Michael J. Fox Makes Rare Appearance Honoring Back to the Future’s 40th Anniversary with DeLorean Drive

On August 10th, Michael J. Fox made a rare public appearance by driving his iconic DeLorean to the Southampton Playhouse in New York. The event marked the 40th anniversary celebration of the beloved film Back to the Future, reconnecting fans with the timeless classic and honoring Fox’s enduring role in the franchise and popular culture.

Despite living with Parkinson’s disease, Fox, aged 64, was in high spirits, dressed casually in brown pants and a black button-down shirt. After the screening of the 1985 film, he engaged in a meaningful post-film discussion that reflected on his extensive acting career and the ongoing efforts of the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which supports Parkinson’s research and advocacy.

Michael J. Fox’s Career and Recent Projects Amid Health Challenges

The Back to the Future event comes amid a notable phase in Fox‘s career, with his recent role as a guest star announced for the third season of Apple TV’s series Shrinking. The show also features Harrison Ford, whose character Paul Rhoades battles Parkinson’s disease, making Fox’s involvement highly significant.

Ford has publicly praised Fox’s presence on the show, emphasizing the actor’s exceptional courage and grace. He told Variety,

“Michael’s courage, his fortitude and his grace, more than anything else, is on full display,”

and further commented,

“He’s very smart, very brave, noble, generous, passionate guy, and an example to all of us, whether we’re facing Parkinson’s or not. You cannot help but recognize how amazing it is to have such grace.”

Ford also highlighted how Fox’s portrayal brings depth and authenticity to his own character’s journey, stating,

“He gives me both a physical representation of the disease to inform myself with,”

and,

“more than that, he allows me to believe that Paul could believe that he could be adequate to the challenge.”

Michael J. Fox on Managing Parkinson’s and Stepping Away from Acting

Fox has shared insights into his decision to step back from acting due to Parkinson’s progression. Diagnosed decades ago, he continued acting for nearly 30 years after his diagnosis but eventually reached a point where his ability to speak consistently became a challenge.

He revealed to AARP Magazine,

“I continued to act for almost 30 years after I was diagnosed,”

explaining,

“I reached the point where I couldn’t rely on my ability to speak on any given day, which meant I couldn’t act comfortably at all anymore. So, last year I gave it up.”

Nevertheless, Fox remains open to accepting roles that resonate with him and accommodate his condition. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight in April 2024, he said,

“If someone offers me a part and I do it and I have a good time, great,”

and added,

“I would do acting if something came up that I could put my realities into it, my challenges, if I could figure it out.”

Behind the Scenes: Fascinating Origins and Production Stories of Back to the Future

To mark the anniversary, numerous interesting facts about the making of Back to the Future shed light on the film’s journey from concept to iconic status.

1. The inspiration for Back to the Future was sparked by writer and producer Bob Gale‘s discovery of his father‘s high school yearbook, where his dad was president of the graduating class. Gale reflected on this in Esquire, saying,

“I wondered whether I would have been friends with my dad in high school.”

2. The script faced heavy rejection, with over 40 studios declining to produce the film. Disney infamously turned it down, reportedly commenting,

“Are you guys out of your minds? You can’t make a movie like this here. This is Disney, and you’re giving us a movie about incest!”

3. Universal Pictures executive Sid Sheinberg disliked the title and suggested changing it to Spaceman From Pluto.

4. Several actors auditioned for Marty McFly before casting settled on Michael J. Fox, including John Cusack, Johnny Depp, and C. Thomas Howell, who was close to securing the role but eventually lost out.

5. After five weeks of filming with Eric Stoltz as Marty, the filmmakers decided he wasn’t the right fit. Gale explained to The Guardian,

“The humor just hadn’t been coming through with Eric. The studio weren’t happy exactly, but they’d seen the footage so they bit the bullet.”

6. Director Robert Zemeckis recalled that delivering the news to Stoltz was one of the hardest moments in his life, stating in his book Blockbuster,

“the hardest meeting I’ve ever had in my life and it was all my fault. I broke his heart.”

7. Reshooting Stoltz’s scenes reportedly cost an additional $4 million to the production budget.

8. Michael J. Fox was the original first choice for Marty, leading the film team to coordinate with the Family Ties production to accommodate his schedule. Gale said to The Hundreds blog,

“We would’ve danced naked on his desk to get Michael J. Fox, so of course we said, ‘Yeah, sure, we’ll adjust our shooting schedule,’”

acknowledging the challenge.

9. Fox worked an exhausting schedule, filming Family Ties during the day and Back to the Future at night from 6:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m., averaging five hours of sleep each night. Fox commented in a TV special,

“It was my dream to be in the film and television business, although I didn’t know I’d be in them simultaneously,”

adding,

“It was just this weird ride and I got on.”

10. A subtle detail remains from the Stoltz era: a scene where Stoltz’s character punches Biff at the diner still appears in the film, although his face is not visible.

Additional Back to the Future Production Trivia and Cast Changes

11. Originally, Doc Brown was known as Professor Brown, a change suggested by a studio executive.

12. Jeff Goldblum auditioned seriously for Doc Brown, with Gale commenting,

“The only other guy we really seriously considered for Doc Brown was Jeff Goldblum. Jeff came in, and…I’m certain we talked about John Lithgow, but I don’t remember if he ever actually came in, or if we met him. But I vividly remember meeting Jeff and liking him.”

13. Christopher Lloyd almost declined the iconic role of Doc Brown, intending instead to focus on a play in New York. He credited his wife Carol for persuading him, who

“reminded me that I always told myself never to turn anything down without at least checking it out.”

14. Lloyd drew inspiration for Doc Brown’s character from Albert Einstein and the Philadelphia Orchestra conductor Leopold Stokowski, the latter noted for his distinctive white hair.

15. Doc Brown adopts a hunched posture partly to offset the seven-inch height difference with Michael J. Fox.

16. Initially, Melora Hardin was cast as Marty’s girlfriend Jennifer, but she was recast before filming when Fox replaced Stoltz because Hardin was slightly taller than Fox.

17. Claudia Wells originally portrayed Jennifer in the first film but retired after her mother’s illness; Elisabeth Shue then assumed the role for sequels.

18. The studio wanted Doc Brown’s time machine to be a Ford Mustang with paid product placement, but Gale insisted,

“I said, ‘No, no, no, Doc Brown doesn’t drive a f–king Mustang.’ It had to be a DeLorean.”

19. Huey Lewis, who wrote “The Power of Love” and “Back in Time” for the soundtrack, made a cameo as a judge during the band audition scene.

20. Lewis initially declined the offer to work on the movie‘s music before eventually agreeing.

21. The time machine was originally a refrigerator, but worries over children accidentally locking themselves inside led the filmmakers to change it to a car.

22. After positive test screenings, the film’s release was moved earlier than planned, premiering just nine weeks after production wrapped.

23. Crispin Glover, who played George McFly, did not return for the sequels due to contract disputes and later sued over unauthorized use of his likeness. He recounted on The Opie and Anthony Show,

“in order to fool audiences into thinking I was in the movie,”

a lawsuit that settled with a $760,000 payment arranged through Universal’s insurance company.

24. Lea Thompson credits her role as Lorraine to her previous 1984 film The Wild Life, recalling,

“they were looking at Eric Stoltz for Marty McFly, and they were, like, ‘Who’s that girl?’”

adding,

“So that’s how I got the first audition for that.”

25. Lorraine’s character name was originally Meg in the first script.

26. To achieve Lorraine’s 1985 look, Thompson underwent prosthetic makeup requiring three and a half hours of preparation daily.

27. In 2015, footage featuring Stoltz as Marty was released for the first time in a documentary on the 30th anniversary Blu-ray, with Gale remarking,

“We wanted to soft pedal that,”

to avoid making Stoltz feel bad.

28. Back to the Future inspired an animated series that aired on CBS from 1991 to 1992 and lasted two seasons.

29. A musical adaptation debuted in England in March 2020, starring Olly Dobson as Marty McFly and Tony Award winner Roger Bart as Doc Brown, later transferring to Broadway and concluding its run in January 2025 after an 18-month engagement.

30. Both Zemeckis and Gale oppose a fourth film, with Zemeckis stating during a Zoom reunion,

“If I had an idea which I could have pitched to Bob [Gale] with a straight face, we would have made it.”

The Enduring Legacy and Future of Back to the Future

Michael J. Fox’s appearance at the 40th anniversary event not only honored the film’s legacy but also highlighted his personal journey and resilience in the face of Parkinson’s disease. His continued involvement in acting and advocacy illuminates the lasting impact he has had on both audiences and the disability community.

The rich history and numerous behind-the-scenes stories of Back to the Future reinforce why the film remains a cultural touchstone, inspiring generations and celebrating creativity in Hollywood. While fans may hope for another installment, creators Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis have made clear that no new film is forthcoming without a compelling and feasible story.

As the film approaches its fifth decade, its influence extends beyond cinema into theater and television, demonstrating the timeless appeal of its story, characters, and the indelible mark made by Michael J. Fox and his iconic role as Marty McFly.