Michael J. Fox has been tapped by The Television Academy to receive its Bob Hope Humanitarian Award at the 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards in “recognition of his transformative contributions to Parkinson’s disease research and advocacy.”
The beloved Canadian-American actor, author, activist and philanthropist will be presented with the distinguished honor during the NBC telecast of the Emmys ceremony on Sept. 14.
Established in 2002, the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award honors “a member of the telecommunications industry whose philanthropic efforts exemplify Bob Hope’s own decades-long altruism and positive impact on society.” The award is awarded by the TV Academy and the Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation to an individual in the television industry “whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry and whose deeds and actions have had a lasting impact on society.”
Previous recipients of the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award include Oprah Winfrey, Danny Thomas (posthumously), George Clooney and Sean Penn. In 2025, Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen, the married actors and philanthropists, became the first couple to receive the honor.
In a long and impactful career, on and off screen, Fox has won five Emmy Awards. He received his 19th Emmy nomination this year — for outstanding guest actor in a comedy series — for his performance in the Apple TV drama Shrinking.
