Michael J. Fox's Revelation: Refusing Opportunity to Act Alongside Whoopi Goldberg in Ghost Surprised Her

Whoopi Goldberg was shocked when Michael J. Fox revealed he turned down a role in "Ghost" with her, calling himself an "idiot."

Whoopi Goldberg was taken aback when Michael J. Fox revealed that he had turned down an offer to star in the iconic film Ghost alongside her. The Back to the Future actor appeared on an episode of The View to discuss his new documentary, 'Still,' which explores his journey with Parkinson's disease.

During the interview, Goldberg and Fox, who have had a decades-long friendship, discussed their careers and whether there were any roles they regretted passing up. To Goldberg's surprise, Fox confessed, "There was a chance to work with you that I missed. They talked to me about Ghost early on. I said, 'It'll never work.' Whoopi's great, but it'll never work.' And then it was great and huge, and I'm a f***ing idiot!" Goldberg, who won an Oscar for her role in Ghost, was visibly shocked by Fox's revelation.

In the 1990 romantic thriller Ghost, Goldberg starred alongside Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze. Fox didn't specify which role he was being considered for, whether it was Swayze's or another character. Ghost was a massive success upon its release, ranking as the third highest-grossing film of all time and the highest-grossing film of 1990. At the time, Fox was 29 years old and had just been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, a degenerative neurological disorder that causes gradual brain damage.

In a recent interview with CBS Mornings' Jane Pauley, Fox discussed his battle with Parkinson's and his thoughts on mortality. Pauley asked him, "At some point, Parkinson's going to make the call for you, isn't it?" Fox candidly replied, "Yeah, it's banging on the door. I mean, I'm not gonna lie, it's getting harder. It's getting tougher. Every day it gets tougher, but that's the way it is. I mean, who do I see about that? You don't die from Parkinson's. You die with Parkinson's. So I've been thinking about the mortality of it. I'm not gonna be 80."

Fox also shared that he had a challenging year with the condition, experiencing setbacks such as fracturing multiple bones in a fall. However, he highlighted the significant progress made in Parkinson's research, thanks to the efforts of the Michael J Fox Foundation. One notable finding is the detection of alpha-synuclein, a protein associated with Parkinson's, in the spinal fluid of study participants. This breakthrough allows for earlier diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

Reflecting on these advancements, Fox expressed his optimism, stating, "It's all changed. It can be known and treated early on. It's huge. This is the thing. This is the big reward. This is the big trophy."

In conclusion, the surprising revelation by Michael J. Fox about turning down a role in Ghost alongside Whoopi Goldberg sparked a conversation about missed opportunities and the challenges of living with Parkinson's disease. Despite the difficulties he faces, Fox remains hopeful and continues to make significant contributions to Parkinson's research through his foundation.

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