Michael J. Fox turned 65 today, and Jimmy Kimmel made sure the milestone didn’t go unnoticed. The late-night host posted a birthday tribute on Instagram. It opened with a nod to one of Fox’s most iconic roles, and it was exactly the kind of shoutout a legend deserves.
Kimmel led with “Great Scott!” – the beloved line forever tied to Back to the Future – and kept it warm from there. “Happy Birthday to one of the best guys of all of them,” he wrote, tagging Fox’s official account directly.
Hard to beat that opener. Doc Brown’s signature exclamation from the 1985 film has become shorthand for the whole Back to the Future trilogy. Dropping it into a birthday message for Fox is pitch-perfect. The original film turns 41 this year, and it still holds up. Fox’s Marty McFly remains one of the most charming performances in blockbuster history.
Back to the Future didn’t stop at one film. Fox returned as Marty McFly for two sequels – Back to the Future Part II in 1989 and Back to the Future Part III in 1990. The trilogy has never really left the cultural conversation. It spawned an animated series, a theme park ride, and a stage musical. That show has played on both sides of the Atlantic. Fox’s work across all three films is a big reason the franchise has lasted.
Fox is far more than Marty McFly, though. He spent years on Family Ties playing Alex P. Keaton. That role made him a household name. The sitcom ran from 1982 to 1989, and Fox was the breakout star from the start. Then came Spin City in the late ’90s. That show earned him more Emmy recognition and proved he could carry a hit long into a second decade of stardom.
Fox’s legacy goes well beyond entertainment. He made his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis public in 1998. It was a courageous decision, and it changed things. Since then, the Michael J. Fox Foundation has raised over $2 billion for Parkinson’s research. It’s one of the most impactful disease-focused charities in the country. For a lot of people, that work is the most important thing Fox has ever done.
The tribute was short and sweet, but the warmth behind it was unmistakable. Fox has stayed genuinely beloved across every chapter of his public life. No drama, no controversy. That kind of enduring goodwill is rare in Hollywood.
Fox’s 2020 memoir, No Time Like the Future, was candid and widely praised. It gave readers a generous look at his life and his Parkinson’s journey. It reminded audiences exactly why they’ve always rooted for him.
He’s been less publicly active in recent years. His focus is on his health and his foundation work. But the affection hasn’t dimmed. The birthday celebration today is proof of that.
Sixty-five is a great age to get a “Great Scott” shoutout from Jimmy Kimmel. Fox has absolutely earned it.
