Editorial Staff
We all know the story of how Michael J.Fox came to be Marty McFly, and how Eric Stoltz did not, but “Back to the Future” star Fox – appearing at this weekend’s London Film & Comic Con Expo – said Stoltz’s presence was still very much felt on the set… if only because of the arduous task he had reshooting the latter’s scenes.
“I was aware that I was replacing Eric and that he had done a lot of stuff”, Fox said of the “Mask” actor, who had been let go after shooting a number of scenes for the 1985 film. “Somebody else in the scene was reacting to Eric and I am in there trying to do my own thing but elicit the same response that Eric got, in a way. It was strange, it was a puzzle…”
Fox said he didn’t think too much about it though, he was just happy to be doing a big film with Steven Spielberg after having to play a teenage werewolf in his previous film.
“I was so excited to be there and so happy to redeem myself after Teen Wolf. I liked Teen Wolf, but you had that yak hair all over your face.”
Stoltz told Moviehole in 2007 that, though it was hard at the time, he now can’t imagine anyone but Fox playing the role of Marty.
“You know, it was twenty-something years ago and I rarely look back, if at all, but in retrospect, I think just getting through that difficult period helped me realize how freeing it really was. I went back to acting school, I moved to Europe, I did some plays in New York and I actually invested in [pause] my self in a way that was much healthier for me. If I had become a massive star, I don’t know if I wouldn’t have gone into therapy”.
Stoltz jokingly added, “On the other hand, I would’ve been exceedingly rich which would’ve been wonderful!”.
