On a starry Saturday night at the esteemed U.K. music festival, the renowned actor and unwavering Parkinson's advocate, Michael J. Fox, took the stage with Coldplay, shattering the silence with his guitar skills on the hit song "Fix You." The moment was nothing short of "mind-blowing" as Fox gracefully strummed his way into the hearts of the audience.
As part of Coldplay's headline-grabbing set, Fox not only showcased his musical talents but also his resilience in the face of adversity. The collaboration between the actor and the band was a testament to the power of optimism and the beauty of coming together, despite differences.
Posting on Instagram the following day, Fox expressed his gratitude to Coldplay's team and band members Chris Martin, Will Champion, Johnny Buckland, and Guy Berryman, as well as manager Phil Harvey. Alongside a carousel of vibrant photos, including one of him seated in a wheelchair with his team in front of a sign that read "optimism is a political act," Fox wrote, "There is a time for every band and a band for every time. This is @coldplay's time."
Near the climatic end of "Fix You," Martin paid a heartfelt tribute to Fox, saying, "The main reason we're in a band is because of watching 'Back to the Future,' where Fox's iconic Marty McFly character played guitar, especially during the unforgettable 1955 school dance scene. So, a heartfelt thank you to our forever hero and one of the most amazing people on Earth, Mr. Michael J. Fox."
This wasn't the first time Fox and Coldplay shared a stage; in 2016, they joined forces at Metlife Stadium, performing Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode," a song synonymous with McFly's dance scene in the iconic 1985 time-travel movie. At Glastonbury, Martin referenced this moment by singing "Go, Johnny, go, go, go" a few times during "Fix You," a nod to their shared history.
The star-studded audience for Coldplay's set was nothing short of breathtaking, with Martin's fiancée Dakota Johnson, Mission: Impossible stars Tom Cruise and Simon Pegg, and Gillian Anderson all spotted amongst the cheering crowd. It was a night that reaffirmed the power of music to bring people together, regardless of their backgrounds or circumstances.
