“Not Prepared To Give Me a Bit of Slack”: One ‘Back to the Future’ Star Was Incredibly “Snobby” Over Michael J. Fox’s Casting

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There are many stories about how the actor landed the lead role in the popular franchise, but he recently shared his own account. He explained that replacing Eric Stoltz in the movie caused one of his fellow actors to become arrogant about having started on television.

Although Michael J. Fox and his co-star are friends now, things weren’t always easy. When Fox first joined the cast – as the original choice to play Marty McFly – he wasn’t greeted with open arms. He shared this story on *The View*, telling hosts Whoopi Goldberg and Sunny Hostin about the initial chilly reception.

She recalls initially thinking I was a television actor when I first arrived, and she admits she felt a bit superior about it, being proud of her work in film. She wondered who I was and why I was taking the place of her friend, Eric, whom she knew well.

At first, Thompson didn’t seem willing to compromise, but his experience with television comedies quickly became apparent. This helped him demonstrate his value to the production team. He went on to say:

As we began the scene, I realized I wasn’t quite sure how to approach it, so I just fell back on my usual comedic style. I sensed there was potential for a good joke, and thankfully, it landed well – she laughed a lot and was really pleased. That’s essentially how I work when filming my sitcoms.

‘Back to the Future‘ Could Have Been a Flop Without Michael J. Fox


Universal Pictures

Some acting choices just feel right from the start. When the movie *Back to the Future* began production, director Robert Zemeckis and writer/producer Bob Gale were set on Michael J. Fox playing Marty McFly. But the studio was eager to start filming, and Fox was already committed to a television series. So, Eric Stoltz was initially cast as a replacement.

As many have noted, the team felt Stoltz wasn’t quite right for the part. Even though a lot of the movie had already been filmed, Gale and Zemeckis were determined to cast Michael J. Fox, and that’s how the film ultimately came together.

It’s difficult to imagine *Back to the Future* being any more successful, even if Eric Stoltz had remained as Marty McFly. The film is considered a classic of the time-travel genre, famously turning a $19 million investment into $388 million at the box office. Beyond its two sequels and a cartoon series, it launched the DeLorean into iconic status, provided countless memorable quotes and inspired numerous other works. Remarkably, even four decades later, *Back to the Future* remains a compelling and enjoyable film.

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2025-10-14 17:02