Fox's memoir hit shelves on Nov. 17

Michael J. Fox Retiring From Acting As Health Struggles Worsen

Michael J. Fox's new memoir was released on Tuesday, and in it he said that he's stepping away from acting. "That could change, because everything changes. But if this is the end of my acting career, so be it," he wrote. The 59-year-old actor cited the demanding nature of the work and recent memory struggles as reasons for the decision to enter a "second retirement." Read the full excerpt below.

For Michael J. Fox, days of film and television acting appear to be coming to an end.

On Tuesday, the 59-year-old actor released his new memoir, No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality. In the work, Fox's third book, he opened up about his health and said his acting career is likely over at this point.

Michael J. Fox entering "second retirement" from acting

A Los Angeles Times review shared the section where the Back to the Future star wrote of this new stage in his life. "There is a time for everything, and my time of putting in a twelve-hour workday, and memorizing seven pages of dialogue, is best behind me," Fox wrote.

"At least for now ... I enter a second retirement," he explained. "That could change, because everything changes. But if this is the end of my acting career, so be it."

According to the L.A. Times, Fox has been experiencing "cognitive changes, including memory loss, confusion, delusions and dementia," as a result of his Parkinson's diagnosis. These symptoms led to personal and professional struggles for the actor.

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Michael J. Fox in 2020

In the 2010s, on-screen acting roles were somewhat rare for Fox, who mostly worked as a voice actor in Back to the Future video games and animated programs. However, he did have notable appearances on The Good Wife, Designated Survivor, and a few memorable guest spots on Curb Your Enthusiasm. In 2020, he'd appeared on The Good Fight and a Lil Nas X video short.

Michael J. Fox recently spoke of memory struggles.

Ahead of the memoir release, Fox had also spoken to People about his memory struggles, revealing that he's now taken to writing—which he enjoys passionately—in place of acting and music. Fox's memoir, No Time Like the Future, is on sale now.