Michael J. Fox Makes Surprise Appearance at BAFTAs

One of the best moments at the 2024 BAFTA Awards was a surprise appearance by Michael J. Fox. Hosted by Doctor Who and Good Omens star David Tennant, the BAFTAs took place on Sunday night in London, with many Hollywood big names in attendance to celebrate the 2023 year in film. When it came time to announce the winner of the BAFTA Best Film award, Michael J. Fox got a standing ovation from the crown when introduced by Tennant, who described Fox as a "true legend of cinema." The BAFTAs were broadcast on BBC One in addition to being on available iPlayer and BritBox, but social media was quick to react to seeing the legend Michael J. Fox.

David Tennant called Michael J. Fox "the film star of the 1980s," and the crowd echoed that sentiment. Stars such as Iron Man actor Robert Downey Jr. and Barbie stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling were shown standing and applauding away. Fox made his way onto the stage in a wheelchair, though he stood up to make the final steps to the podium. The actor rose to fame in the 1980s as the headliner of Family Ties, as well as the Back to the Future film franchise. He was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 1991 at the age of 29, causing Fox to walk away from his role on the TV show Spin City.

Michael J. Fox presents Best Film award at 2024 BAFTAs

Michael J. Fox presented the Best Film award, with the nominees consisting of Anatomy of a Fall, Killers of the Flower Moon, Oppenheimer, The Holdovers, and Poor Things. Oppenheimer won the award, with Fox stating before announcing the winner, "All five of them have something in common: They are the best of what we do. No matter who you are or where you're from, films can bring us together. There's a reason why they say movies are magic, because movies can change your day, they can change your outlook, sometimes it can even change your life."

Back to the Future Cast reunites

Many film and television casts have remained close since their time working together, and one such group of actors is the cast of Back to the Future. The beloved Robert Zemeckis film was released back in 1985 and starred Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly, a teen who gets sent back in time to 1955 and must bring his parents together before he's erased from existence. The movie also stars Christopher Lloyd as Doc Brown, Lea Thompson as Loraine, and Thomas F. Wilson as Biff. The foursome recently reunited at Fan Expo Philadelphia last year and shared some sweet photos of them back together. 

"Can we get 88k likes? The past says so...," Lloyd wrote on X (formerly Twitter). Of course, this is referring to the fact that the time-traveling DeLorean needs to reach 88 miles per hour in order to travel through time. "Great Scott!! We did it," he later added.

"Wow honestly had the best time today with my #bttf family @realmikejfox @tomwilsonusa @mrchristopherlloyd and @jonathansfrakes @gates_mcfadden @jonathansfrakes @brentjspiner @startrekonpplus Bros. @fanexpoportland so many fun fan moments too custom pop figures thank you @adasyd @zombiedonorparts and a llama," Thompson shared on Instagram. "Always the best!" Lloyd replied. 

Photo credit Neil Mockford/FilmMagic via Getty