A chance meeting at the Black Dog Tavern inspired documentary filmmaker Davis Guggenheim to make Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, which premiered in May.

The renowned actor and longtime Vineyard seasonal resident, who has been living with Parkinson’s disease for nearly half his life, spoke about his new book before overflow crowd at an online winter event hosted by the Martha’s Vineyard Book Festival Thursday night.

Lying on his kitchen floor, alone and unable to get up, Michael J. Fox discovered that his characteristic optimism had reached its limit.

Michael J. Fox, television and movie star, has walked his share of
red carpets over the years. These days, though, he walks a more
nondescript bit of floor covering: a cheap sisal mat in the garage of
his Aquinnah house. Pacing, back and forth, doing laps of the pool table
trying to harness the involuntary energy of his illness. Hours upon
hours of pacing.