Michael J. Fox has opened up about living with Parkinson's as he stated it "sucks" but he has no time for pity, adding: "I can feel sorry for myself, but I don't have time for that."
Fox, 61, shot to fame in the 80s after starring in Back to the Future where he played Marty McFly who traveled back in time to ensure his parents fell in love.
In 1991, the actor was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease but he kept his diagnosis a secret for seven years until it became clear that there was no cure.
Since disclosing his condition, Fox has worked tirelessly to campaign for increased research on the disease as he set up The Michael J. Fox Foundation.
The star has recently filmed a documentary called Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, and during a recent screening at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival, he further opened up about living with Parkinson's.
As cited by PEOPLE, when asked about how he "mobilized" people to care about Parkinson's disease, Fox replied: "I didn't have a choice."
The 61-year-old continued: "This is it. I have to give everything I have, and it's not lip service. I show up and do the best I can. Pity is a benign form of abuse. I can feel sorry for myself, but I don't have time for that. There is stuff to be learned from this, so let's do that and move on."
Later on during the Q&A, Fox explained that he made a documentary about his story because he wanted to give back to his fans who have supported him throughout the years.
"My fans have basically given me my life," Fox said. "I wanted to give these people who have done so much for me my time and gratitude. It was great for me to hear from all of you."
The actor went on: "Parkinson's sucks, but it's a great life, so thank you for it. I have no regrets."
Speaking about his decision to step away from acting, Fox said: "You do what you have to do, but you do not want to kill yourself. And that's when I stopped."
During the documentary, Fox opened up about his battle with alcoholism after he looked for ways to cope with his diagnosis in the 90s.
"I didn't know what was happening. I didn't know what was coming. So what if I could just have four glasses of wine and maybe a shot?" Fox said. "I was definitely an alcoholic. But I've gone 30 years without having a drink."
Watch Fox receive an honorary Oscar for his Parkinson's advocacy below:
The actor credits his wife Tracy Pollan as well as his four children as his motivation to get sober while the disease continued to cause him to deteriorate physically.
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie will play at selected theaters before streaming globally on Apple TV+ from May 12.
