The Apple series Shrinking centers around actor Jason Segel, who plays a therapist juggling grief, fatherhood, and experimenting with unconventional therapy practices with his patients. It also stars Harrison Ford, who plays Segel’s mentor and boss, a therapist who is living with Parkinson’s disease.
Actor Michael J. Fox, who notably has Parkinson’s in real life, was so moved by Ford’s “human” and “accessible” portrayal of the condition that he called up Bill Lawrence, his former Spin City boss, who also co-created Shrinking.
And, as he shared in an interview with the LA Times, Fox didn’t mince words:
“Bill, why the f*** am I not on the show?”
Truly, only Fox could deliver such a line in a way that immediately feels charming and friendly. Pretty soon, plans were set in motion to have Fox guest star, marking his first return to acting since 2020.
The pairing nobody expected to see
In the Season 3 premiere, which aired on January 28, Ford’s character comes in for a doctor’s visit. While waiting to be seen, he encounters a fellow patient with Parkinson’s, played by Fox. It’s clear that Fox’s character will serve as a mentor and friend throughout the season.
As to be expected, the Back to the Future star does not fall short on comedic expectations. For instance, during the scene (which you can see in the video above), Fox asks Ford what he’s in for. Ford responds, “Parkinson’s. You?” Without missing a beat, Fox replies, “Just a haircut.”
He follows with the quip, “I fall three times a day. I’m thinking of taking up stunt work.”
Why the whole cast was buzzing
Castmates instantly knew that seeing two icons, Marty McFly and Indiana Jones, acting together for the first time was something special. As Shrinking co-star Michael Urie noted, “Everyone’s hearts grew” in anticipation and nostalgia once Fox showed up to set.
How the scene hit Fox the hardest
But perhaps no one was more affected than Fox himself. Speaking with Vanity Fair, he shared, “I wasn’t prepared for how much of [Ford’s] own understanding of the disease he brought to it. I mean, I recognized Parkinson’s in his eyes. The things I was feeling, I recognized in the way he was expressing himself.”
It was such a powerful performance that Fox told the outlet, “I was just brought to tears by it.”
“I should say he’s an underrated actor because everybody knows how great he is, but the subtlety of his work, so brilliant and so fun to work with,” Fox continued.
Ford’s sentiment, it seems, was the same. In the same interview, he called Fox “an extraordinarily powerful person.”
Shrinking is streaming on Apple TV, and the show has been renewed for a fourth season.
This article originally appeared in February. It has been updated.
