Michael J. Fox‘s legacy as an actor is rich enough for him to have become almost synonymous with an era. From the moment he stepped onto the screen in ‘Family Ties‘ to his iconic role as Marty McFly in ‘Back to the Future‘, Fox became the face of a generation.
However, for him, the essence of acting has been lost in the modern world, replaced by superficial concerns that have nothing to do with true talent. So what exactly does Fox think made 1980s actors different?
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Michael J. Fox’s Honorary Award Sparked A Nostalgic Reflection
Michael J. Fox recently received an Honorary Academy Award. Reflecting on the same during an interview with People, Fox recalled a comment that was made to him at the Oscars.
“There’s an expression I referred to when they gave me an Honorary Academy Award — somebody said to me the day before, they were talking about getting this award and being famous and they said ‘You’re ’80s famous,'” he revealed. “‘I thought, ‘Wow, that’s cool. ’80s famous.’ Right, we were different.”
Fox went on to explain that being an actor in the 1980s meant something more substantial than just being a celebrity. “We were tougher,” he said, comparing the actors of his heyday to those of today.
“We didn’t have social media, we didn’t have any of that crap. We were just famous. Left to our own resources. And it was an amazing time,” the actor said.
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Why Michael J. Fox Thinks Modern Actors Have It Easy
Michael J. Fox asserted that the actors of his times would put more efforts into their work. “We used to bust our ass, our acting muscles, and watch other actors and sit around with other actors and talk about acting,” Fox explained.
“And now you’ve got people who just go like, ‘Who’s your sweater? What’s your sweater you’re wearing? And what’s that dance step?’ And you’re the most famous person in the world,” he added.
Sure, some might say Fox is being a bit harsh, but he’s got a point. Social media has indeed changed the game, and not always for the better. In the 1980s, actors became famous because of their talent and hard work. Today, it sometimes feels like fame is more about carefully curated Instagram feed.
And while Fox admitted that social media opens up new avenues for fame, he was also quick to point out that it comes with its own set of challenges. “We were just famous,” he said, further implying that the fame of today’s actors is more fragile, more fleeting.
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