Michael J. Fox’s Four Kids Share Exciting Announcement

Despite his numerous acting accolades, Michael J. Fox considers being a father his most fulfilling role.

The “Back to the Future” star and his wife of over 30 years, Tracy Pollan, have four children together. Fox humorously told Reader’s Digest that sometimes it “feels like five.”

He shared his top parenting advice with the publication, emphasizing the importance of being present: “Always be available to your kids. If you say, ‘Give me five minutes, give me 10 minutes,’ it’ll be 15, it’ll be 20. And then when you get there, the shine will have worn off whatever it is they wanted to share with you.”

He continued, “I’ve never gotten up to see something one of my kids wanted to show me and not been rewarded.”

Fox publicly revealed his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis in 1998, seven years after being diagnosed in 1991. In a 2009 interview with Good Housekeeping, he spoke about how the disease affected his family life.

“If I’m reaching for something, they’ll just do it and carry on. They’ve learned empathy, resilience, and how to distinguish what’s important from what’s not—things like vanity,” he said of his children.

Fox frequently features his adult children on his Instagram account, showcasing their close-knit family.

In May 2022, he posted a Mother’s Day tribute to Pollan, writing, “Our children are beautiful, sensitive, intelligent, empathetic, independent, compassionate, adventurous, lovely people. That’s your fault. We all love you so much. Happy Mother’s Day.”

The 2023 documentary “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie” included footage of his children.

In May 2023, Fox spoke with PEOPLE about the documentary and his family’s reaction to having cameras in their home. “They all gave me their permission. And then, at various times, they retracted their permission,” he revealed.

For more details about Michael J. Fox’s children, continue reading.

 Sam Michael Fox, 35

On May 30, 1989, Sam Michael Fox was born. As the first child of Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan, his arrival was a moment of great excitement for the couple. Fox shared with PEOPLE in December 1989 how thrilled they were to become parents, even engaging in the “womb music” trend by playing a variety of music, from Vivaldi to the Allman Brothers, through headphones placed on Tracy’s stomach.

Sam and his father share a striking resemblance, often looking nearly identical in photos. Fox humorously acknowledged this in a 2021 birthday message to Sam: “Sam from my POV you’re not getting older, you’re just getting taller. Happy birthday @palekidd. Love you.”

Following in his father’s footsteps, Sam has pursued a career in the entertainment industry. He has worked on various media projects, including the short film “Good Grief,” the music video “11:11” by Ben Barnes, and the documentary “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie.”

In May 2023, Fox posted a heartfelt birthday tribute to Sam on Instagram for his 34th birthday. He shared two endearing photos of them together on a boat, one showing Fox kissing Sam on the head and another of Sam blowing out birthday candles. Fox captioned the post, “Happy Birthday to my big bouncing baby boy @palekidd you are the best. Proud to be your pops. Love you!”

 Kathleen Aquinnah Fox, 29

On February 15, 1995, Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan welcomed twin girls, Schuyler Frances Fox and Aquinnah Kathleen Fox.

Aquinnah attended Duke University, where she majored in psychology, visual and media studies, and art history, according to her LinkedIn profile. During her time at Duke, she also participated in the university’s ballet program. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Aquinnah works as an assistant at Annapurna Pictures. Before this, she worked as a brand and marketing consultant in New York City.

To celebrate Aquinnah and Schuyler’s 29th birthday, Michael shared several beautiful photos of his twin daughters. He captioned the post, “Double the love. Happy birthday. You’re crushing it. I love you, Doods ❤️.”

Schuyler Frances Fox, 29

The other half of Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan’s twin daughters is Schuyler Frances Fox.

According to her LinkedIn profile, Schuyler attended Pomona College, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She then pursued further education, earning a Master of Education from Harvard University after working as a project coordinator at Columbia University Medical Center.

Currently, Schuyler works as an assistant producer in Massachusetts. Both she and her sister maintain a low profile, with most of their social media accounts set to private. However, in June 2023, they attended the Spring Moving Image Awards to support their father, who received a lifetime achievement award. Before the event, the twins posed with their parents for photos on the red carpet.

 Esmé Annabelle Fox, 22

On November 3, 2001, Fox and his spouse celebrated the arrival of Esmé Annabelle Fox into their family.

In 2019, Michael informed PEOPLE that his youngest daughter, Esmé, was embarking on her college journey, despite her preference for privacy.

During a benefit for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, the actor revealed their plans as empty nesters after their children had all left home.

“Our youngest is off to college, so we’ll be empty nesters, and we plan to travel!” the father exclaimed.

Esmé maintains private social media accounts but often features on her father’s Instagram.

In September 2020, Fox celebrated #NationalDaughtersday with a photo of Esmé and her sisters, captioning it, “It’s #NationalDaughtersday and I have 3 amazing daughters.”

In November 2021, Michael shared a birthday post for Esmé, revealing her nickname, Ezzie, and expressing his love and pride.

According to Esmé’s LinkedIn, a photo shows her and her father wearing Duke University hats, where she currently attends.

Despite his devotion to his family, in 2022, Michael shared the loss of his cherished mother, Phyllis Fox, who passed away at 92, causing profound grief for the entire family.

Since his Parkinson’s diagnosis, Michael has dedicated himself to finding a cure, raising over $2 billion for research through his foundation.