Back to the Future is considered a classic by many moviegoers. The love and adoration for the time-traveling comedy have sustained courtesy of Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd’s stellar performances and incredible dynamic. Like many actors, Fox isn’t one for rewatching his work after seeing it at the premiere. But the Back to the Future star couldn’t resist the urge to watch the beloved film after accidentally stumbling upon a television rebroadcast. Fox revealed what surprised him about the film after watching it for the first time in years over Christmas.
The Teen Wolf star jumped from the small screen to movie superstardom upon the 1985 comedy coming to movie theaters. It led to Fox becoming a box office draw from the late 1980s through the mid-1990s. Michael J. Fox admitted his rewatching happened unexpectedly over Christmas 2020. Fox revealed on CBS Mornings what led to him watching Back to the Future over the holiday season.
Putting the lights on the tree, decorations on the tree, and my son was down and two of my daughters. I went to get something in the other room and it was on, [the] TV was on. It was Back to the Future, it was right at the beginning, I think the car in the parking lot. Then, after about 20 minutes [my family] realized I was gone. It took them like 20 minutes or a half an hour to realize me and the dog had left. They said, ‘What are you doing?’ I said, ‘Watching Back to the Future.’ They said, ‘Why are you watching Back to the Future?’ I said, ‘It’s really good! I’m really good in this.’ I hadn’t realized that. All that crazy stuff was good. It was just what I was doing to survive the moment.
The fact that Marty McFly himself became enamored by the film proved just how captivating it is. At least, Fox was able to enjoy his performance in the film without judgment. As much as viewers love The Secret of My Success star as McFly, shooting Back to the Future was a balancing act for the popular sitcom star. Michael J. Fox recalled what it was like filming the blockbuster and a hit television series at the same time.
My performance in that movie was just trying to be alive… I was doing Family Ties in the daytime and Back to the Future at night. It was just this real experience. So I had this moment, now, wham, with all this stuff I had in my life, where I could sit and look at this kid and say, ‘Wow, he did alright. He had a lot to deal with and he was dancing as fast as he could, but he fulfilled the role and did a good job.’
Knowing Fox’s workload at the time inspired a newfound appreciation for his contribution to the cult classic. But it made sense as the Family Ties alum replaced Some Kind of Wonderful star Eric Stoltz at the last minute. Marty McFly wouldn’t be Marty McFly without the timing and effort of Michael J. Fox. The appreciation will continue to grow as Fox has retired from acting.
Like The American President star, fans can relive every scene and iconic line by streaming Back to the Future and its sequels on Prime Video.