Come to find out, Michael J. Fox was a massive influence on Justin Long. In fact, he credits him for becoming an actor.

“His humor and timing. And his comedy is, he's just brilliant,” Long spoke of Fox to People during A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Cure Parkiinson's event in New York City. The event raised funds for Parkinson's Research for The Michael J. Fox Foundation.

Parkinson's is something Fox has been living with since being diagnosed in 1991.

Justin Long opens up about the influence Michael J. Fox had on him becoming an actor

Along with thinking Fox was brilliant, he influenced Long's career.

“He really is the reason I became an actor,” the Goosebumps star said. “I so admired him growing up, and I admire him exponentially now as a man.”

Long attended the benefit with his wife, Kate Bosworth.

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As for Michael J. Fox, he shared in an interview with CBS Mornings about living with Parkinson's. The Back to the Future actor said, “Positivity is really sincere, and I really feel it, and it's genuine, but it's hard-fought, and it's hard-won.”

In regards to his wife, Tracy Pollan, Fox talked about their relationship and how she's been such a supportive partner. He said, “We knew the bus was coming, and we knew it was going to hit, but we didn't know how far away it was or how fast it was going.”

He added, “At any time, she would have been forgiven to say, ‘I'm just gonna step out.' But she didn't do that.”

Without Michael J. Fox, it's hard to tell if we'd ever have Justin Long movies or not. But thankfully, Fox's influence shone over him and continues to this day.