Michael J. Fox Says He's Planning To Enter A 'Second Retirement'

Michael J. Fox says he's ready for his acting career to come to an end and retire for a second time.

The 59-year-old has shared that he's ready to put his 12-hour working days behind him. Us too, fella.

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The Back To The Future star spoke about his 'second retirement' in his new book, No Time Like the Future, saying that his 'work as an actor does not define me'.

He wrote: "The nascent diminishment in my ability to download words and repeat them verbatim is just the latest ripple in the pond.

"There are reasons for my lapses in memorization - be they age, cognitive issues with the disease, distraction from the constant sensations of Parkinson's, or lack of sensation because of the spine - but I read it as a message, an indicator.

"There is a time for everything, and my time of putting in a twelve-hour workday, and memorizing seven pages of dialogue, is best behind me. At least for now."

He went on to add: "In fairness to myself and to producers, directors, editors, and poor beleaguered script supervisors, not to mention actors who enjoy a little pace, I enter a second retirement.

"That could change, because everything changes. But if this is the end of my acting career, so be it."

Earlier this month Fox admitted that he's now finding acting increasingly 'tough', as his Parkinson's disease has affected his short term memory so much that he can't remember lines anymore.

Fox, who was diagnosed with the degenerative disorder of the central nervous system back in 1991, first went public with his condition in 1998, but was able to continue acting.

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In a new interview with People, Fox said: "My short-term memory is shot. I always had a real proficiency for lines and memorisation.

"And I had some extreme situations where the last couple of jobs I did were actually really word-heavy parts. I struggled during both of them."

While he's been trying to improve his speech by practicing tricky tongue twisters, Fox said he's now decided to focus on writing.

He continued: "I'm down to this. My guitar playing is no good. My sketching is no good anymore, my dancing never was good, and acting is getting tougher to do.

"So it's down to writing. Luckily, I really enjoy it."

Topics: Entertainment, Celebrity

Rebecca Shepherd

I'm Becky - a journalist at LADbible. I graduated with a First Class BA in Journalism before going on to cover criminal court cases, medical tribunals and breaking news for the national media - which inevitably and eventually became as glum as it sounds. Can often be found rocking a bag for life - which I made a 'thing' way before Rihanna. You can contact me at [email protected]

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