Michael J. Fox plans second retirement from his profession amid health challenges

Michael J. Fox says he plans to retire for the second time amid his health challenges.

The 59-year-old actor made the revelation in his new book No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Looks at Mortality, saying he was content to stop acting amid a slew of health complications that had an impact on his ability to perform.

“To be fair to myself and to the producers, directors, editors and poor besieged script supervisors, not to mention the actors who like a little bit of rhythm, I’m entering a second retreat,” Fox said in the book. “It could change, because everything changes. But if this is the end of my acting career, so be it.

He continued, “ The incipient decrease in my ability to download words and repeat them verbatim is just the last ripple in the pond.

“ There are reasons for my deficiencies in memorization – whether it’s age, cognitive issues with the disease, distraction from the constant sensations of Parkinson’s disease, or lack of sensation to cause of the spine – but I read it as a message, an indicator.

The Back to the Future star, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 1991, said: “ There is a time for everything, and the time I spend in a twelve-hour workday and memorizing seven pages of dialogue, is better behind me. At least for now. ‘

Speaking to People earlier this month, Fox said that “ his short-term memory is being shot, ” further complicating his abilities in front of the cameras.

“I’ve always had a real mastery of lines and memorization,” he said. “ And I had some extreme situations where the last two jobs I did were actually really heavy parts. I struggled during both.

He said he refocused his efforts on writing: “ I’m sticking with that. My guitar playing is not good. My drawing is no longer good, my dancing has never been good and the game is getting harder and harder to do. So it’s a question of writing. Fortunately, I really like it.

Fox, on a media tour promoting his new book, opened up to ET about his relationship with his wife, actress Tracy Pollan, calling him his “ rock that keeps rolling. ”

“ She puts up with me – she doesn’t give me time, which is great, ” said Fox, who tied the knot with Pollan in 1988 and shares four grown children with her – Sam, 31, Aquinnah twins and Schuyler, 25 years old. and Esme, 19.

He added: ‘She’s honest, loving, kind, smart and she’s right there in a pinch. She is beautiful and I love her and she is sexy and gorgeous. She’s a great mom, great cook and awesome bodyboarding surfing beach girl. She’s just cool. She is my best friend. And she has a sense of humor!