Fox with his wife Tracy ahead of accepting the presitigious hnorary Academy Award (Picture: Emma McIntyre/WireImage)

Michael J Fox was supported by his family, Back to the Future co-star Christopher Lloyd and actor pal Woody Harrelson as he received the Academy’s prestigious Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award on Saturday night.

Th 61-year-old accepted the honorary Oscar at the 13th Annaul Governors Awards in Los Angeles in Los Angeles, surrounded by his closest supporters.

The famous statuette is awarded to someone ‘in the motion picture industry whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry’ and is named after one of Hollywood’s original – and most active – philanthropists, the Danish actor and translator Hersholt.

Fox was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s disease in 1991, a condition in which parts of the brain become progressively damaged over many years according to the NHS website.

Symptoms include involuntary shaking, slow movement, stiff and inflexible muscles and memory issues.

The multiple Emmy Award winner was given the gong for his tireless campaigning and fundraising for research into the disease through The Michael J Fox Foundation, which he founded in 2000.

(L-R) Sam Fox, Esme Fox, mum Tracy, dad Michael, Aquinnah Fox and Schuyler Fox at the 13th Annaul Governors Awards (Picture: Emma McIntyre/WireImage)

He received a kiss from wife Tracy ahead of accepting the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award (Picture: Getty)

Fox also shared a hug with Harrelson, who was there to present the award to him (Picture: Getty)

Fox walked the red carpet looking suave in black tie and black canvas shoes, alongside his wife of 34 years, Tracy Pollan, who sparkled in a floor-length sequinned black gown.

They were joined by their four children: son Sam, 33, twin daughters Aquinnah and Schuyler, 27, and youngest daughter Esmé, 21.

Also there to support Fox was the Dr Emmett ‘Doc’ Brown to his Marty McFly, Christopher Lloyd, 84, with his fifth wife, Lisa Loiacona, 52.

Award winners Euzhan Palcy, Michael J Fox, Diane Warren and Peter Weir (Picture: Getty)

The pair first lit up the screen in 1985 in Back to The Future 37 years ago, which was largely based in 1955, before returning for two sequels in 1989 – based in 2015 – and 1990, which saw them travel to the Wild West in 1885.

They recently had fans in tears with an emotional onstage reunion at New York Comic Con in October.

The pair laughed and heaped praise upon one another, while also sharing a fierce hug.

Fox also shared a hug with Harrelson on Saturday night, saying: ‘Thank you so much for being here, and I love you. We did some damage. We did some damage in the 80s.

Christopher Lloyd was also at the event with his wife, Lisa (Picture: Getty)

The Back to the Future co-stars had delighted fans with an onstage reuion at New York Comic Con in October (Picture: Getty)

‘I heard an expression the other day I’ve never heard before, “Oh, they were 80s famous.” And I thought, “Yeah, son of a b*tch, that was a different deal!”’

He also called his award ‘a wholly unexpected honour’ for which he was ‘truly grateful’.

Earlier this year, The Spin City star opened up on how Parkinson’s has affected his memory, explaining on Mike Birbiglia’s Working It Out podcast: ‘When I did the spinoff from The Good Wife, which is The Good Fight, I couldn’t remember the lines. I just had this blank, I couldn’t remember the lines.’

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He added: ‘I have 70 pages of dialogue on a [Brian] De Palma movie, and knowing that a hugely expensive Steadicam shot depends on me knowing the lines — not a trickle of sweat on my brow.’

Fox said he now knows his limitations when it comes to memorising his lines and doesn’t let it get to him, adding: ‘I can’t remember five pages of dialogue. I can’t do it. So I go to the beach.’

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He received the prestigious Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award on Saturday night.