TheBack to the Futurefranchise jumps between the past, present, and future, meaning several actors appear in multiple roles, sometimes separated by hundreds of years.Ranking theBack to the Futuremoviesis admittedly difficult, as the three installments are collectively considered one of the best trilogies in film history. The reason for this is the heartfelt yet equally hilarious stories at the center of each movie, set against the unique and exciting backdrop ofBack to the Future’s various timelines.
Thanks to each timeline introduced throughout the trilogy, severalhidden story clues inBack to the Futurecan be found. From references to the past, future, and Marty McFly’s present, there are Easter eggs aplenty as the time travel-centric stories play out. Some of the more humorous references to past or future timelines in the films include the actors who play multiple roles. With thestory ofBack to the Future 4often theorized, it is easy to forget how great the trilogy was at many things, including passing off the same actor as different characters, with five doing so excellently.
5Michael J. Fox
Marty McFly, Marty McFly Jr., Marlene McFly, Seamus McFly
Above any other character,Michael J. Fox is best known for portraying Marty McFly in theBack to the Futuretrilogy. Marty is the protagonist of all three movies, with his goal in the first movie being his return to 1985 after accidentally time-traveling to 1955. This coincides with Marty trying to match-make with his parents, as his actions begin to alter history and could result in him and his siblings ceasing to exist. Marty succeeds, leading directly intoBack to the Future Part II,where Fox begins to play multiple characters.
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The second movie sees Marty and Doc travel to 2015 in an attempt to stop Marty’s son, Marty McFly Jr., from committing a robbery that leads to a chain of events that destroys the McFly family.Marty McFly Jr. is one of the other characters Fox plays in theBack to the Futuretrilogy, as well as his sister, Marlene McFly, as both characters are stated to look exactly like their father. This explains the humorous decision to have Fox portray them as well as the original Marty.
InBack to the Future Part III, Fox brings a fourth character to life. This film sees Marty travel back in time to the Old West in 1885 so that he can save Doc’s life, who became stranded in the past. There, Marty encounters his Irish-born great-great-grandparents, Seamus and Maggie McFly. Seamus is portrayed by Fox, rounding out the several characters the actor plays in theBack to the Futuretrilogy.
4Lea Thompson
Lorraine Baines-McFly, Maggie McFly
Marty’s parents are a big part ofBack to the Future, with Lea Thompson portraying Lorraine Baines-McFly. Lorraine is Marty’s mother in the opening of the film, depicted as a depressed alcoholic. Once Marty travels back to 1955, he meets Lorraine once more, only as a young girl. Lorraine becomes infatuated with Marty, unaware that he is her son from the future, resulting in the latter resolving to reunite the former with her eventual husband and Marty’s eventual father, George McFly. InBack to the Future Part II, several versions of Lorraine appear as Marty’s mother, played again by Thompson.
Thompson portrays the aforementioned Maggie McFly, the great-great-grandmother of Marty and the great-grandmother of George…
Regarding another character, Thompson appears inBack to the Future Part III, set in 1885. As Lorraine was not born yet, Thompson portrays the aforementioned Maggie McFly, the great-great-grandmother of Marty and the great-grandmother of George. This decision was made by the filmmakers as a way of involving Thompson, a heavily important cast member in the first two movies, in the film. In a DVD commentary forBack to the Future Part III, the film’s screenwriter Bob Gale said that he imagines that McFly men are simply “genetically predisposed” to be attracted to women who look like Thompson.
3Thomas F. Wilson
The primary antagonists of theBack to the Futurefranchise are primarily portrayed by the same actor, Thomas F. Wilson. In the first movie, Wilson plays Biff Tannen, someone who once went to school with Lorraine and George, Marty’s parents. Biff is the supervisor of George in 1985 and endlessly torments him, often walking over the timid man with little to no repercussions. Once Marty travels back to 1955, Wilson appears again as a younger Biff, the school bully of George and, in turn, Marty’s rival.
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InBack to the Future Part II, Wilson returns as Biff Tannen while also portraying Griff Tannen, the former’s grandson. Griff is the person who commits a robbery with Marty McFly Jr., resulting in the destruction of the McFly family that Doc and the original Marty attempt to prevent. Despite not appearing physically on-screen, Wilson plays another character in the Tannen family: Gertrude. Gertrude is the rude grandmother of Biff in the film who can be heard shouting at her grandson several times, voiced by Wilson.
Like Thompson, Wilson portrays Biff at several different time periods in his life, as well as his various ancestors and descendants.
As was the case with Fox,Wilson appears in all threeBack to the Futuremovies as different characters. InBack to the Future Part III, Wilson plays Biff Tannen’s great-grandfather, Buford. Also known as “Mad Dog,” Buford is the leader of a Wild West gang in the 1885 version of Hill Valley. As such, he serves as an antagonist to both Marty and Doc in the third film before being arrested for his crimes.
2James Tolkan
Principal Gerald Strickland, U.S. Marshal James Strickland
Outside of the main cast, there are a few otherBack to the Futureactors who portray multiple characters. One such actor is James Tolkan, who first appears in the originalBack to the Futureas the principal of Hill Valley High School, Gerald Strickland. Strickland appears in the film as somewhat of a vehicle for comic relief, often shown loudly and exaggeratedly reprimanding the students of the school for various reasons. Outside of this, Strickland has little impact on the overall plot ofBack to the Future.
Tolkan returned to the franchise inBack to the Future Part III, set in 1885. It is mentioned in the first movie that Tolkan’s Gerald Strickland was a descendant of a U.S. Marshal named James Strickland. InBack to the Future Part III, James Strickland makes an appearance. He serves as the main law presence inBack to the Future Part III, often opposing the likes of Buford and his gang as they clash with Marty and Doc. Interestingly, the fate of James Strickland is a mysterious one due to a few unexplained plot holes.
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In a deleted scene from the film, the character of James Strickland is killed. This scene, as well as the novelization of the movie, outlines how James is shot and killed by Buford. However, the theatrical release does not include this scene, and instead, Strickland is simply absent from the latter half.
1Donald Fullilove
Goldie Wilson, Goldie Wilson III
The final actor in theBack to the Futurefranchise who portrays more than one character is Donald Fullilove. Neither of Fullilove’s roles are all that vital toBack to the FutureorBack to the Future Part II, but their actions somewhat impact the wider plot of both movies. Fullilove’s first role came in the former when he was revealed to be the first black Mayor of Hill Valley in 1985, Goldie Wilson. Fullilove portrayed the older and younger version of Goldie inBack to the Future,the latter shown as a young man working at Lou’s Cafe in 1955.
One of the many links between timelines in Back to the Future shows Marty inspiring Goldie’s eventual dream of becoming Mayor of Hill Valley.
Fullilove’s other role inBack to the Futureis much smaller and comes inBack to the Future Part II.In the film’s 2015 timeline, Fullilove appears as Goldie Wilson III, the grandson of the original Goldie Wilson. He appears on a billboard ad for hovercars, leading to the assumption that Goldie Wilson III is a car salesman. Fullilove appeared as this character in an uncredited cameo and, despite the lack of a credit, rounds out the list ofBack to the Futureactors who played multiple characters.
Back to the Future
“Back to the Future” is a science fiction adventure franchise that follows the time-traveling adventures of Marty McFly and Dr. Emmett “Doc” Brown. Created by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, the series is known for its clever use of time travel, memorable characters, and iconic DeLorean time machine. The franchise explores themes of causality, destiny, and the impact of individual actions on the future. Its blend of humor, heart, and innovative storytelling has made it a beloved classic in film history.
