Tracy Pollan Shares Her Secret to a 27-Year Marriage with Michael J. Fox

"Giving each other the benefit of the doubt" is critical to a happy marriage, Tracy Pollan tells PEOPLE at Michael's Annual Foundation Event: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Cure Parkinson s.

Photo: Presley Ann/PMC

Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan have one of the longest lasting marriages in Hollywood.

“It’s like dog years!” Pollan, 55, tells PEOPLE of their 27-year marriage.

The couple’s secret? “Giving each other the benefit of the doubt,” she revealed at Michael’s Annual Foundation Event: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Cure Parkinson’s (which raised more than $5 million for research).

“There are so many times when you have arguments, when you have things come up, and it really doesn’t have anything to do with what he did, or said – it’s how I am projecting that onto myself.”

“A lot of times he’ll just say to me, ‘You know who I am, would I ever say anything to try to hurt your feelings? Just give me the benefit of the doubt.’ ”

But Pollan admits it’s hard, “You just have [to have] the perspective that you’re behind each other’s back – and it helps if you can make each other laugh.”

Fox’s ability to crack his wife up is one of her favorite qualities about the 54-year-old actor. Also that “he’s an amazing father … he’s one of the smartest people I know … and he’s pretty cute still!”

The happy couple and their four kids will be spending Christmas with Fox’s family before taking off for a nice warm vacation.