Michael J. Fox and “Spin City” fans — you’re in for a treat. After not appearing in an on-screen role since his 2020 appearance on “The Good Fight,” Fox will return to acting as a guest star in the upcoming Season 3 of “Shrinking,” Apple TV+ announced Thursday.
Long a staple of television sitcoms, Fox previously worked with “Shrinking” showrunner Bill Lawrence on “Spin City” and also guest-starred on his later series “Scrubs.”
Mirroring the show’s own depiction of Parkinson’s disease through Harrison Ford’s character Dr. Paul Rhoades, Fox has been living with the ailment for 30 years. In that time, Fox through his organization The Michael J. Fox Foundation has raised over $2 billion for Parkinson’s research and has been a vocal advocate for how the disease is perceived. Though the actor was diagnosed in 1991, he first revealed his diagnosis in 1998 while a part of “Spin City.” By Season 4, his issues with Parkinson’s were becoming too apparent, and he chose to leave the show. Lawrence directed Fox’s final episode in 2000.
The two would later reunite in 2004 for a two-episode arc on Lawrence’s medical comedy series “Scrubs,” with Fox playing a doctor suffering from OCD. In the time since, Fox has taken on a number of voice roles and guest spots on shows like “Rescue Me” and “The Good Wife.” He also starred in a short-lived sitcom called “The Michael J. Fox Show,” which depicted the actor as a news anchor balancing the challenges of his advancing Parkinson’s disease. Fox’s last appearance on screen was for a documentary on his life titled “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie.”
In promoting the release of that film in 2023, Fox spoke with Entertainment Tonight about the possibility of his return to acting after retiring in 2020. He told ET, “If something came up that I could put my realities into it — my challenges — if I could figure it out. If someone offers me a part and I do it and I have a good time, great…”
Fox joins other new guest stars previously announced for Season 3 of “Shrinking,” including Jeff Daniels, who is set to play the father of Jason Segel’s lead character Dr. Jimmy Laird. Sherry Cola and Isabella Gomez will also be joining the cast, which features series regulars Segel, Ford, Christa Miller, Jessica Williams, Luke Tennie, Michael Urie, Lukita Maxwell, and Ted McGinley.
The series was co-created by Lawrence, Segel, and Brett Goldstein, who recurred in a pivotal role during Season 2. It has not been announced whether Goldstein would return for Season 3, but it’s possible he may be tied up with preparation on “Ted Lasso” Season 4.
No release date has been announced for Season 3 of “Shrinking,” but it will likely start streaming this fall on Apple TV+.
