Michael J. Fox

Date of birth (location)
  9 June 1961, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Well before there was ever any thought of a sequel, in a behind-the-scenes documentary about the making of the original Back to the Future, Michael J Fox was asked where he would choose to travel if he could actually travel through time. His answer? "The old west."

 Five years later, in Back to the Future part III, the actor got his wish, as Marty McFly travels to hill Valley in the year 1885 to rescue Doc Brown. "It was the proverbial dream come true," says Fox of filming the western adventure, carving his own niche among the ranks of such legendary western stars as John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, Clint Eastwood, Gary Cooper and Alan Ladd.

"When Bob Zemeckis called 'Action', I literally got a chill as I walked into the dusty street, a six-shooter strapped to my leg, squaring off against a vicious desperado, as the townsfolk scramble, and huddle inside the saloon doors to await the confrontation.

 "Those are the kind of elements that make the old west perfect for the setting of the conclusion to the trilogy. The action is fast, the values are pure, and the roles are clearly defined. The classic western and the Back to the Future films have the same common denominator at the heart of them - the audience always gets a hero to root for and a villain to loathe."

In addition to his role of Marty, Fox also portrays Marty's great-great grandfather, Seamus McFly, an Irish farmer who is the first McFly in America.

"In playing Seamus, I tried to avoid the stereotype, but there's no denying that he's a bit of a leprechaun," says the actor. "But behind the twinkle in his eye, there is also a great wisdom. Seamus provides a valuable lesson to Marty, concerning his tendency to over-react when someone calls him 'chicken'. Seamus has learned through experience that you can have pride without a fall, and in fact, pride can steer you away from a fall."

Source: The Internet Movie Database