Michael J. Fox and Harrison Ford—longtime friends and, most recently, castmates on Apple TV's Shrinking— appear together in a new video released by The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF).
The video anchors a new campaign called "So…Your Friend Has Parkinson's," which takes on a question people rarely ask out loud: When someone you love is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, what are you supposed to do?
Created with Maximum Effort, the entertainment company led by MJFF board member Ryan Reynolds, the video uses Fox's playful sense of humor and the two stars’ easy rapport to open an authentic, and often very funny, conversation about friendship in the context of a degenerative neurological disease. The campaign also surfaces more difficult realities, from changes in handwriting to the social isolation that can follow a diagnosis.
"There's never been a more important moment in Parkinson's research and drug development," says Holly Teichholtz, MJFF's chief marketing officer, citing the 2023 discovery of a biomarker that can detect the disease's underlying biology. "That has put the Foundation’s work on an accelerated trajectory. We want people to understand how much hope there is."
On Shrinking, Ford plays a therapist living with Parkinson's disease, and Fox has guest-starred on the show. The affection audiences feel for both men made the pairing natural, Teichholtz says. The foundation brought the concept to its 50-member Patient Council, which responded enthusiastically. "We knew the project would include warmth and humor and optimism, which are signature aspects of the Foundation's approach," she says.
MJFF Patient Council member Bryan Roberts was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson's in 2010, at 30 years old—unusually young, something he has in common with Fox. Roberts remembers disclosing his diagnosis to his best friend. "He said, 'That stinks, I don't know much about it, but we'll navigate it together,'" Roberts recalls. "That idea of showing up and being consistent is so important." And he feels the MJFF campaign video captures the way friends talk, including a discussion about going out to lunch where Fox jokes, "No soup.”
Donna Parkhurst was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson's at 51 years old, after years of caring for her mother, who also lived with the disease. In May 2026, she attended MJFF's first Social Media Influencer Summit for people and families living with Parkinson's disease. She has watched friends get nervous about the subject. "When someone is diagnosed with Parkinson's, their friends love them, but they may have absolutely no idea what to do with that information. Do I ask about it? Do I not ask? Do I offer help? Do I treat them differently?" she says. "Sometimes that uncertainty can cause people to pull away when what we really need is for them to keep showing up. We don't need them to become experts in Parkinson's. We need them to remain our friends."
How to help a friend who has Parkinson’s disease
- Say something. Admitting you don't know much is better than saying nothing at all.
- Keep the invitations coming. Lunch, a walk—continue to do whatever you have always done.
- Be consistent. A steady presence matters much more than a grand gesture.
- Keep your sense of humor—just as Fox and Ford do in the campaign video.
- Ask instead of assuming. Follow your friend's lead on what help is wanted.
Watch the video to learn more. Teichholtz says: "We hope the video inspires action, which can be as simple as signing up for the Foundation's email list to get the latest news and resources."
