During a recent interview on the Still Here Hollywood podcast, Lea Thompson admitted that she and her co-star Michael J. Fox did not immediately get along while filming the first Back to the Future film. Lea played Lorraine Baines McFly in the Sci-Fi movie, while Fox played her son Marty McFly.
In the first film of the series, which debuted in 1985, Marty accidentally arrives 30 years in the past and meets a younger Lorraine who falls in love with him. Other cast members included Christopher Llyod and Thomas F. Wilson, who both attended the 2024 Rhode Island Comic Con with Lea and Fox.
Why did Lea Thompson and Michael J. Fox not get along?
Lea was friends with actor Eric Stolz, who was initially cast as Marty. They previously worked together on The Wildlife and were excited to collaborate again when Director Robert Zemeckis suddenly fired Eric. Robert found him unfit for the role and recast Fox instead.
Lea was stung by Robert’s decision and, by extension, behaved snootily towards Fox, whom she considered undeserving of the part. Over time, the then-24-year-old won her heart with his stellar performance, leading to a lasting friendship between them.
Where is the ‘Back to the Future’ cast today?
Lea made another movie, Some Kind of Wonderful, with Eric in 1987 while maintaining a wholesome friendship with him and Fox. She is still active in the industry, with several directing credits to her name. Fox had a good run after Back to the Future, but his battle with Parkinson’s disease cut short his career.
Llyod recently starred in The Mandalorian and NCIS, and Glover is a writer, director, and film producer for his company, Volcanic Eruptions. Claudia has been away from the spotlight for the most part with a few indie film roles, while Wilson is a successful stand-up comedian.