Back to the Future is a classic film, and a fascinating story surrounds its production. Initially, Eric Stoltz was cast as Marty McFly, but he was replaced by Michael J. Fox while filming had already begun. There have been many explanations for this change over the years, but Thomas F. Wilson, who played Biff Tannen, believes Stoltz’s intense, method acting style was a key reason for the recasting.
It’s not unusual for method acting to cause issues on film sets – Jared Leto’s behavior during the making of Suicide Squad is a recent example. However, Wilson recently shared on the Inside Of You podcast that it led to real tension between him and Eric Stoltz while filming Back to the Future. Podcast host Michael Rosenbaum asked Wilson about his experiences working with Stoltz before he was replaced, and Wilson politely explained the reasons they didn’t click.
We were both young actors back then, and it was a long time ago. I have a lot of respect for Eric and everything he’s accomplished. But when we were working together, Eric was really committed to getting into the role of Marty McFly. He took his method acting very seriously, to the point where he was deliberately unkind to me. He wanted everyone – the hair and makeup artists, the director, everyone – to call him ‘Marty’ as a way to fully become the character.
From Eric Stoltz’s point of view, it makes sense why he acted the way he did. He was playing Marty McFly and had a difficult on-screen relationship with Biff Tannen, the typical movie bully. He seems to have continued that antagonistic interaction even after the director, Robert Zemeckis, said the scene was finished and the cameras were off.
However, Thomas F. Wilson claims Eric Stoltz was often choosy about how involved he became, which sometimes strained his relationships with fellow actors. Wilson specifically mentioned Stoltz’s behavior towards Lea Thompson, his co-star in the 1984 film The Wild Life, and went on to explain further.
It struck me as strange when he arrived, considering he’d acted in a film with Lea Thompson. Apparently, he was meant to feel awkward around her, but they seemed very friendly and comfortable with each other. Yet, he was being cold towards me, which made me think he was only choosing to be nice to certain people at the time.
Lea Thompson famously played Lorraine Baines, Marty McFly’s mom, in Back to the Future. Throughout the movie, it’s clear her character develops a crush on Marty, which makes him uncomfortable. However, Michael J. Fox’s co-star, Christopher Lloyd (who played Doc Brown), didn’t seem to notice this dynamic while they were filming.
Looking back after more than 40 years, Wilson believes the issue wasn’t performance, but respect. While Eric Stoltz was dedicated to giving his best performance, his approach hindered teamwork – which is essential for a successful movie set. Ultimately, Wilson felt that this lack of collaboration was the core problem.
Looking back, I totally didn’t get it at the time. I’m a performer too, I’m up on that stage right alongside you. We both need to bring our A-game to make the scene work, and I’m not here to cater to you or be your sidekick. We’re collaborators, and all I wanted was for everyone to know their lines and be prepared to just do the scene. Honestly, there was a lot of unnecessary drama and, looking back, a lot of stuff a younger me did that wasn’t helpful. That’s ultimately why he ended up being replaced, I think.
That initial problem quickly led to even more issues. Filming was halted, and Thomas F. Wilson initially feared the entire movie would be cancelled. He then worried he was being fired when he was asked to meet with Robert Zemeckis. However, things eventually worked out when Michael J. Fox replaced Eric Stoltz, and the movie went on to become a classic.
You know, it’s kind of amazing, but even after all the changes, there’s still a single shot in the final cut of Back to the Future that shows Eric Stoltz! If you’re curious to spot it for yourself, you can now stream the movie with an AMC+ subscription.
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2026-01-21 06:09