Frail Michael J. Fox introduces lookalike son Sam as his 'date' at Actor Awards 2026 amid Parkinson's battle
Michael J. Fox made a cheeky joke while introducing his son Sam to the audience in a speech at the Actor Awards, formerly the SAG Awards.The ceremony traditionally opens with monologues from several of the assembled stars, who tell stories about their time in their profession and then close by stating their names and saying: 'I am an actor.' Fox, 64 - who has received wide admiration for his dignified battle with Parkinson's disease and advocacy for its sufferers - got such a massive round of applause when the camera alighted on him that he had to pause the start of his speech.He proceeded to tell a story about how his acting career resulted in his introduction to his wife and Family Ties co-star Tracy Pollan, with whom he has four children.The Back to the Future legend then pointed to his son Sam, 36, who was seated next to him, and quipped: 'By the way, he's not an actor, he's just my date.'He added a heartwarming extra few words to the traditional closer of the monologue, saying: 'I'm Michael J. Fox and a dad, and I'm an actor.' Michael J. Fox made a cheeky joke while introducing his son Sam to the audience in a speech at the Actor Awards, formerly the SAG Awards The ceremony traditionally opens with monologues from several of the assembled stars, who tell stories about their time in their professionFox began his speech: 'Before I left school....,' then had to trail off briefly in order to let his thunderous ovation die down before continuing.'Before I left school and moved from Canada to LA to try and make it as an actor, a teacher of mine told me: "Fox, you're not gonna be cute forever." I didn't know what to say to that so I said: "Maybe just long enough, sir,"' he said to a laugh.'After a few years of dumpster diving in LA I ended up on Family Ties, where I received the biggest gift of my career - I met my wife, the actor Tracy Pollan, who played my girlfriend Ellen,' Fox continued.'And she gave me four gifts, our kids Schuyler, Aquinnah, Esme and Sam. Sometimes I like to remind them, if it weren't for acting they wouldn't be here.'At Sunday's fete, Leonardo DiCaprio and Timothee Chalamet are facing off in a hotly anticipated contest for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role, for their respective roles in One Battle After Another and Marty Supreme.The category also features Michael B. Jordan for a dual role in Sinners, Ethan Hawke for the Broadway biopic Blue Moon and Jesse Plemons for the thriller Bugonia.Meanwhile Hamnet star Jessie Buckley and If I Had Legs I'd Kick You actress Rose Byrne are facing off for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role, alongside Bugonia's Emma Stone and Song Sung Blue's Kate Hudson.One Battle After Another has two of its cast vying to be named best supporting actor - Benicio Del Toro and Sean Penn - amid a field otherwise populated by Jacob Elordi for Frankenstein, Paul Mescal for Hamnet and Miles Caton for Sinners. Actor Awards 2026 winners: AT A GLANCE He added a heartwarming extra few words to the traditional closer of the monologue, saying: 'I'm Michael J. Fox and a dad, and I'm an actor'As for female supporting performances, Ariana Grande has earned a nod for Wicked: For Good, as have Odessa A'Zion for Marty Supreme, Teyana Taylor for One Battle After Another, Wunmi Mosaku for Sinners and Amy Madigan for Sinners.Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture is a contest between Hamnet, Frankenstein, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another and Sinners. Meanwhile Seth Rogen's new show The Studio is in the running for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series with Abbott Elementary, The Bear, Hacks and Only Murders in the Building.Among the sitcom performances nominated that night are Rogen and the recently departed Catherine O'Hara for The Studio, Martin Short for Only Murders in the Building, Jenna Ortega for Wednesday and Jean Smart for Hacks.Bell's current co-star Adam Brody is nominated for Nobody Wants This, while her former The Good Place co-star Ted Danson for A Man on the InsideThe ensemble in a drama series category is a formidable race including The White Lotus, The Pitt, Severance, The Diplomat and Landman.Noah Wyle is nominated