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Before Back to the Future became the cultural icon we all know, Michael J. Fox was already riding high as America’s favorite teen Republican, Alex P. Keaton, on Family Ties. But what most people didn’t see was the absolute chaos behind the scenes. Fox wasn’t just filming one hit show; he was secretly pulling off one of Hollywood’s wildest juggling acts, shooting Family Ties by day and Back to the Future by night, all on barely a few hours of sleep.
Originally, the role of Marty McFly went to Eric Stoltz, but his ultra-serious take on the character just didn’t vibe with the movie’s light, fun tone. After weeks of shooting, the team scrapped everything and begged Fox to step in. The catch? He couldn’t miss a single day of Family Ties. So, he didn’t. Every day for over three months, Fox filmed the sitcom all day, got picked up around 6 PM, and worked all night as Marty. Rinse and repeat. Somehow, he nailed both roles, playing two totally different teenagers and making it look effortless.
The production itself was no picnic either; drafts were scrapped, studios passed, and the time machine was once a fridge. But with Fox on board, everything clicked. The film became 1985’s biggest hit, and the rest is time-traveling history.
Describing his schedule, Fox said during his documentary Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie,
"I would work on the film until just before sunrise. At that point, I'd climb into the back of a production van with a pillow and a blanket, and yet another Teamster driver would take me home again. I caught two or three hours of sleep before Teamster driver number one would reappear at my apartment."
More details about Marty McFly in the Back to the Future franchise
Marty McFly is the awkward, big-hearted teen we all rooted for in the Back to the Future franchise, and years later, he's still just as special. He’s from Hill Valley, California, plays guitar in a band, clings to the back of cars on his skateboard, and just wants his parents to stop being so disappointing. But life throws him a literal curveball when his best friend, the wildly brilliant and slightly unhinged Doc Brown, invents a time machine. Suddenly, Marty’s back in 1955, accidentally messing with his parents' love story and trying not to vanish from existence.
What makes Marty such a standout isn’t just the sci-fi chaos; it’s that he’s so real. He freaks out. He panics. He makes stupid decisions. But he also never gives up. Michael J. Fox gave him this scrappy charm, playing him with that perfect mix of anxiety and boldness. And off-screen? Fox was pulling crazy long shifts, filming Family Ties during the day and Back to the Future at night. And yet, his performance never missed a beat.
Across the trilogy, Marty grows. Sure, he starts out with a temper and a huge pride problem (the whole “nobody calls me chicken” thing), but by the end? He learns when to walk away. He learns what matters.
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Marty isn’t a flawless hero. He’s a kid figuring it out, messing it up, trying again, and somehow saving the timeline in the process. And that’s exactly why we love him.
The Back to the Future franchise is available to stream on Prime Video.
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