Michael J. Fox stepped out Thursday to celebrate his longtime friend as Good Morning America anchors George Stephanopoulos and Robin Roberts were honored with stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Fox, 65, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991, took the stage in a wheelchair to deliver a speech inducting Stephanopoulos, 65, and reflecting on their enduring friendship.
“One of the funny things about being with George all these years is that if he calls you at seven in the morning, it’s to make lunch plans,” Fox joked. “And dinner’s at 5:30, and he’s running out the door at 6 o’clock. I think it’s a ruse not to pay the bill.”
The Back to the Future star also reminisced about the less-than-thrilling vacations he took with Stephanopoulos and their families.
“We’ve gone to Greece twice,” Fox said. “If you ever want to be invisible, go to Greece with George Stephanopoulos. No one will ever see you.”
Fox was joined by Emmy-winning actress Niecy Nash-Betts, 56, and fellow GMA anchor Michael Strahan, 54. Together, they mixed playful jokes with heartfelt stories celebrating the morning show’s beloved hosts.
Stephanopoulos and Roberts received neighboring stars, commemorating the 2,862nd and 2,863rd stars awarded since the Walk of Fame was completed in 1961 with its original 1,558 honorees.
Michael J. Fox, 65, brought his trademark wit to the Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony honoring his friend George Stephanopoulos, 65
The neighboring stars for Good Morning America anchors Robin Roberts and George Stephanopoulos are the 2,862nd and 2,863rd since the Walk of Fame was completed in 1961
All’s Fair actress Nash-Betts drew applause as she praised Roberts for the authenticity and trailblazing spirit that defined her career, first at ESPN and later on ABC’s long-running morning program.
“Robin, you showed the world that you can be successful without sacrificing who you are,” Nash-Betts said.
“Somewhere, there is a little Black girl who will see your name on this sidewalk and realize that her dreams are possible.”
She continued, “We’re celebrating your courage, your faith, your kindness and the countless lives you have touched. Hollywood may be putting your star on the ground today, but you spent your life showing us how to reach for the sky.”
Strahan, dressed in a striking purple suit, followed with his own tribute to the honorees, praising Stephanopoulos as “a class guy” and “a remarkable man.”
“He’s had a remarkable career in television,” Strahan said. “But before becoming a TV journalist and all this other stuff, George was working in the White House as President Bill Clinton’s communications director. For nearly three decades, he has brought that same intelligence, curiosity and dedication to the world of journalism.”
Strahan also remembered Roberts’ encouragement when he was making the leap from professional sports into broadcasting.
Fox, who has lived with Parkinson’s disease since 1991, spoke from a wheelchair as he inducted his longtime friend Stephanopoulos
Emmy-winning All’s Fair actress Niecy Nash-Betts, pictured at far right, honored Robin Roberts
Michael Strahan, the third GMA anchor, celebrated “the one and only” Robin Roberts for blazing a trail during her three-decade broadcasting career
Ali Wentworth laughed with her husband, George Stephanopoulos, and Roberts as friends praised the pair during Thursday’s Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony
“I remember feeling like the new guy right in Hollywood, trying to figure it out. On the red carpet at the Oscars, I saw this tall, stunning woman across the red carpet,” Strahan said of the Peabody Award-winning Roberts.
“She came over to me and said, ‘Are you nervous?’ And I said, ‘Yes, I am.’ Then she gave me three words: ‘Michael, you belong.’ It seems like such a simple thing to say, but it meant everything to me because it reminded me that nobody starts out knowing everything.”
Strahan also received warm praise from his co-anchor and colleague.
“I honestly can’t believe that we share a desk together every single day,” Stephanopoulos said, referring to his 5-foot-5 stature.
“I can’t imagine that I sit at a desk with a Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame member and an NFL Hall of Famer—and they tolerate a very height-challenged teammate.”
Roberts played basketball at Southeastern Louisiana University from 1979 to 1983. In 2012, she was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in recognition of her contributions to the sport as a broadcaster.
Wentworth and Stephanopoulos were joined by Roberts and her wife, Amber Laign, making the dual Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony a family celebration
Fox shook hands with Strahan after the anchor introduced the film and television icon at Thursday’s ceremony
Stephanopoulos shared a kiss with his wife of 24 years
Stephanopoulos said his career at ABC News had taken him places he never imagined while working as Clinton’s White House communications director and a senior adviser for policy and strategy.
“I never could have imagined that I would interview Kermit the Frog,” he said. “I never could have imagined that I would agree to dress up on Halloween as Lady Gaga.”
Roberts, meanwhile, reflected on how their vastly different professional backgrounds helped create such a strong partnership.
“If you look at our resumes, we could not be more different,” Roberts said as her wife, 52-year-old massage therapist Amber Laign, watched proudly.
“Our backgrounds are so incredibly different, but it’s the similarities that bond us. Our passion for storytelling is only second to the passion that we have for our families.”
