Following Harrison Ford‘s emotional performance on the Season 2 finale of Shrinking, Bill Lawrence is unpacking the present’s depiction of Parkinson’s illness.
The 2x Emmy winner just lately famous that he and Shrinking co-creator Brett Goldstein have “deep historical past” with Parkinson’s as each of their fathers have the illness, whereas explaining how his “mentor” Michael J. Fox additionally influenced the present.
“It’s cool to get to jot down about belongings you care about now,” Lawrence informed People. “And Michael J. Fox is my first mentor. So we needed to symbolize it in hopefully an inspiring and never unhappy or tragic approach.”
He added, “I discovered the primary mentor in my life and profession, Michael J. Fox, to be so inspiring with the way in which he took it in stride and continues to work tougher than anyone I do know. And we need to sort of carry that spirit if we are able to into the present.”
Lawrence famous he “usually has sort of attacked robust conditions with comedy” in his life. “It takes you some time as a author to appreciate what your voice is — I feel mine is hopeful and optimistic by nature,” he added.
Invoice Lawrence attends a night with Apple TV+‘s ‘Shrinking’ at Writers Guild Theater on Dec.12, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California. (Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Photographs)
“I suck within the inspiring folks round me, and I steal from them as a lot as I probably can,” mentioned Lawrence, citing Fox as one such individual.
Forward of this week’s Season 2 finale, which noticed Ford’s Dr. Paul Rhoades announce that he’s stopped taking his Parkinson’s meds as they’ve misplaced their effectiveness, Lawrence informed Deadline he’s undecided when or the right way to approach the character’s eventual death.
“I’m saying this truthfully, we’re simply now writing a 3rd season. I don’t know if I may abdomen having to see that, and I haven’t determined but,” mentioned Lawrence. “I’ll inform you this: what we actually care about, Brett and me, each with our household connections to Parkinson’s, is an correct and provoking illustration of what folks that must take care of that s— undergo, and what it means transferring ahead. I feel that shall be touching and exhausting to observe, and if I knew the place it ended, I wouldn’t inform you, however I could be sincere and say I don’t know the place it ends but.”
Fox revealed his Parkinson’s analysis in 1998, whereas working with Lawrence on the ABC sitcom Spin Metropolis (1996-2002), by which he starred as Deputy Mayor Mike Flaherty. He’s since turn into a staunch advocate for the illness, elevating cash for Parkinson’s analysis by way of The Michael J. Fox Basis.
Following their time on Spin Metropolis, Fox appeared as Dr. Kevin Casey on Lawrence’s NBC/ABC collection Scrubs in 2004.
As for whether or not Fox may seem in Shrinking, the actor beforehand famous that he’s open to return to acting “if one thing got here up that I may put my realities into it, my challenges, if I may determine it out.”
