Eric Stoltz

Project: Back to the Future

Although it would be difficult for us to imagine anyone but Michael J. Fox playing the role of Marty McFly, it was actually Eric Stoltz who was initially cast to portray the character. He already worked for several weeks when the directors came to the realization that he wasn’t giving the magic needed. What is more saddening is that Stoltz went on to work for almost a month without an idea that he’d be replaced by Fox. Back to the Future was released on July 3, 1985, and it was a mega-hit! According to The Numbers, the movie accumulated worldwide earnings of $385 million, a huge leap from its production budget of $19 million.

Despite getting laid off from the project, Stoltz is an American actor, producer, and director who is notable for his investments in films such as Mask and Some Kind Of Wonderful.