If you grew up in the 90s, you will have definitely heard of Doctor Emmett “Doc” Brown and Marty McFly. The iconic duo were the stars of the science fiction comedy franchise, Back to the Future.
Christopher Lloyd plays scientist Doc Brown opposite Michael J. Fox as McFly. The duo went on time-traveling adventures in a modified DeLorean DMC 5 that Brown built. In total, the pair starred in three films from 1985 to 1990.
In 1991, Fox revealed that he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. He was then 29 years old and at the peak of his acting career. He was told by doctors that he would be lucky to have ten more years to live.
Fox officially retired from acting in 2020 as his speech was no longer reliable.
During the recently concluded New York Comic Con, Fox and Lloyd shared a moment as the pair spoke to the audience about the legacy of the Back to the Future films.
The reunion became emotional as Fox and Brown shared a hug when they went on stage. The audience present gave roaring applause and a standing ovation to the duo.
A clip shared on Twitter by former NBA player Rex Chapman of the emotional reunion has 9.8 million views.
The best.
Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd were reunited today in New York City at Comic Con…
pic.twitter.com/lD8BGkswBW— Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) October 9, 2022
Lloyd took to Instagram to thank NYCC and Fox for the reunion. “I cherish these moments! Thank you to @newyorkcomiccon , my dear friend @realmikejfox , and most importantly all you wonderful fans who show up year after year. This is all because of you! This is heavy!” said Lloyd in a post that included photos of the duo.
During the event, Fox opened up about his struggles with Parkinson’s Disease.
Parkinson’s is the gift that keeps on taking — but it’s a gift, and I wouldn’t change it for anything. People like Chris have been there a lot for me, and so many of you have. It’s not about what I have, it’s about what I’ve been given — the voice to get this done, and help people out.
Fox founded The Michael J. Fox Foundation to help in funding research about Parkinson’s Disease. The organization has raised over $1.5 billion for scientific research on the disease.
Lloyd and Fox met on the set of Back to the Future. Eric Stoltz, the actor playing Marty McFly was replaced by Fox when director Robert Zemeckis realized that Stoltz wasn’t fit for the role.
“I didn’t know Michael other than hearing about him,” Lloyd recalls. “And I felt that I had barely made it through the six weeks, and now I was going to have to do it again? There was immediate chemistry, as they say.”
Fans have reacted to the emotional reunion and many applauded Fox for his resilience through his struggles with the disease.
The Michael J. Fox Foundation is accepting donations for research on Parkinson’s Disease. You can send your donations through their website.
