Washington DC [US], April 10 : Hollywood actor Michael J Fox has reassured fans that he is alive and well after a CNN tribute video mistakenly sparked a false death scare this week, according to People.
The 64-year-old actor addressed the incident recently in a post on Threads, responding to confusion after the network briefly aired a segment titled "Remembering the life of actor Michael J Fox."
"How do you react when you turn on the TV and CNN is reporting your death?" Fox wrote, adding a series of humorous options for coping with the misinformation.
"Do you...A) switch to MNSBC, or whatever they are calling themselves these days, (B) Pour scolding hot water on your lap, if it hurts your fine, (C) Call your wife, hopefully she's concerned but reassuring, (D) Relax, they do this once every year, (E) Ask yourself wtf ?," according to People.
"I thought the world was ending, but apparently it's just me and I'm ok. Love, Mike," Fox concluded, as per the outlet.
According to reports, CNN had shared the tribute package across its platforms before quickly removing it, later calling it an "error" and apologising to Fox and his family.
A CNN spokesperson said the segment was published mistakenly and has been taken down.
A CNN spokesperson said in a statement obtained by People, "The package was published in error; we have removed it from our platforms and send our apologies to Michael J. Fox and his family."
The video reportedly included highlights from Fox's career, including his roles in Family Ties and Back to the Future, along with references to his long advocacy work following his Parkinson's disease diagnosis.
In the video, the narrator said of Fox, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1991, "He came into our living rooms on the small screen each week as Alex P. Keaton [on Family Ties] and eventually onto the big screen as Marty McFly in [Back to the Future]," per the outlet. "But Michael J. Fox had a compelling third act as Parkinson's sufferer and stem cell research advocate."
"His most lasting role may have been as a tireless voice against Parkinson's, a performance the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences honored with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 2022," the clip went on, according to Entertainment Weekly. "In the end, Fox came to understand that his battle against the disease brought out the best in him," according to People.
Fox, who was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson's disease in 1991, has been a leading advocate for research through the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, which has raised over USD 2 billion.
His representative also confirmed to media outlets that the actor was doing well and had recently appeared at PaleyFest in Los Angeles, where he participated in a wrap event for the series Shrinking.
His rep told TMZ on Wednesday, "Michael is doing great. He was at PaleyFest yesterday. He was on stage and was giving interviews."
Fox continues to remain active in public life despite ongoing health challenges and frequently speaks about living with Parkinson's disease, which he publicly disclosed in 1998, according to People.