Michael J. Fox recently stepped back into the limelight for a red carpet event, marking his first public appearance since addressing rumors of his death.

The confusion began earlier this month when CNN mistakenly published an obituary titled “Remembering the Life of Actor Michael J. Fox,” which led to widespread concern among fans.

In response to the uproar, Fox’s representative quickly clarified that the actor was indeed alive and well.

On Wednesday night, Fox appeared upbeat as he attended “A Country Thing Happened On The Way to Cure Parkinson’s,” an event hosted by his foundation.

The gathering took place at The Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville, where Fox sported a casual look with a denim jacket over a grey t-shirt and navy chinos.

Throughout the evening, he mingled with several guests on the red carpet, including Lisa Cohn, Marc Cohn, Dusty Slay, Maggie Hughes DePalo, and Aaron Weber.

Michael J. Fox has made his first red carpet appearance since he was forced to reassure fans he was ‘still alive’ after death rumours

The actor’s supposed demise was sparked earlier this month by a colossal blunder by US news outlet CNN who accidentally posted an article online 

CNN apologised to Michael and his family for their blunder and when contacted by the Daily Mail, a spokesperson said: ‘The package was published in error; we have removed it from our platforms and send our apologies to Michael J. Fox and his family.’

Speaking about the hoax at his charity evening, Michael said he was on the way to dinner when he discovered the article, but saw the funny side in it.

He told ET: ‘It was just funny. I was on my way to dinner and I said to Mike, who was driving for me, “pull over I gotta text”.

‘I answered it and I can’t remember what I said, but basically gave him a bit of needle about it but everyone wants to be so ahead of the curve on this stuff.

‘They lose track of what they’re trying to say ahead of the curve on him and there’s a guy going to dinner who’s quite surprised to find that he’s dead but I understand it. I understand people have a curiosity and they have a lot of investing in me, whether it’s their interest in our research or whether it’s just an association with me from when they’re kids and that’s very special.’

When the reporter asked Michael if he received worried messages from close friends and family members, he said he was so quick to respond to the hoax and correct the situation.

He added: ‘I’m a pretty rock hard guy and I don’t get upset about stuff like that. I was always looking for the joke.’

Michael was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991, at just 29 years old, and publicly revealed his condition in 1998. 

Over the years, his symptoms have progressively worsened, with Fox revealing in interviews that he experiences tremors, difficulty with movement, and speech challenges.

Despite these setbacks, he continues to raise awareness and funding for Parkinson’s research through his foundation, which has raised over $1 billion for clinical trials and research aimed at finding a cure.

He set up the Michael J Fox Foundation in 2000 to fund research to find a cure for his condition.

On Wednesday evening, Michael appeared to be in good spirits as he attended his foundation’s ‘A Country Thing Happened On The Way to Cure Parkinson’s’

The charity event took place at The Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville

Pictured left to right: Marc Mariani and Carly Mariani attend A Country Thing Happened On The Way To Cure Parkinson’s

Lisa Cohn and Marc Cohn attending in support of actor Michael 

Jimi Westbrook, Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman and Phillip pose for snaps on the red carpet ahead of the evening 

The Michael J Fox Foundation was set up in 2000 to fund research to find a cure for his condition. It has invested $2.5 billion in research for the incurable disease

The Michael J. Fox Foundation has invested $2.5 billion in research for the incurable disease.

Last year, Michael’s wife Tracy Pollan opened up about how their four children have grown as a result of their father’s Parkinson’s.

They share son Sam, 36, daughters Aquinnah and Schuyler, 30, and daughter Esmé, 24. 

Tracy said: Michael is so optimistic, which is wonderful and really helps him, but it’s really important to also understand that this is a huge challenge.

‘It’s very difficult for the family, for the caregivers and, obviously, for the patient. So it’s important to acknowledge that and acknowledge that it’s not just all sort of easy. It’s not easy. It’s hard for them, but they show up and they’re there for us.’