What Shrinking and Michael J. Fox Helped Me See

by Zoë Matuza

Much like the person I’m writing about today, I recently took a trip back in time—down memory lane, that is.

Years ago, I worked as a production assistant and had big ambitions of one day becoming an assistant director. During that time, I had so many wonderful experiences and got to work with a wide variety of incredible people. One of my favorite experiences was working on The Michael J. Fox Show. Although the show didn’t stay on air for long, the environment on set was truly special—one of the most positive crews I have ever been a part of. I learned so much and loved being around everyone, from the cast to the crew. And of course, the opportunity to work alongside the legend that is Michael J. Fox was unforgettable.

I’ll admit something honestly: whenever I saw him on set, I felt a complicated mix of emotions—deep respect, compassion, and something I didn’t fully understand at the time. I didn’t yet have the perspective to process those feelings. A few months later, when my own vision began to decline, I started to understand them in a much more personal way.

Still, my time on that set remains one of my favorites. I especially loved reading the sides each day. One episode that stands out is when Michael J. Fox’s character goes on a golf outing and meets a legally blind musician named Chaz. Chaos unfolds as the two clash over perception, pride, and what it means to live with a disability. It’s a hilarious episode—one that still makes me laugh. Looking back now, it also feels undeniably ironic, considering that not long after, I would begin navigating my own vision loss.

I’m not sharing this to criticize anyone. The industry is continuing to learn and evolve in how it includes people with disabilities—and so am I. One thing I’ve come to feel strongly about is person-first language. For me, that means saying “I am a woman who is blind” rather than “I am a blind woman.” I understand that not everyone prefers this, and that’s okay. But this is the language that feels right to me, and I’m not going to apologize for choosing the words that best reflect how I see myself. It’s a small distinction, but for me, it reinforces something important: I am a person first, not defined solely by my condition.

You can see this kind of growth reflected in one of my favorite current shows, Shrinking, whose season finale was yesterday April 8. The show is witty, sharp, and brilliantly written, but what makes it stand out—especially as this season comes to a close—is how real it feels. It doesn’t shy away from mental health—grief, anxiety, depression—it leans into those experiences with honesty and humor. Many of these are things I’ve faced in my own journey with vision loss, which is why the show resonates with me so deeply. It captures the messy, complicated, very human process of moving forward.

So imagine my joy when, in this current season, Michael J. Fox appears as a guest star.

The moment he came on screen, a thought struck me. People often say that it’s the obstacles we face that define us. I don’t think that’s true. I don’t even think it’s how we overcome those obstacles that defines us. I believe it’s how we move forward afterward—and what we choose to carry with us.

How do we take what we’ve been through and carry it with us—not as something that weighs us down, but as something that strengthens us? How do we draw on those experiences when it matters most, whether personally or professionally? It’s something actors do all the time. It’s the foundation of every honest performance.

So when I saw Michael J. Fox on screen, fully immersed in his role, I didn’t feel that earlier mix of emotions anymore. I felt something much clearer.

I saw a talented actor doing what he does best.

Not a symbol. Not a label. Just an artist, fully present in his craft.

And that, to me, is what Shrinking gets so right. It shows us that life doesn’t become meaningful because our struggles disappear. It becomes meaningful because we keep going—honestly, imperfectly, and with depth.

In a show led by Harrison Ford—a legend in his own right—there is still space made to let Michael J. Fox shine as a moment of truth and as an actor, meeting the scene exactly where it is.

I am a woman, an advocate, a wife… and even with my very limited vision, I see what Shrinking gets so right—that Michael J. Fox is a legend, and a talented actor. Period.