Julie Andrews made a rare video appearance this week to welcome attendees at the 7th World Parkinson Congress in Phoenix.
The 90-year-old Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music star appeared in a brief message shown during the congress’ opening ceremony, according to Entertainment Weekly. Andrews thanked the people gathered for the event and spoke directly about the need for continued work around Parkinson’s disease research, care, and community support.
“Your participation is invaluable,” Andrews said in the video, adding that she knows “how devastating” Parkinson’s can be.
Andrews Opened the Congress With a Message of Support
Andrews introduced herself in the video and welcomed attendees to the 7th World Parkinson Congress, a four-day gathering for people connected to Parkinson’s disease. The event brought together researchers, clinicians, advocates, care partners, and people living with the condition in Phoenix from May 24 to May 27.
Parkinson’s Europe reported that the message played during the opening ceremony. Andrews appeared seated near a window, wearing a light blue sweater and a long gold chain as she delivered the short address.
The video drew attention partly because Andrews has kept a lower public profile in recent years. The appearance was not a red-carpet return or a promotional stop. It was a short, focused message attached to an event built around one disease community.
She Connected Her Message to the Red Thread Project
Andrews closed by referencing the World Parkinson Congress’ Red Thread Project, which is centered on connection among people affected by Parkinson’s disease.
“Count me in as a red thread,” Andrews said near the end of the message, according to Entertainment Weekly.
Parkinson’s Europe described the project as a way to celebrate the connections and strength of the Parkinson’s community. In that context, Andrews’ appearance worked less like a celebrity cameo and more like a recognizable voice helping introduce the congress’ central theme.
Andrews Did Not Say She Has Parkinson’s
Andrews did not say in the video that she has Parkinson’s disease. Her remarks were framed as support for attendees and for the effort to find better answers for a progressive neurological condition.
That distinction matters because celebrity health stories can easily become misleading when a public figure speaks at a disease-focused event. In this case, the available reporting describes Andrews as offering support, not sharing a personal diagnosis.
Entertainment Weekly also noted Michael J. Fox’s long-running connection to Parkinson’s advocacy. Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991 and later founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
Andrews Remains Active Through Voice Work
Although Andrews rarely appears in public now, she has continued working. She has voiced Lady Whistledown on Netflix’s Bridgerton since the series debuted in 2020, bringing one of Hollywood’s most familiar voices to a new generation of viewers.
Her screen career remains tied to some of the best-known family films of the last century, including Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music, and The Princess Diaries. The Parkinson’s Congress message reached audiences for a different reason: not as a performance, but as a brief show of support for people facing the disease and the professionals working around it.
For attendees in Phoenix, Andrews’ message added a widely recognized voice to the opening ceremony. For fans, it marked a rare new public moment from an actor whose work remains visible even as her appearances have become less frequent.