Michael J. Fox Net Worth (Money & Salary)
was on maternity leave. Eventually, after Zemeckis had auditioned several actors and couldn’t find anyone suitable, Goldberg allowed him to meet with Fox. Following their meeting, Zemeckis was immediately impressed with Fox, leading to his casting in the role. “Back to the Future” was released on July 3, 1985, and became a monumental success, leading to two sequels. This film solidified Fox’s status as a major movie star and earned him widespread recognition.
Later Career
After achieving significant fame in the 1980s, Fox transitioned to film roles such as “The Secret of My Success” (1987) and “Doc Hollywood” (1991). However, his Parkinson’s diagnosis in 1991 brought him challenges that changed the course of his career. While he continued to act, he began to scale back his on-screen presence, opting instead for roles that allowed him to manage his condition better. In 1996, he took on a starring role in “Spin City,” which not only revived his career in television but also showcased his comedic talents. He remained on the show until 2000 when he departed due to health issues, but his performance earned him a Golden Globe.
Activism and Foundation
Following his Parkinson’s diagnosis, Fox became an advocate for research and better treatment options for the disease. He founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research in 2000, which has become one of the largest non-profit organizations dedicated to funding innovative research. His efforts have played a vital role in raising awareness and support for those living with Parkinson’s, amassing over $300 million for research initiatives to date.
Philanthropy
In addition to his foundation’s work, Fox has been involved in various philanthropic efforts supporting health and education initiatives. He has participated in fundraising events and made numerous public appearances to educate others about Parkinson’s disease and advocate for those affected by it.
Personal Life
Michael J. Fox married actress Tracy Pollan in 1988, whom he had met on the set of “Family Ties.” They have four children together. Throughout his life and career, Fox has remained an influential figure not only in Hollywood but also in his activism for Parkinson’s disease awareness. His story and work continue to inspire many, demonstrating resilience and dedication in the face of challenges.
maternity leave. During this time, Zemeckis decided to cast Eric Stoltz in the role of Marty and initiated production on “Back to the Future.” However, upon Baxter’s return to “Family Ties,” he ultimately replaced Stoltz with Fox, thereby slightly opening up Michael’s schedule.
Fox’s arduous schedule was necessary in order to balance work on both the film and television series. He commenced rehearsals for “Family Ties” at 10 a.m. and continued until 6 p.m., before heading to the “Back to the Future” set for rehearsals and shooting that lasted until 2:30 a.m. This demanding routine persisted for two months! Nevertheless, his hard work paid off, as “Back to the Future” achieved remarkable commercial and critical acclaim. The film grossed a staggering $381.11 million worldwide and dominated the U.S. box office as the #1 movie for eight straight weekends in 1985. Michael later reprised his role in two successful sequels: “Back to the Future Part II” (1989) and “Back to the Future Part III” (1990).
Salaries for “Back to the Future”
Michael J. Fox’s salary for the initial “Back to the Future” film amounted to $500 thousand, which, when adjusted for inflation, translates to approximately $1.4 million in current dollars. In the second and third films, shot back-to-back from February 1989 to January 1990, he received $5 million. Altogether, this sums up to a total of $11.4 million earned from the three films.
Salaries from Other Films
For his role in the 1985 movie “Teen Wolf,” Michael earned $750,000.
In 1987, he received $2 million for “The Secret of My Succe$s.”
When it came to “Greedy” in 1994, he earned $5 million.
Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images
Additional Film Work
While involved with the “Back to the Future” trilogy and shortly thereafter, Fox featured in various films such as “Teen Wolf” (1985), “Light of Day” (1987), “The Secret of My Success” (1987), “Bright Lights, Big City” (1988), and “Casualties of War” (1989). In 1991, he took lead roles in both “Doc Hollywood” and “The Hard Way.” That same year, a private diagnosis confirmed his condition of Parkinson’s disease. After being advised that he potentially had “ten good working years left,” Fox promptly secured a three-film contract, yielding titles like “For Love or Money” (1993), “Life With Mikey” (1993), and “Greedy” (1994). His final prominent film role came in Peter Jackson’s 1996 movie “The Frighteners.” Additionally, he has made guest appearances in numerous television shows, including “The Good Wife,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Designated Survivor,” and “The Good Fight.”
Besides his acting, Fox has also contributed his voice to several films. He voiced Chance, the American Bulldog, in Disney’s live-action “Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey” (1993) and its sequel, “Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco” (1996). He lent his voice to the main character in “Stuart Little” (1999) and its follow-ups “Stuart Little 2” (2002) and “Stuart Little 3: Call of the Wild” (2005), along with voicing Milo Thatch in Disney’s animated “Atlantis: The Lost Empire” (2001). As recently as 2021, he provided the voice for Michael J. Bird in the animated feature “Back Home Again.”
“Spin City” and Beyond
Later in his
In his career, Fox was a star in the ABC series “Spin City,” which premiered in 1996, but he departed after its fourth season. Among his significant projects following that is “The Michael J. Fox Show,” which aired on NBC between 2013 and 2014.
Other Work
Since the year 2000, Fox has authored four books: “Lucky Man: A Memoir” (2002), “Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist” (2009), “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Future: Twists and Turns and Lessons Learned” (2010), and “No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality” (2020).
(Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Personal Life
In July 1988, Fox wed actress Tracy Pollan, and they are parents to four children.
He is the founder of The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, aimed at advancing embryonic stem cell studies to discover a cure for Parkinson’s disease. So far, the foundation has successfully raised over $300 million for Parkinson’s research.
Michael struggled with alcoholism at the onset of his Parkinson’s diagnosis but has remained sober since 1992.
Real Estate
The family primarily resides in Manhattan while also owning an additional property in Quogue, New York (the Hamptons), which they acquired in October 2007 for $6.3 million.
In 1997, Michael and Tracy constructed a custom 5,000-square-foot house on 72 acres in Sharon, Connecticut. They listed this home for sale in 2016 at $4.25 million and accepted an offer of $3.9 million in October 2017.
