It might be hard to imagine anyone other than Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly in Back to the Future. However, there was actually another actor cast in the role. Eric Stoltz replacement as Marty came mid-filming, and co-star Christopher Lloyd apparently had reservations about the casting change.

In a new interview with GQ, Lloyd, 83, reflects on some of his most iconic characters over his long film career. This of course includes Emmett “Doc” Brown from the Back to the Future series. Lloyd recalled having “no idea there was a change coming” in terms of the production’s decision to bring in Fox, 60, as a replacement for Stoltz, also now 60.

Back to the Future - Eriz Stoltz replacement

“We were shooting the mall beginning sequence, and we were asked to come to one of the trailers at one o’clock in the morning…

“[Steven] Spielberg was there, and he made the announcement of the change.”

Christopher Lloyd, speaking with GQ

According to Lloyd, they had already been shooting for six weeks. According to Lloyd, his, “biggest fear was that, because I was really working to get Doc right… I thought, ‘I don’t know if I can get it up to do [all my scenes over] again.’ “

He also called Stoltz, “a wonderful actor.” However the change was apparently because the studio, “decided that they needed somebody with a comic flair.”

However, despite his apprehensions, things turned out well in the end. On working with Michael J. Fox, Lloyd said:

“Michael, we had a chemistry which lasted the whole time…

“We could come back after a break and just be there [in the scene]. We didn’t have to work for it.”

Christopher Lloyd

Fox and Lloyd have kept in touch since the first Back to the Future film was released, 36 years ago. Rumours of a fourth film have persisted, but reports suggest that both actors would be hesitant to return.

Do you think Michael J. Fox was a good replacement for Eric Stoltz? Let us know in the comments below!

Categories: Movies