Michael J. Fox left celebrity guests at the Emmys 2026 visibly emotional as the legendary actor was honored with The Bob Hope Humanitarian Award at Monday’s ceremony.
The Back To The Future icon, 65, moved actors, including his Shrinking co-star Harrison Ford and Nicole Kidman, to tears as he discussed his diagnosis with the brain disorder at age 29 in 1991 – and the heartbreaking reason why he kept his health battle a secret from Hollywood.
A frail Fox was taken onstage in a wheelchair, where he joined award presenter and his former The Good Wife co-star Julianna Margulies – before the A-list audience gave him a standing ovation.
The emotional actor said, ‘Thank you to everyone involved with the television academy for this amazing, humbling honor. First, a few words about Bob Hope. My parents were born during the Great Depression.
‘To them, Bob was more than an entertainer. He was a selfless champion of soldiers and military families like mine for decades. Christmases, Thanksgivings, other holidays he could have been celebrating with his family.
‘He was showing up for the troops in Berlin, Saigon, with a Turkey leg and a golf club, and maybe if you’re lucky – he embodied everything I came to believe in years later.
Michael J. Fox left celebrity guests at the Emmys 2026 visibly emotional as he accepted The Bob Hope Humanitarian Award at Monday’s ceremony
The Back To The Future icon, 65, who earlier proudly posed with his family , left stars including Shrinking co-star Harrison Ford tearing up as he discussed his initial diagnosis with the brain disorder at age 29
The star was watched by his proud wife Tracy Pollan and four children
Fox said the lessons he learned from Hope ultimately prepared him for his devastating diagnosis, ‘I couldn’t have known how these lessons would resonate in my own life, until my late 20s, when my life handed me a role I wasn’t looking for’, he said.
Opening up about the start of his battle with the condition, he said, ‘Initially I kept my Parkinson’s diagnosis a secret. I worried it would affect my work and relationships with audiences.’
He heartbreakingly admitted he questioned whether fans would ‘laugh if they knew I was sick?’
But Fox admitted his fans all over the world were what inspired him to keep going, saying, ‘I was stunned by the support from all of you, so uplifted and I hadn’t lost what I do.
‘They couldn’t take it away from me. And it’s because you stood up for me. I appreciate it.
‘I understood that accepting Parkinson’s didn’t mean I had to surrender to it. It just meant I had to do everything I could for everyone living with this disease.
‘I set out to advocate for Parkinson’s disease and raise money. I found brilliant people to start – sorry, I’m losing it.
‘I found people to lead the effort for me and vowed to fund the best science in the world,’ he said.
‘I’m proud of the progress we’ve made to benefit Parkinson’s patients and families.
‘We move closer to eradicating this disease forever.
‘I’m deeply grateful to our staff, donors, researchers, and most of all the patient community who make our work at the Michael J. Fox foundation.’
Fox then lauded his wife of 38 years, Tracy Pollan, and their four children, ‘for their sacrifices, for their patience, and for their love. You have no idea. And, of course, my mom and dad and my sisters and brother’, he concluded.
Earlier in the evening Fox sat on a chair on the red carpet as he posed with his wife and their children, Sam, 37, twins Aquinnah and Schuyler, 31, and Esme, 24.
Fox said, ‘Initially I kept my Parkinson’s diagnosis a secret. I worried it would affect my work and relationships with audiences. Would they laugh if they knew I was sick?’
Fox was taken onstage in a wheelchair, where he joined award presenter and his former The Good Wife co-star Julianna Margulies – he is seen kissing the award
Nicole Kidman looked visibly emotional as she watched Fox speak
Fox is best known for his role as Marty McFly in the Back To The Future franchise – pictured 1985
Fox was supported by his wife and four children as he took to the Emmys 2026 red carpet on Monday
Fox received minutes of applause as he began his speech
The Back To The Future actor sat on a chair on the carpet amid his battle with Parkinson’s
Fox looked dapper in a black suit and tie as he joined his loved ones on the carpet, ahead of receiving the prestigious Bob Hope humanitarian award.
The award comes in recognition of his transformative contributions to Parkinson’s disease research and advocacy.
The Bob Hope Humanitarian Award was established in 2002 to honor a member of the telecommunications industry whose philanthropic efforts exemplify Bob Hope’s own decades-long altruism and positive impact on society.
Fox received his 19th Emmy nomination this year for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for Shrinking, and is a five-time Emmy Award-winning actor.
Recently, Fox opened up about his return to acting and having to overcome Parkinson’s, which affects his ability to memorize lines.
