Michael J. Fox is an award-winning actor with several parts under his belt; nevertheless, being a father is arguably his most proud job to date.
Although the Back to the Future actor and Tracy Pollan, his wife of more than 30 years, have four children together, he recently quipped to Reader’s Digest that it occasionally “feels like five.”
Additionally, he shared his finest parenting advice with the source, saying, “Always be available to your kids. Because if you say, ‘Give me five minutes, give me 10 minutes,’ it’ll be 15, it’ll be 20. And then when you get there, the shine will have worn off whatever it is they wanted to share with you.”
He said, “I’ve never gotten up to see something one of my kids wanted to show me and not been rewarded.”
The actor revealed his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis to the public seven years after receiving the diagnosis in 1991. He discussed his family life and the impact of the sickness in a 2009 interview with Good Housekeeping.
He stated of his children, “If I’m reaching for something, they’ll just do it and carry on, [They have learned] empathy, resilience, and also sorting out what’s important from what’s not — things like vanity.”
All four of Fox’s adult children are featured on his Instagram account, and the family is very close to him.
In May 2022, he posted a Mother’s Day homage to Pollan with the remark, “Our children are beautiful, sensitive, intelligent, empathetic, independent, compassionate, adventurous, lovely people. That’s your fault. We all love you so much. Happy Mother’s Day.”
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, a documentary released in 2023, included footage of Fox’s children.
The Family Ties alum spoke with PEOPLE in May 2023 about the project and his family’s feelings about having cameras in their home. “They all gave me their permission. And then, at various times, they retracted their permission,” he claimed.
For all the information regarding Michael J. Fox’s children, continue reading.
Sam Michael Fox, 35
On May 30, 1989, Fox and Pollan welcomed Sam Michael Fox into the world. Sam is the sole child of the couple, and at the time, Fox told PEOPLE how excited they were to be parents for the first time.
“We did the whole womb music deal, where we put the headphones on Tracy’s stomach and played everything from Vivaldi to the Allman Brothers,” he remarked in December 1989.
When Sam and his father pose side by side in pictures, it’s obvious how similar they are to one another—nearly identical.
“Sam from my POV you’re not getting older, you’re just getting taller,” Michael said in a birthday message to his son from 2021. “Happy birthday @palekidd Love you.”
Another resemblance Sam and his father have? He is employed in the entertainment sector as well.
Sam has created a range of media, including the short film Good Grief, the music video 11:11 by Ben Barnes, and his father’s documentary Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie.
In May 2023, Fox posted an additional endearing remembrance of Sam on Instagram on his 34th birthday.
The delighted father shared two pictures of the father and son cuddling on a boat, one of which showed Fox kissing Sam on the side of the head. He also shared a picture of his oldest blowing out birthday candles.
“Happy Birthday to my big bouncing baby boy @palekidd you are the best. Proud to be your pops. Love you!” he captioned the post.
Kathleen Aquinnah Fox, age 29
On February 15, 1995, the couple welcomed twin girls, Schuyler Frances Fox and Aquinnah Kathleen Fox.
Aquinnah attended Duke University, where she majored in psychology, visual and media studies, and art history, according to her LinkedIn profile. Aquinnah participated in the Duke University ballet programme while attending college.
She currently lives in Los Angeles and works as an assistant at Annapurna Pictures. Previously, she was employed in New York City as a brand and marketing consultant.
In celebration of Aquinnah and her sister’s 29th birthday, Michael shared a number of gorgeous photos of his twin children.
“Double the love. Happy birthday. You’re crushing it. I love you, Doods ❤️,” he wrote as the post’s caption.
Frances Fox Schuyler, 29
MICHAEL J. FOX INSTAGRAM
The other half of Fox and Pollan’s twin girls is Schuyler Frances Fox.
According to Schuyler’s LinkedIn profile, she studied at Pomona College and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology.
She returned to school and earned a Master of Education from Harvard University after working as a project coordinator at Columbia University Medical Centre during her time in college.
She is currently employed in Massachusetts as an assistant producer.
The majority of the social media accounts of both ladies are private, and they both keep a low profile. But in June 2023, they went to the Spring Moving Image Awards to cheer on their father, Fox, who was presented with a lifetime achievement award.
Before the event, the twins stood with their parents and smiled for pictures on the red carpet.
Fox, Esmé Annabelle, 22
On November 3, 2001, the Family Ties actor and his spouse welcomed Esmé Annabelle Fox into their family.
Michael told PEOPLE in 2019 that his youngest daughter Esmé was leaving the family home to attend college, even though she also avoids the spotlight.
The actor disclosed the couple’s plans at a benefit for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research after their children had all moved out.
“Our youngest is going off to college, so we are going to be empty nesters, so … we are going to do some travelling!” remarked the father.
Although Esmé keeps her personal social media accounts private, she frequently appears on her father’s Instagram profile.
Shared in September 2020, Fox commented, “It’s #NationalDaughtersday and I have 3 amazing daughters,” with a picture of Esmé grinning for the camera between her two sisters.
In November 2021, Michael shared an Instagram photo on his daughter’s 20th birthday, revealing her adorable moniker, Ezzie. He wrote, “20 years of joy, Happy birthday Ezzie! You are a force for good in the universe. Thanks for that. I love you, Xoxo.”
According to Esmé’s LinkedIn, the father-daughter pair is shown in the picture sporting hats from Duke University, where she is a current student.
Although Michael adores his family, back in 22′ he told them that Phyllis Fox, his cherished mother, passed away at the age of 92. Everyone in his family, including his children, suffered a great loss as a result.
Since learning he had Parkinson’s, Michael has devoted his life to the search for a solution and has raised over $2 billion in funds to support this cause.