Michael J. Fox Reveals the Heartbreaking Message He Never Said to His Back to the Future Co-Star

Nearly 40 years after Back to the Future became a defining moment in film history, Michael J. Fox has revealed a deeply personal regret from the set of the 1985 classic and a message he says he never found the words to express at the time.

In his memoir Future Boy, Fox reflects on his early Hollywood years and admits that it took decades, and a fresh rewatch of the film, to fully grasp the brilliance of one co-star in particular: Crispin Glover, who memorably played the awkward and enduringly lovable George McFly.

According to Female First UK, Fox was prompted to write Glover a letter while revisiting the film as part of the book-writing process. Watching the performance again, Fox says, revealed layers he had not fully appreciated during the intensity of production.

A Letter Decades in the Making

Fox, now 64, writes that he and Glover did not spend much time talking during filming, something he attributes to the relentless pace and pressure of the shoot. That distance, he says, meant he never properly acknowledged Glover's work at the time.

'Granted, we didn't talk much during production, so I never had the chance to say that you are a brilliant actor, and I was thrilled to work with you,' Fox wrote in the letter, excerpts of which appear in Future Boy.

He went even further, confessing that Glover's performance has only grown stronger with age. 'Your performance is richer and deeper every time I see it. In fact, I skip over my bits to watch yours,' Fox added.

'There's No Way to Prepare for Crispin'

In the memoir, Fox paints a vivid picture of working on Back to the Future while simultaneously starring in the hit sitcom Family Ties, juggling two career-defining roles at once. While he shared scenes with seasoned performers such as Christopher Lloyd, Fox admits that Glover was a uniquely unpredictable presence.

'I knew Crispin Glover prior to Back to the Future,' Fox writes. 'I wouldn't, however, say I was prepared to act with him. There's no way to prepare for Crispin.'

Fox explains that while Lloyd was also inventive, his theatre background meant he remained anchored to the script. Glover, by contrast, was entirely instinctive.

'I never knew what Crispin was going to say or do. I'm not sure he knew, either,' Fox recalls.

Creative Tension on Set

That creative freedom, Fox acknowledges, sometimes caused friction behind the scenes. Glover had strong opinions about how George McFly should move and behave, which 'often caused tension' with screenwriter Bob Gale and director Robert Zemeckis.

'Nobody puts Crispin in a box,' Fox writes. 'As George McFly, Crispin had his own ideas as to how and where his character should move.'

Despite the clashes, Fox is unequivocal in his assessment now, describing Glover as 'phenomenal in the role' and crediting him with bringing depth and originality to a character that has become a cultural icon.

A Scene-Stealer Before Back to the Future

Back to the Future was not the first time the pair had worked together. In 1984, Glover appeared in a season two episode of Family Ties titled Birthday Boy, playing a friend of Fox's character Alex P. Keaton.

Fox recalls that Glover delivered 'the biggest laughs' of the episode, not through showmanship but through sheer authenticity.

'The interesting thing about Crispin as an actor is that he had no awareness of the audience,' Fox writes. 'He wasn't trying to milk the laughs. He was just naturally funny, and he crushed it on every take.'

Why Glover Never Returned

Although George McFly remains one of the most recognisable characters in the Back to the Future universe, Glover did not return for the sequels. The role was recast, with Jeffrey Weissman stepping in for Back to the Future Part II and Part III.

Glover has previously cited creative differences and a salary dispute as reasons for his absence, and has spoken openly about his discomfort with what he perceived as the moral message of the original film's ending.

A Rewritten Legacy

Now, Fox's late tribute has prompted fans to reassess the dynamic between the two actors. What once appeared as professional distance is recast as a missed moment, shaped by youth, pressure and circumstance.

As Future Boy reveals, some of the most meaningful acknowledgements are the ones that arrive long after the cameras stop rolling. For Fox, finally saying what he never said on set appears to have brought both closure and a renewed respect for an unsung performance that helped define a cinematic generation.

Originally published on IBTimes UK

Tags

Back to the Future