The actor – who was diagnosed at the age of 29 with early-onset Parkinson’s in 1991 – revealed that he unretired from acting sooner than expected because his new character in Shrinking allowed him to ‘show up on set’ as himself.
Fox first retired in 2000, two years after publicly sharing his diagnosis. He did make several cameos on television series Scrubs and The Good Wife before being forced to take a break from acting again in 2020.
The talented actor explained his reasoning behind the decision to People, as he said: ‘A new variable emerged: my ability to memorize lines.
‘There’s a time for everything, and the time for 12-hour workdays was behind me.’
Fox joined Harrison Ford-led series Shrinking for season 3 earlier this year.
The Apple TV series was created by Fox’s pal Bill Lawrence, as he said he enjoyed having the freedom to ‘use how I feel on any given day and channel it into the scene.’
On the series, he portrays the character Gerry as he becomes friends with Ford’s character Dr Paul Rhoades, who is also navigating a Parkinson’s diagnosis.
Fox posed with wife Tracey Pollan, 66, and their children, Sam, 37, twins Aquinnah and Schuyler, 31, and Esme, 24
Fox looked dapper in a black suit and tie as he joined his loved ones on the carpet, ahead of receiving the prestigious Bob Hope humanitarian award
The couple proudly posed up together on the carpet
Fox revealed that he un-retired from acting sooner than expected because his new character in Shrinking allowed him to ‘show up on set’ as himself
The 78th annual Primetime Emmy Awards took place at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles on Monday night.
Law & Order: SVU executive producer/star Mariska Hargitay served as host of the gala event which marks the first time a woman has hosted the show in 15 years.
Nominations for television’s biggest night were announced back in July as Euphoria‘s Sydney Sweeney, The Bear’s Jeremy Allen White, and Stranger Things as a whole were among the most shocking snubs.
Matthew Rhys made history as the first actor to win two leading acting Emmy Awards in different categories in one night.
The 51-year-old Welsh actor won big as he earned Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy series for Widow’s Bay and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for The Beast in Me.
For the comedy series gong, Rhys beat out an impressive field which consisted of: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II for Wonder Man, Steve Carell for Rooster, Jason Segel for Shrinking, Martin Short for Only Murders in the Building, and co-star Widow’s Bay co-star Dale Dickey.
Rhys made a joke about his second win by poking fun at the program’s creator Katie Dippold as he said: ‘My apologies to the women who had to stand again.
‘Stephen Root is right, this is purely because of the depraved and twisted mind of Katie Dippold, and her genius really does live in the recesses of her disturbed brain. It is also because of my hero, Hiro Murai, so beautifully, as did all of them.’
On the Apple TV series, the talented actor portrays Tom Loftis, mayor of Widow’s Bay, as he is originally from the mainland and is initially skeptical of the local residents’ superstitions about the island’s supposed curse. He is a widower, and father to a son, Evan, from his marriage to his deceased wife, Lauren.
Matthew Rhys made history as the first actor to win two leading acting Emmy Awards in different categories in one night
The 51-year-old Welsh actor won big as he earned Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy series for Widow’s Bay
He also earned Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for The Beast in Me
For his win earlier in the night for The Beast in Me he triumphed over: Riz Ahmed for Bait, Jason Bateman for Black Rabbit, Charlie Hunnam for Monster: The Ed Gein Story, and Oscar Isaac for Beef.
In the psychological thriller mini series, Rhys portrays Nile Jarvis who is the son of a real estate magnate who moves next door to the home of Aggie Wiggs [Clare Danes] in Oyster Bay, New York on Long Island to live in a more secluded manner with his second wife as he allegedly killed his first wife.
Rhea Seehorn earned one of the biggest wins of television’s biggest night and beat one of the biggest stars in Zendaya to earn the honor.
The 54-year-old actress triumphed in the Lead Actress in a Drama category at the Emmy Awards 2026 as she was recognized for her work in Pluribus.
She beat out an impressive field including 30-year-old Zendaya for the third and final season of Euphoria along with Carrie Coon for The Gilded Age, Chase Infiniti for The Testaments, and Keri Russell for The Diplomat.
There seemed to be a real camaraderie between the nominees as she recognized her fellow competitors including Russell.
Seehorn said during her acceptance speech: ‘And I also just want to say congratulations and thank you for the performances to my fellow nominees in my category. All brilliant, brilliant performances.
‘Keri Russell among them, who sent us a lovely gift and a card, quoting — sadly we didn’t know we would lose her so soon, but quoting Gloria steinem saying, “we are linked, not ranked.” And I feel that way about all you women. So, thank you for that.’
