'Back to the Future' Turns 40! See the Cast Then and Now

It's hard to believe, but everyone's favorite time travel movie, Back to the Future, is 40 years old! The film, which starred Michael J. Fox, Lea Thompson, and Christopher Lloyd, is still a cult classic and required viewing for any sci-fi lover.

So, what is the cast doing these days? Keep reading to find out!

Michael J. Fox was just 23 years old when he first starred in the Back to the Future trilogy as Marty McFly. He went on to make his return to television in 1996 as Mike Flaherty in Spin City, which ran for six seasons.

In 1998, Michael revealed he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, and founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2000. He continued to act, appearing on TV shows such as Rescue Me and The Good Wife. Michael, 64, is also the proud dad of four kids with his wife, Tracy Pollan. He was awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Joe Biden in 2025.

Before Back to the Future, Christopher Lloyd was best known for his role as Reverend Jim "Iggy" Ignatowski in the sitcom Taxi.

Christopher has also appeared in films such as Clue, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Addams Family, and Dennis the Menace. Along with appearing at fan conventions, the 86-year-old actor is set to make a cameo in Season 2 of Wednesday on Netflix in 2025.

Despite playing his mother, Lea Thompson was the same age as her on-screen son, Michael J. Fox, in Back to the Future. Lea went on to star in the sitcom Caroline in the City in the '90s, and also starred as Kathryn Kennish in the TV series Switched at Birth.

Lea is also the proud mother of two daughters, Madelyn and Zoey Deutch. Lea and Michael remain close friends.

Actor Crispin Glover keeps a much lower profile than his Back to the Future castmates. The 61-year-old rarely posts on social media but recently starred in Guillermo Del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities on Netflix.

Along with Back to the Future, Crispin is also well-known for his roles in Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle and Starz's American Gods.

Despite portraying a bully in Back to the Future, Thomas F. Wilson is still super close to his Back to the Future co-stars. The actor's film and TV credits include That Darn Cat, The Informant!, Freaks and Geeks, and Legends of Tomorrow.

Thomas, 66, is also married to Caroline Thomas, and the couple shares four children.

Claudia Wells's first movie role was Marty McFly's girlfriend Jennifer in Back to the Future. She put her career on hold and did not appear in the sequels after her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was replaced by Elisabeth Shue.

Claudia returned to acting in 2011, but her last film credit was for a 2019 movie titled Vitals. However, the 58-year-old beauty recently appeared at Fan Expo Dallas with her Back to the Future co-stars in June 2025.