Parkinson’s diagnosis; pictured with co-star Wendie Malick
Shrinking follows widowed and grieving therapist Jimmy (Jason Segel) who begins to break the rules and tells his clients exactly what he thinks; actors Lukita Maxwell and Jason pictured
Last December Ford told People takes his role on Shrinking very seriously.
‘There’s no intention to make it into a joke, but there are people that absorb these kinds of experiences with grace and courage and a little bit of wisdom,’ he said. ‘And that is not to say that some people do not.
‘It’s just to say that this is a person particularly equipped to communicate what it is that it’s like, and that is something that I feel that is worth sharing with our audience.’
Earlier this month in a joint Instagram post between AppleTV+ and Michael, his addition to the cast was announced.
‘Big feelings incoming. Michael J. Fox joins the Shrinking cast as a guest star in season 3,’ the caption read.
