Michael J. Fox Reflects on the Journey to Back to the Future

In his latest book, Michael J. Fox, now 64, shares the incredible yet exhausting story of how he ended up starring in Back to the Future.

Initially, Eric Stoltz was cast as the clumsy Marty McFly, who accidentally journeys back to the 1950s and encounters his future parents.

While Fox was the top choice for the producers, including Steven Spielberg, he was committed to the popular sitcom ‘Family Ties.’ The show’s creator, Gary David Goldberg, decided not to let Fox pursue a film role at that time.

In his memoir, “Future Boy: Back to the Future and My Journey Through the Space-Time Continuum” (available Tuesday), Fox notes, “My commitment to ‘Family Ties’ made it impossible for me to be considered for the role.” However, a few weeks later, Goldberg received a call from Spielberg seeking assistance.

Fox mentions, “They filmed for over a month, and while Eric was a talented actor, the team felt he didn’t fit the role of Marty McFly. Spielberg returned to Gary and urged him to reach out to me.”

Goldberg was on board, but only if Fox could guarantee that his work on Family Ties wouldn’t be affected.

This led Fox to work late nights—filming Family Ties during the day and then rushing to Universal to shoot Back to the Future, often getting only a few hours of sleep.

His lawyer, Bob Gersh, remarked that today, such a schedule wouldn’t be feasible due to overlapping commitments between film productions and legal obligations, often requiring more extensive breaks.

Fox faced other challenges when filming began, too. Lea Thompson, who played his mother in Back to the Future, wasn’t exactly welcoming. Apparently, she was still upset over Stoltz being replaced and expressed that tension when they first met.

“There was some ill-feeling there,” Fox recalls. Though, right away, any negativity dissipated once they shot their first scene together, establishing a solid rapport.

During their midnight shoots, caterers would lay out tables loaded with food, which delighted Fox. He humorously admitted, “In my daze, I exclaimed, ‘Wow, all this stuff is free,’ realizing my earlier struggles.” He reflected on times he had scavenged for food.

Fox fondly remarks on Stoltz, noting, “From what I’ve gathered, Eric’s Marty is much darker than mine, providing a unique perspective on the film’s tone.” He reached out to Stoltz recently to discuss their experiences. Although Stoltz declined a full conversation, they did meet for coffee.

Their chat lasted two hours filled with mutual appreciation for film, and they’ve kept in touch since, exchanging witty emails.

Fox also reminisced about his rise to fame through Family Ties. Struggling at first after relocating from Canada, landing the NBC sitcom marked a pivotal moment in his career. Initially, the show was supposed to focus more on his parents, played by Michael Gross and Meredith Baxter, but it quickly became his spotlight.

In fact, for the first year, Baxter would pick him up daily for the set since he didn’t have a car, making his way via bus.

Back to the Future was clearly destined for success, testing remarkably well before its release on the July 4th weekend, shortly after filming wrapped up.

Interestingly, Fox missed the film’s premiere because he was still busy with Family Ties in London. Later, he sneaked into a theater to finally see it. The movie went on to become the highest-grossing film of 1985 and spawned two sequels along with a Broadway adaptation.