Michael J. Fox is still showcasing his humor and hobbies as he continues to deal with Parkinson’s disease.

At the annual gala for the Michael J. Fox Foundation, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Cure Parkinson’s, the actor told People magazine that maintaining his admittedly darker sense of humor can be “hard for me,” adding, “I gotta keep it intact.” Fox continued, saying that dark humor can bypass taboos about difficult topics, saying, “Let’s embrace that and make a difference.”

This year’s event was hosted by Denis Leary and included a performance by Stevie Nicks.

“I can’t believe — a lot of these people I’ve known for years and years — they’re so kind to me,” Fox said. “I think because they see an opportunity for a win, for a big advancement, and that’s what we’re working toward.”

During the gala, which raised $116 million for Parkinson’s research, Fox demonstrated his guitar skills with a performance.

Earlier this year, Fox also surprised audiences with a guitar appearance alongside Coldplay at the Glastonbury Festival in the U.K. According to Variety, Coldplay’s lead singer, Chris Martin, introduced Fox onstage before they performed their song “Humankind,” saying, “With his Chuck Berry riff and the way he punched Biff: Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Michael J. Fox.” A video posted by BBC Music on YouTube showed Fox staying onstage, playing guitar from his wheelchair during the band’s performance of Fix You, with Martin kneeling beside him for parts of the song.

Afterward, Martin thanked the audience and added, “Especially thank you to the main reason why we’re in a band is because of watching ‘Back to the Future,’ so thank you to our hero forever and one of the most amazing people on Earth, Mr. Michael J. Fox. Thank you so much Michael … hero.”

Fox had previously joined Coldplay in 2016 to play Johnny B. Goode, the Chuck Berry classic featured in Back to the Future.

Guitar has been a long-time interest for Fox, starting with his role in Back to the Future. However, it is something that has become more difficult for Fox as his Parkinson’s symptoms have progressed. The Guardian reported that he stopped playing in 2020, the same year he stepped back from acting. However, Fox has performed publicly twice this year, determined to show he’s not going anywhere.

In a 2023 interview with The Times, he acknowledged that Parkinson’s is a struggle, but he emphasized that “the depression is [not] so deep that I’m going to injure myself … it always comes back to a place where I go, ‘Well, there’s more to celebrate in my life than there is to mourn.’ The pain speaks for itself. You either tolerate it or you don’t. And I’m not going anywhere.”