For the comedy series gong, Rhys beat out an impressive field which consisted of: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II for Wonder Man, Steve Carell for Rooster, Jason Segel for Shrinking, Martin Short for Only Murders in the Building, and co-star Widow’s Bay co-star Dale Dickey
American journalist and social movement activist Steinem passed away earlier this month at 92-years-old.
In the ambitious project created by Breaking Bad’s Vince Gilligan, Seehorn’s character Carol Sturka is one of the immune few who live in a world overtaken by a mysterious wave of forced happiness and must uncover what is really going on in order to save humanity from artificial bliss.
The Pitt earned the top award of the night Outstanding Drama series on a night where it earned 25 nominations which was the most from any single series.
It faced stiff competition including: The Diplomat, The Gilded Age, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Paradise, Pluribus, Slow Horses, and Your Friends and Neighbors.
Series creator R. Scott Gemmill accepted the honor as he took a shot at AI (Artificial Intelligence) during his speech as he said: ‘It is so hard to tell what is real and what we can believe anymore, which makes telling honest stories about real human struggles so much more important than ever.
‘What you do is — it changes people’s lives. And I’m just so happy that we get to do that because it’s so difficult to know what to believe anymore. And so when the last bastion of reality is in our shared collective fiction, that makes what you do so much more important.’
‘People need to know the truth, and we need to continue to tell them that in whatever way we can, in whatever form we can. Because at the end of the day I think sometimes it’s only the story telling that allows us to understand and appreciate each other. And that’s more important than ever. So, keep doing what you’re doing.’
The Pitt is centered around the daily lives of healthcare professionals in a Pittsburgh hospital as they juggle personal crises, workplace politics, and the emotional toll of treating critically ill patients, revealing the resilience required in their noble calling.
Noah Wyle was the first to be awarded for the highly-popular HBO Max series.
The 55-year-old actor earned the win in the coveted Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series category as he beat out: Sterling K. Brown for Paradise, Gary Oldman for Slow Horses, Mark Ruffalo for Task, and Rufus Sewell for The Diplomat.
On the series he portrays Dr. Michael ‘Robby’ Robinavitch who is the main protagonist of the show as he deals with trauma and PTSD alongside unresolved post-COVID stress.
Jean Smart earned her fifth Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy win in a row at the Emmy Awards 2026 on a night that featured a star-studded red carpet.
Rhea Seehorn earned one of the biggest wins of television’s biggest night and beat one of the biggest stars in Zendaya to earn the honor
Zendaya clapped for Seehorn despite losing out
In the project created by Breaking Bad’s Vince Gilligan, Seehorn’s character Carol Sturka is one of the immune few who live in a world overtaken by a mysterious wave of forced happiness and must uncover what is really going on in order to save humanity from artificial bliss
The 75-year-old talented actress was recognized for her work on Hacks which just had its fifth and final season.
Smart – who earned her eighth total Emmy in her 15th total nomination – was obviously emotional as her name was called and she was presented the honor by Zendaya.
During her acceptance speech she thanked her children Connor and Forrest before recognizing the creators of her highly-popular HBO Max series.
She said: ‘But this one I am dedicating to Jen Statsky, Lucia Aniello, and Paul W. Downs.
‘It all begins and ends with them. I love you guys so much. Thank you. Thank you all so much.’
The Pitt earned the top award of the night Outstanding Drama series on a night where it earned 25 nominations which was the most from any single series
The Pitt is centered around the daily lives of healthcare professionals in a Pittsburgh hospital as they juggle personal crises, workplace politics, and the emotional toll of treating critically ill patients, revealing the resilience required in their noble calling
Noah Wyle was the first to be awarded for The Pitt on a night where they earned 25 nominations which was the most from any single series
The 55-year-old actor earned the win in the coveted Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series category as he beat out: Sterling K. Brown for Paradise, Gary Oldman for Slow Horses, Mark Ruffalo for Task, and Rufus Sewell for The Diplomat
On the series he portrays Dr. Michael ‘Robby’ Robinavitch who is the main protagonist of the show as he deals with trauma and PTSD alongside unresolved post-COVID stress
Jean Smart earned her fifth Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy win in a row
Sally Field earned Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for her work in Remarkably Bright Creatures.
The 79-year-old actress won over: Claire Danes for The Beast in Me, Carey Mulligan for Beef, Sarah Pidgeon for Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, and Sarah Snook for All Her Fault.
