Back to the Future: The Musical's Marty McFly Reveals Advice He Got from Michael J. Fox
Michael J. Fox has no problem passing on the temporally-displaced DeLorean to a new generation, as evidenced by a memorable encounter he had with Casey Likes, the actor who plays Marty McFly in Back to the Future: The Musical (now playing on Broadway after a successful run in London's West End). The pair briefly spoke on the red carpet at a special gala event that took place last month.
"It was kind of a whirlwind," Likes recalled of the surreal experience during a recent interview with People. "I got to briefly meet him and while we're taking pictures, I kind of whispered to Michael, ‘Thank you for everything. Thanks for inspiring everything.'"
The advice Michael J. Fox gave to Back to the Future: The Musical's Marty McFly
Before he and Fox parted ways, Likes asked the OG Marty for a bit of sage advice. Fox did not reply with "Your future is whatever you make it... so make it a good one," though that's where our money was at. Rather, he uttered a line of dialogue lifted directly from the scene in the first movie where Marty gives his teenage father (Crispin Glover) a pep talk before the Enchantment Under the Sea Dance.
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(L-R) Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Michael J. Fox, Casey Likes, and Roger Bart attend the "Back To The Future: The Musical" Gala Performance at Winter Garden Theatre on July 25, 2023 in New York City. Photo: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
"He said, ‘Kick ass! If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything,'" Likes said. "And then a minute later, I was walking through the door and I was on stage."
At 21, the musical star is two years younger than Fox was when the Family Ties star stepped in to replace Eric Stoltz on the 1985 classic.
How to get tickets for the Back to the Future musical
Click here to pick up tickets for Back to the Future: The Musical, which also features the talents of Roger Bart (Doc Brown), Hugh Coles (George McFly), Liana Hunt (Lorraine Baines), Jelani Remy (Goldie Wilson and Marvin Berry), Nathaniel Hackmann (Biff Tannen), Merritt David Janes (Strickland), and Mikaela Secada (Jennifer Parker).
Bob Gale, co-creator and screenwriter on the original trilogy, wrote the book for the production. Composer Alan Silvestri, who scored all three Back to the Future films, provided new music alongside Grammy-winner Glen Ballard. Tony winner John Rando directs.
If you can't make it to the Big Apple for one of the time traveling performances, then consider revisiting the films that birthed a phenomenon. Back to the Future: The Ultimate Trilogy is available now from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.
