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- By Noor Nanji
- Cultural reporter at the Royal Festival Hall
See: Michael J. Fox makes a surprise appearance to present the award at the Baftas
Back to the Future star Michael J. Fox, who lives with Parkinson’s disease, made a surprise appearance at the Baftas to present the best film award.
The 62-year-old actor took the stage in a wheelchair, but insisted on going to the podium to present the award to Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.
Fox received a standing ovation and many social media users posted that they were crying watching him on stage.
He was diagnosed in the 1990s and rarely makes public appearances.
Davis Guggenheim’s film Still: A Michael J Fox Movie was nominated for best documentary, but lost to 20 Days In Mariupol.
Image source, fake images
Hannah Waddingham and Michael J. Fox were photographed backstage.
Introducing the Canadian-American actor on stage at London’s Royal Festival Hall, Bafta presenter David Tennant described him as a “true legend of cinema”.
When presenting the best picture nominees, Fox described cinema as “magic” that can “change your life.”
He said: “Tonight five films were nominated in this category and all five have something in common. They are the best of what we do.”
Read more about the Baftas
Image source, fake images
David Beckham also attended the event and met with the Back to the Future star.
He spoke of cinema as something that brings people together, “no matter who you are or where you’re from.”
He added: “There’s a reason they say movies are magical because they can change your day.
“It can change your perspective. Sometimes it can change your life.”
Watch: Highlights from the 2024 Bafta Awards
Social media users were quick to react to Fox’s appearance on X, formerly Twitter, with one saying he was “full of tears” the moment he took the stage.
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“Absolute hero,” wrote another. “He is a total legend and a wonderful human being,” added a third.
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Fox founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s research in 2000. According to CBS News, the foundation has raised more than £1.58 billion.
Parkinson’s disease, a disease in which parts of the brain become progressively damaged over many years, affects around 128,000 people in England, according to the NHS.
Parkinson’s UK describes it as “the fastest growing neurological disease in the world.”