Michael J. Fox Shares Rare Photos of Daughter Esme in Birthday Tribute: Our ‘Renaissance Gal’
Michael J. Fox gave fans a rare look at his daughter, Esmé, in new photos, while sharing a sweet tribute when she turned 23 years old Sunday, November 3.
"Esmé, Happy birthday to our renaissance gal. You do it all. Your Dood loves you very much ... Who doesn’t? Keep living your best life," Michael, 63, wrote in the caption next to three snapshots.
The first showed Esmé wearing a burgundy vest and denim skirt while standing outside of an outdoor restaurant during sunset. The second picture showed the aspiring actress smiling across a dinner table while in the third shot, Esmé gave her dog a tummy tickle while wearing a white halter top and jeans at home.
Esmé is the youngest of Michael and wife Tracy Pollan's four children.
The couple also son Sam Michael, who was born on May 30, 1989. Twin daughters Aquinnah Kathleen and Schuyler Frances arrived on February 15, 1995. Esmé was the last to join the family when she was born on November 3, 2001.
Tracy, 64, also shared a birthday tribute to her youngest child. Next to a series of photos including outdoor shots visiting Sedona, Arizona, and other gorgeous locations, the Justice for Natalee Holloway actress wrote, "I love you @esmeannabelle Happy Birthday!!! I love absolutely everything about you and I am blessed to be able to explore the world with you! You are my heart"
"I love you so much thank you!!!" Esmé responded in the comments. Her Back to the Future star dad also left a response to the photos, sharing, "Oh the women in my world. So many amazing places that you make better by being there."
Esmé leads a life out of the spotlight, with her social media profiles set to private. However, fans occasionally get to see her through her parents' online posts about their children.
Her Instagram bio simply reads, "Someone play the cupid shuffle." It also included a link to a college theater production she recently starred in at Duke University.
Esmé played the role of Lauren in the Duke Players' fall production of the play circle mirror transformation, written by Annie Baker. It ran from October 24 through October 27 at the Brody Theater at Branson Hall in Durham, North Carolina.
While she's seemingly following in her parents' footsteps towards an acting career Esmé's LinkedIn profile show's her strong interest in journalism.
She's worked part-time as a reporter for the Durham newspaper The 9th Street Journal since January 2023. Esmé also had internships with both Bloomberg News and the Tampa Bay Times.
Esmé is on track to graduate from Duke in 2025 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in global cultural studies and literature. She's minoring in journalism and visual media.
Michael's daughter also serves as the president of Pancakes for Parkinson's, one of her school activities. The beloved Family Ties actor was diagnosed with the disease in 1991, when he was just 29 years old.
Parkinson's is a movement disorder of the nervous system that progressively worsens over time. Michael didn't go public with his diagnosis until 1998, two years after he began starring on the ABC sitcom, Spin City. He was no longer able to hide the symptoms and departed the show in 2000, with Charlie Sheen taking over as his replacement.
Michael has been a passionate advocate of Parkinson's research ever since, as the disease doesn't have a cure. He has still taken on TV acting roles over the years as his health allows, appearing on The Good Wife, Designated Survivor and appearing as himself on Curb Your Enthusiasm.