In the television drama Field portrays Tova Sullivan, the elderly cleaning lady of a Washington State aquarium, as she forms a bond with younger drifter Cameron (Lewis Pullman) during night shifts.
Kate O’Flynn earned the first award of the night in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy category.
The 40-year-old British actress earned the honor for her work in Widow’s Bay.
Sally Field earned Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for her work in Remarkably Bright Creatures
The 79-year-old actress won over: Claire Danes for The Beast in Me, Carey Mulligan for Beef, Sarah Pidgeon for Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, and Sarah Snook for All Her Fault
In the television drama Field portrays Tova Sullivan, the elderly cleaning lady of a Washington State aquarium, as she forms a bond with younger drifter Cameron (Lewis Pullman) during night shifts
She beat out: Hannah Einbinder for Hacks, Janelle James for Abbott Elementary, Michelle Pfeiffer for Margo’s Got Money Troubles, Megan Stalter for Hacks, and Jessica Williams for Shrinking.
The 78th annual Primetime Emmy Awards are taking place at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles on Monday night.
Law & Order: SVU executive producer/star Mariska Hargitay served as host of the gala event which marks the first time a woman has hosted the show in 15 years.
She kicked off the event with a prerecorded intro featuring New York Knicks NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson and a parody version of 1981 Joan Jett & The Blackhearts hit I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll turned into ‘I love TV screens’ before jumping into a monologue.
Nominations for television’s biggest night were announced back in July as Euphoria‘s Sydney Sweeney, The Bear’s Jeremy Allen White, and Stranger Things as a whole were among the most shocking snubs.
The Pitt earned the most nods with the hit HBO Max medical drama earning a whopping 25 nominations, which was nearly double the 13 the show had last year.
Kate O’Flynn earned the first award of the night in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy category
The 40-year-old British actress earned the honor for her work in Widow’s Bay
She beat out: Hannah Einbinder for Hacks, Janelle James for Abbott Elementary, Michelle Pfeiffer for Margo’s Got Money Troubles, Megan Stalter for Hacks, and Jessica Williams for Shrinking
Law & Order: SVU executive producer/star Mariska Hargitay served as host of the gala event which marks the first time a woman has hosted the show in 15 years
The series earned 13 acting nods including Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for star Noah Wyle and top honor Outstanding Drama.
The Pitt was followed closely by another HBO Max awards show darling, Hacks, which earned 24 nominations for its fifth and final season.
The Pitt earned the most nods with the hit HBO Max medical drama earning a whopping 25 nominations, which was nearly double the 13 the show had last year.
The series earned 13 acting nods including Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for star Noah Wyle and top honor Outstanding Drama.
The Pitt was followed closely by another HBO Max awards show darling, Hacks, which earned 24 nominations for its fifth and final season.
It is the most ever for a comedy as it beat out previous record holders The Bear and The Studio which had previously earned 23.
Nominations for television’s biggest night were announced back in July as Sydney Sweeney was one of the most shocking snubs for her work on the third and final season of Euphoria
The Pitt earned the most nods with the hit HBO Max medical drama earning a whopping 25 nominations including one for leading man Noah Wyle
The Pitt was followed closely by another HBO Max smash, Hacks, which earned 24 nominations for its fifth and final season (Hannah Einbinder and Jean Smart are pictured)
Leading lady Jean Smart now has the chance to earn her fifth Emmy for the show and her eighth overall, which would put her in a tie for the actress with the most Emmy acting wins in history.
Apple TV comedy horror series Widow’s Bay had a strong showing for a newcomer as it earned 19 nods. The streamer also earned 18 nominations for drama Pluribus.
When it came to the limited/anthology series categories it was the second season of Netflix’s Beef which led the way with 16 nominations.
Streamers didn’t have all the success, however, as the most nominations on the broadcast network side went to iconic variety series Saturday Night Live which earned an impressive 11 nominations.
Apple TV comedy horror series Widow’s Bay had a strong showing for a newcomer as it earned 19 nods (Matthew Rhys is pictured)
Streamers didn’t have all the success, however, as the most nominations on the broadcast network side went to Saturday Night Live which earned an impressive 11 nominations
HBO Max earned the most nominations for any platform this year with an impressive 122 nods including 13 for DTF St. Louis.
This year, 555 programs were submitted across the 14 program categories, down 7.5% from last year’s 600 entrants.
That included 110 dramas, 71 comedies, 31 limited/anthology series, 34 movies, 18 variety series and 45 reality competition shows.
The two Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremonies took place last week on Saturday, September 5, and Sunday, September 6.
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