Michael J. Fox

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Lore & Background

Fox's performance in Back to the Future earned him a nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy at the 43rd Golden Globe Awards. Variety praised his work, opining that Fox and his co-star Christopher Lloyd imbued Marty and Doc Brown's friendship with a quality reminiscent of King Arthur and Merlin. During the filming of Back to the Future Part III, Fox performed the hanging stunt himself. On the third take, he accidentally placed his hand in the wrong spot on the noose, resulting in him choking, passing out, and nearly dying until Zemeckis noticed him in peril and had him cut down. The trilogy was produced as two sequels: Back to the Future Part II (1989) and Back to the Future Part III (1990), which were filmed at the same time but released separately.

In Their Own Story

Marty McFly is a teenager who is accidentally sent back in time from 1985 to 1955 in Back to the Future. Throughout the trilogy, his bond with Doc Brown serves as the emotional anchor, and his character must rely on his modern sensibilities to navigate vastly different eras. The films explore themes of friendship and the consequences of altering history, with Fox's performance balancing comedy with genuine heart.

Reader's Guide

The casting of Michael J. Fox was not immediate. Director Robert Zemeckis originally wanted Fox to play Marty, but Gary David Goldberg, the creator of Family Ties, refused to allow Zemeckis even to approach Fox because Meredith Baxter was on maternity leave and Fox's character was needed to carry the show. Eric Stoltz was cast and was already filming when Zemeckis replaced him with Fox, whose schedule was now more open with Baxter's return. Fox's real-life agility allowed him to perform many of his own stunts, including the skateboarding sequences that became a visual signature of the franchise. His chemistry with Christopher Lloyd created a dynamic duo that carried the emotional weight of all three films. The trilogy's success cemented Fox as a global star, following his back-to-back hit performances in Back to the Future and Teen Wolf (1985).

Did You Know?

• Fox was cast as Marty McFly in January 1985, replacing Eric Stoltz who had already been filming.
• During Back to the Future filming, Fox worked 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Family Ties, then shot Back to the Future until 2:30 a.m. for two months.
• Back to the Future spent eight consecutive weekends as the number-one movie at the US box office in 1985.
• While filming a hanging stunt for Back to the Future Part III, Fox accidentally placed his hand wrong, choked, passed out, and nearly died until Zemeckis noticed and had him cut down.
• Fox's performance earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.