Michael J. Fox on New Series: 'It's a Leap of Faith' (VIDEO)
Michael J. Fox is embarking on a new project, a TV series that will debut in 2013, and the actor recently appeared on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" to discuss his full-time return to the small screen.
"It's been a while but I did 'The Good Wife' and I did 'Curb Your Enthusiasm,'" Fox told DeGeneres. Both guest roles on the shows earned him Emmy nominations and proved that despite having Parkinson's Disease, Fox was able to continue acting at the highest level, and take pride in his work.
After that, Fox said, "I was just sitting around thinking, like I always say live in the moment. Enjoy the day. Make the most of what you have. And I thought well, if I put one day after another where it's like that, why not just do what I love to do-work."
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He began planning and writing the still-unnamed series, which garnered immediate buzz and had TV networks battling for the rights to the series. Eventually NBC came away the winner and reportedly picked up 22 episodes without even seeing the show's pilot, showing how much they trust in Fox's popularity.
"It's a big leap of faith, but we're going to live it up," he explained. The lead character will deal "with family, career and challenges—including Parkinson's—all loosely drawn from Fox's real life."
In 1991, Fox was diagnosed with early onset Parkinson's, which he chose to keep to himself. He finally revealed his diagnosis in 1998 and founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which is dedicated to providing information, support, and help for those affected by Parkinson's.
"The cures we want aren't going to fall from the sky," Fox has said. "We have to get ladders and climb up and get them. For patients, Parkinson's disease is not a time-neutral situation. It's a ticking clock."
To date, the Fox Foundation has raised $297 million for Parkinson's research, which is entirely based on patient focus.
Watch Fox on the "Ellen" show HERE:
