Back to the Future’s Michael J Fox reveals his casting for classic film may have cost one actor a key role

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Michael J. Fox recently shared that when he replaced Eric Stoltz in Back to the Future, it unexpectedly caused another actor to be replaced as well.

As a critic, I always find the backstory of ‘Back to the Future’ fascinating. Most people don’t realize Eric Stoltz was actually the first Marty McFly! He was six weeks into filming when the producers decided it wasn’t working and, rather drastically, let him go. That’s when Michael J. Fox stepped in and, well, the rest is history. It’s amazing to think how different the film could have been!

In his recent memoir, Future Boy, Fox revealed that when he became the main actor, his co-star Melora Hardin was considered “too tall” to play the role of his character’s girlfriend.

Growing up, I just wanted to get through it all without getting hurt, you know? I was always the shortest kid, and I got picked on for it constantly – endless short jokes and people just assuming things about me because of my size. It actually helped me when I started acting as a teen – I could easily play younger characters. But as I got older and tried to land romantic roles, it became a real problem. Being so much shorter than the actresses I was up against definitely held me back.

He went on to say he was sorry that a bias had unintentionally impacted another member of the Back to the Future cast – Melora Hardin, a gifted actress who had played Marty’s girlfriend, Jennifer, alongside the appropriately tall Eric Stoltz.

So, apparently Melora was originally cast in the role I eventually played, Marty. And, well, she was quite a bit taller than me! They ended up going in a different direction after I took over the part, which I guess means I fit the role better – or at least, was closer to the height they were looking for.

Fox explained that director Robert Zemeckis attempted to resolve the issue with Hardin, even seeking input from the women working on the film. However, they told him that, in their experience, popular girls in high school usually don’t choose the less conventionally attractive guys.

“No one asked for my opinion, but I would have risen to Melora’s defence,” added Fox.

Ultimately, the decision stood, and Eric Stoltz was replaced. Claudia Wells, who Robert Zemeckis had originally chosen to play Jennifer, returned to the role.

Hardin has often said that being fired from Back to the Future ultimately helped her land the role of Jan Levinson on The Office, contributing to her later success.

Honestly, I think if I’d been in charge, things would have played out so differently. I definitely wouldn’t have greenlit ‘The Office,’ as I mentioned on The Joe Vulpis Podcast a while back.

However, at the time, the then-teen star struggled with the decision.

She said that at 17, the experience was incredibly difficult and upsetting. Having a two-film contract felt like a significant opportunity at the time.

I remember doing some publicity photos, and then when we started filming, they let Eric go and hired Michael J. Fox.

She explained that the decision to recast her came from two female executives who felt it would undermine the male lead’s authority if he appeared in scenes with an actress taller than him.

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2025-12-01 14:04