- Written by Noor Nanji
- Culture correspondent at the Royal Festival Hall
Watch: Michael J Fox's surprise appearance to present the BAFTA award
Back to the Future star Michael J. Fox, who has Parkinson's disease, made a surprise appearance at the Bafta Awards to present the award for best film.
The 62-year-old actor got on stage in a wheelchair, but insisted on standing on the podium to hand the award to Oppenheimer, who played Christopher Nolan.
Fox received a standing ovation, with many social media users posting that they were crying when they saw him on stage.
He was diagnosed with the condition in the 1990s and rarely appears in public.
Davis Guggenheim's film, Still: A Michael J Fox Movie, was nominated for best documentary, but lost to 20 Days In Mariupol.
Image source, Getty Images
Hannah Waddingham and Michael J. Fox are pictured backstage
While introducing the Canadian-American actor on stage at the Royal Festival Hall in London, BAFTA host David Tennant described him as a “true cinema legend.”
In introducing the Best Picture nominees, Fox described cinema as “magic” that can “change your life.”
“Five films were nominated for this category tonight, and they all have something in common. It's what we do best,” he said.
Read more about the BAFTA ceremony
Image source, Getty Images
David Beckham also attended the event and met the Back to the Future star
He spoke of the film as bringing people together, “no matter who you are or where you come from.”
He added: “There's a reason they say movies are magic, because movies can change your day.
“It can change your outlook. And sometimes it can change your life.”
Watch: BAFTA Awards 2024 highlights
Social media users were quick to react to Fox's appearance on X, previously Twitter, with one saying he was “in tears” the moment he took the stage.
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“Absolute champion,” another wrote. A third added: “He is a complete legend and an amazing human being.”
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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 condition in which parts of the brain become progressively damaged over many years, affects about 128,000 people in England, according to the NHS.
Parkinson's UK patients describe it as “the world's fastest growing neurological condition”.
“Freelance entrepreneur. Communicator. Gamer. Explorer. Pop culture practitioner.”
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