for his comeback turn on The Pitt, as are Walton Goggins and Aimee Lou Wood for The White Lotus, Keri Russell for The Diplomat, Gary Oldman for Slow Horses and Billy Crudup for The Morning Show.The revered miniseries Adolescence has earned recognition in the limited series and TV movie categories, with nominations for actresses Erin Doherty and Christine Tremarco and actors Stephen Graham and Owen Cooper.Other nominees in those categories include Michelle Williams in Dying for Sex, Sarah Snook in All Her Fault, Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys for The Beast in Me, Jason Bateman in Black Rabbit and Charlie Hunnam for Monster: The Ed Gein Story.Sunday evening's SAG-AFTRA Life Achievement Award is being presented to Harrison Ford, 83, after more than a half-century of stardom. Actor Awards 2026 winners FILM OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A CAST IN A MOTION PICTUREFrankenstein (Netflix)Hamnet (Focus Features)Marty Supreme (A24) One Battle After Another (Warner Bros)Sinners (Warner Bros) - WINNER Michael B. Jordan led Sinners to two of the biggest wins of the nightOUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLEJessie Buckley - Hamnet - WINNERRose Byrne - If I Had Legs I’d Kick YouKate Hudson - Song Sung BlueChase Infinity - One Battle After AnotherEmma Stone - Bugonia Jessie Buckley was recognized for her work in HamnetOUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLETimothée Chalamet - Marty SupremeLeonardo DiCaprio - One Battle After AnotherEthan Hawke - Blue MoonMichael B. Jordan - Sinners - WINNERJesse Plemons - BugoniaOUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLEMiles Caton - SinnersBenicio Del Toro - One Battle After AnotherJacob Elordi - FrankensteinPaul Mescal - HamnetSean Penn - One Battle After Another - WINNEROUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLEOdessa A’zion - Marty SupremeAriana Grande - Wicked: For GoodAmy Madigan - Weapons - WINNERWunmi Mosaku - SinnersTeyana Taylor - One Battle After Another Amy Madigan was honored for her work in thriller WeaponsOUTSTANDING STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A MOTION PICTUREF1 (Apple Original Films)Frankenstein (Netflix)Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (Paramount) - WINNEROne Battle After Another (Warner Bros)Sinners (Warner Bros) TELEVISION OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A DRAMA SERIESThe Diplomat (Netflix)Landman (Paramount+)The Pitt (HBO Max) - WINNERSeverance (Apple TV)The White Lotus (HBO) Noah Wyle and The Pitt were massive winners on the television drama sideOUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIESSterling K. Brown - ParadiseBilly Crudup - The Morning ShowWalton Goggins - The White LotusGary Oldman - Slow HorsesNoah Wyle - The Pitt - WINNEROUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIESBritt Lower - SeveranceParker Posey - The White LotusKeri Russell - The Diplomat - WINNERRhea Seehorn - PluribusAimee Lou Wood - The White LotusOUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A COMEDY SERIESAbbott Elementary (ABC)The Bear (FX/Hulu)Hacks (HBO Max)Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)The Studio (Apple TV) - WINNEROUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIESIke Barinholtz - The StudioAdam Brody - Nobody Wants ThisTed Danson - Inside ManSeth Rogen - The Studio - WINNERMartin Short - Only Murders in the Building Seth Rogen's The Studio swept the television comedy portionOUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIESKathryn Hahn - The StudioCatherine O’Hara - The Studio - WINNERJenna Ortega - WednesdayJean Smart - HacksKristen Wiig - Palm RoyaleOUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR LIMITED SERIESJason Bateman - Black RabbitOwen Cooper - Adolescence - WINNERStephen Graham - AdolescenceCharlie Hunnam - Monster: The Ed Gein StoryMatthew Rhys - The Beast In MeOUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR LIMITED SERIESClaire Danes - The Beast In MeErin Doherty - AdolescenceSarah Snook - All Her FaultChristine Tremarco - AdolescenceMichelle Williams - Dying For Sex - WINNEROUTSTANDING STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A TELEVISION SERIESAndor (Disney+)Landman (Paramount+)The Last of Us (HBO) - WINNERSquid Game (Netflix)Stranger Things (Netflix)
