January 10, 1985: Eric Stoltz was fired from Back to the Future after a month of filming, making way for Michael J. Fox to take over as Marty McFly. Stoltz's method acting and lack of comedic chops led to reservations from cast and crew, who felt he wasn't bringing the right energy to the role.
Why did Eric Stoltz not finish Back to the Future?
Stoltz was fired from Back to the Future — replaced by Fox after the creators opted to go another route with Marty's character approach. One of the reasons Stoltz was let go was because of the intense way he interpreted and portrayed Marty.
How much of Back to the Future was shot with Eric Stoltz?
Eric Stoltz filmed over a month's worth of Back To The Future footage, but the tape has not yet been released publicly. Among the scenes that Stoltz acted out is the iconic skateboarding chase scene around Courthouse Square and the first time-travel experiment with Christopher Lloyd's Emmett "Doc" Brown.
Many other young actors also tried out for Marty McFly. John Cusack, Johnny Depp, Billy Zane (who appears in Back to the Future as Match, one of Biff's gang), Peter DeLuise, Matthew Modine, George Newbern, Christopher Collet, and Robert Downey Jr. were all considered but ultimately turned down.
What happened to the guy who played Marty in Back to the Future?
After his diagnosis, Fox began drinking heavily and grew depressed. He eventually sought help and stopped drinking altogether. He went public with his Parkinson's disease in 1998, and has become a strong advocate for Parkinson's disease research.
Back to the Future (1985) Cast THEN and NOW, The actors have aged horribly!!
Why did Michael J. Fox replace Eric Stoltz in Back to the Future?
January 10, 1985: Eric Stoltz was fired from Back to the Future after a month of filming, making way for Michael J. Fox to take over as Marty McFly. Stoltz's method acting and lack of comedic chops led to reservations from cast and crew, who felt he wasn't bringing the right energy to the role.
Fox and his Back To The Future dad Crispin Glover both worked on the 1983 TV movie High School USA, also starring Todd Bridges and Anthony Edwards. While he and Glover haven't spoken since BTTF, Fox remains very close friends with Christopher Lloyd, who played Doc Brown.
Claudia Wells Left Back To The Future For Tragic Reasons
Sadly, Claudia Wells had to turn down the offer to return as Jennifer because her mother (who was also her manager) was dying of breast cancer. This tragedy led to Elisabeth Shue being cast as Wells' replacement in the subsequent films.
You're probably aware of how the famous story goes: Eric Stoltz was the original Marty McFly for a little over a month before he was replaced by Michael J. Fox, effectively adding a few million to the budget for reshoots.
Was Steven Spielberg involved in Back to the Future?
"Back to the Future," an imaginative comedy adventure presented by Steven Spielberg and directed by Robert Zemeckis, was produced by Bob Gale and Neil Canton from an original screenplay by Zemeckis and Gale. Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall serve as executive producers of the Universal release.
Stoltz has never publicly discussed Back to the Future. Lloyd's concern is better understood when, later in the retrospective, the actor explains that while making One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, after a break in production he struggled to recommit to the Max Taber character.
Since 2002, he has concentrated mainly on directing, having done a television movie, several short films, several independent films, and television series such as Grey's Anatomy (2005), Boston Legal (2004), Nashville (2012) and Glee (2009).
Despite being considered a classic today, Back to the Future faced numerous rejections from movie studios in the '80s due to its tone and content. Studios at the time preferred raunchy, R-rated sex comedies, but Back to the Future's balanced and grounded approach has given it lasting appeal.
Stoltz was Sidney Sheinberg's (then CEO of Universal Pictures) favorite choice for McFly, so Sheinberg convinced director Robert Zemeckis to hire Stoltz with the contingency that if he wasn't right for the role, the film would be reshot.
The cast of the movie, which also included Crispin Glover, work effortlessly off each other to create a movie that still delivers almost 40 years later. The popularity of the film, along with a genuine love of the actors behind the characters, is what sets the Back to the Future franchise apart from its peers.
How old was Michael J Fox during the filming of Back to the Future?
Fox was just 23 when he made Back to the Future. He wouldn't receive his diagnosis for another six years; he'd work to conceal his symptoms for an additional seven. Throughout the '90s, he'd film scenes while fiddling with a pen, or rubbing his watch, or slyly stuffing one hand in his pocket.
A house in Arleta, Los Angeles, served as the McFlys' home. Principal photography began on November 26, 1984, on a 14-week schedule set to conclude on February 28, 1985, with an estimated $14 million budget. Filming took place mainly at the Universal Studios lot and on location in California.
Why was Claudia Wells replaced on Back to the Future?
After her mother was diagnosed with cancer, Wells put her career on hold for family reasons, and told the studio she would be unavailable to reprise her Back to the Future role for the two sequels. Actress Elisabeth Shue replaced her.
Claudia Wells played Jennifer in the original film, but due to personal reasons, she was replaced by Elisabeth Shue in the sequel. Wells walked away from the fame and money to take care of her dying mother.
Part III was released in the United States on May 25, 1990, six months after the previous installment, and grossed $245 million worldwide during its initial run, making it the sixth-highest-grossing film of 1990. The film received a positive response from critics, who noted it as an improvement over Part II.
How old was Michael J. Fox when he was diagnosed with Parkinson's?
Fox is an award-winning television and film actor whose enduring career as a performer has made him an icon to countless fans around the globe. In 1991, at age 29, he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, news he shared with the public in 1998.
Woody Harrelson hugs his good friend Michael J Fox, 61, as he presents him with an honorary Academy Award for his work surrounding Parkinson's disease following his diagnosis in 1991.
