Michael J. Fox Says His Decision to Retire Was Inspired by Leonardo DiCaprio’s “Insane” Performance in ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’

Michael J. Fox recently opened up about his “peaceful” decision to retire from acting in 2021 at the age of 58.

The actor recalled the exact moment he realized he may have to retire due to his Parkinson’s disease. Speaking to Empire Magazine, Fox revealed that the realization came to him when he was struggling to memorize his lines on The Good Fight.

“I thought of Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. There’s a scene where Leonardo DiCaprio‘s character can’t remember his lines anymore. He goes back to his dressing room and he’s screaming at himself in the mirror. Just freaking insane,” Fox said.

He is referencing a scene that DiCaprio actually improvised. In the scene, his character Rick Dalton trashes his trailer in a fit of rage after forgetting his lines.

“I had this moment where I was looking in the mirror and thought, ‘I cannot remember it anymore. Well, let’s move on.’ It was peaceful,” he explained.

Fox’s brief appearance on The Good Fight in 2020 marked one of the final acting roles of his career.

The actor recently teamed up with director Davis Guggenheim to tell his story in the newly released Apple TV+ documentary Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie. The movie gave Fox a chance to open up about the health issues he struggled with behind closed doors, while also looking back on his prolific acting career.

“It’s just a nice way of people letting me know they are moved by my acceptance of things and by the way that I’ve tried to make a difference,” he told Variety. “But no matter how much I sit here and talk to you about how I’ve philosophically accepted it and taken its weight, Parkinson’s is still kicking my ass. I won’t win at this. I will lose. But, there’s plenty to be gained in the loss.”

Fox has been a vocal advocate for Parkinson’s research, so much so that he received an honorary Oscar, or the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, in 2022 for his efforts in raising awareness about the disease. He’s also been candid about the impact the disease has had on his body and mental health.

Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie is now streaming on Apple TV+.