See Resurfaced Footage Of Big-Name Celebs Auditioning For '80s Hit Back To The Future

A big part of what makes a movie a classic is the cast. If one character feels off, it can throw the whole movie out of whack and leave audiences cold. That is why casting a movie can take so long and make actors go through so many auditions. And even then, sometimes the wrong actor gets a role, and it causes problems during filming. That was what happened with "Back to the Future" when Eric Stoltz was initially cast as hapless Hill Valley teen Marty McFly. Stoltz is an endlessly talented actor, but his energy wasn't right for the role. Six weeks into filming, he was replaced by Michael J. Fox, who was the perfect fit for what director Robert Zemeckis and writer Bob Gale had envisioned. Stoltz went on to star in 1985's "Mask," earning him a Golden Globe and making him a star. But the lead role wasn't the only one that was almost played by other famous actors. 

As seen in the video above, the role of bully Biff Tannen could have been played by Billy Zane or Peter DeLuise. Kyra Sedgwick may have ended up playing Marty's girlfriend, Jennifer, taking her career in a different direction. Perhaps most surprisingly of all are some of the other actors considered for Marty McFly: C. Thomas Howell, Jon Cryer, and Ben Stiller. In the end, the roles of Biff and Jennifer went to Tom Wilson and Claudia Wells. And once Fox joined the cast — working alongside the incomparable Christopher Lloyd as Doc Brown — movie magic was created. "Back to the Future" and its sequels have become generational classics, thanks in no small part to the actors.

Losing out on a role in a classic like "Back to the Future" can be tough, but thankfully every actor in the video has done pretty well for themselves. Billy Zane may not have landed the role of Biff Tannen, but he was cast as Match, one of Biff's lackeys. The role helped launch Zane's career, leading to his most famous role as the villain trying to keep Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet from falling in love in "Titanic." 

Peter DeLuise went on to star on "21 Jump Street" with Johnny Depp for five seasons. DeLuise also kicked off his directing career on the series. DeLuise went on to make a name for himself behind the camera, writing, producing, and directing a number of shows, including Hallmark's "When Calls the Heart." And while Kyra Sedgwick didn't end up in "Back to the Future," she still made her big screen debut in 1985, starring in "War and Love." If she had ended up in "Back to the Future," her career isn't the only thing that could have been different: she may never have ended up in 1988's "Lemon Sky," where she met her husband, Kevin Bacon. 

Already famous for playing Ponyboy in "The Outsiders" before auditioning to play Marty McFly in "Back to the Future," C.Thomas Howell would go on to star in the horror classic "The Hitcher," and play recurring roles on "SEAL Team" and "Animal Kingdom." Jon Cryer became a breakout star in 1986's "Pretty in Pink" and is best known today as one of the worst-dressed characters on TV, Alan on "Two and a Half Men." Meanwhile, Ben Stiller has become one of the biggest names in Hollywood, working as an actor, writer, producer, and director.