The following is from the Canada.com website:
Michael J. Fox rescues Rescue Me
Alex Strachan, Canwest News Service
Published: Wednesday, January 14, 2009
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. — Michael J. Fox will appear in the first five episodes of the new season of Rescue Me, the series’ star Denis Leary told reporters earlier this week.
Portrait
Fox, who is suffering from Parkinson’s disease, will play the new romantic interest for Leary’s character’s estranged wife, Janet Gavin, played by Andrea Roth. Leary plays Tommy Gavin in the series.
Leary, a close personal friend of the Edmonton-born, Burnaby, B.C.-raised actor famous for his roles as Alex Keaton in the iconic 1980s sitcom Family Ties and Marty McFly in the Back to the Future movies, said Fox was a natural fit for the Rescue Me family.
Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991, but didn’t disclose his condition publicly until 1998. Fox’s Parkinson’s symptoms have become more pronounced since he semi-retired from acting in 2000.
Leary said Fox remains a tireless and talented performer, despite his battle with Parkinson’s. Fox insisted that his Rescue Me character be wheelchair-bound, even though the actor walks perfectly well in real life. Fox’s Rescue Me character is paralyzed from the waist down.
Leary, who has been nominated for an Emmy several times for his role as Tommy Gavin, said Fox was up for the challenge.
“He brought something extra to it,” Leary said. “His first day on the set he had two really heavy, psychotically driven scenes in a bar. His character has a drinking problem, and he was so good at it the crew, who hadn’t worked with Michael before, thought that’s how he really is. That’s how good he was.”
Leary said three things were going through his mind at the time, as he watched Fox work.
“One was my concern for him as a friend. Two, he was bringing so much to the plate, I thought, ‘sh–, I’m really going to have to step it up here.’ And three, you know what’s going to happen? I never won an Emmy. He’s gonna f–ing win an Emmy for this. Five f–ing episodes, he comes in. He made, goddamn, $700 million from Spin City. He never invited me to do the show. He’s going to walk away with the Emmy. That sonofabitch. That’s what I was thinking.
“But that’s what he is. He’s great. He was really great. He’s a pain in the ass. He’s a really talented guy who’s got tons of money and is totally selfless. Oh, I hate him. He’s the anti-me. But he’s good in the show — that’s what counts.”
Rescue Me’s fifth season will debut in Canada on Showcase later this spring.
3 comments
jamie
June 12, 2010 at 11:00 PM (UTC -4)
Boo Yeh! MJF rules! BTTF 3 ever!!!
kerry morency
May 7, 2009 at 10:15 PM (UTC -4)
my special olympc team would like to meet michael j fox he is so cute can you make this happen
karina
January 15, 2009 at 8:26 PM (UTC -4)
soy una fanatica de toda la vida!me gustaria recibir mucha informacion sobre su enfermedad y su estado actual.gracias