Marty McFly

A high school student who accidentally becomes a time traveler and alters history after traveling back to 1955 in his scientist friend Emmett Brown's already-invented DeLorean time machine.

Martin McFly is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Back to the Future franchise. He is a high school student living in the fictional town of Hill Valley, California, who accidentally becomes a time traveler and alters history after traveling back to 1955 in his scientist friend Emmett Brown's already-invented DeLorean time machine. He was created by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale. In the film trilogy, he is portrayed by Canadian actor Michael J. Fox. Back to the Future established Fox as a film star, such was the commercial success and popularity of the film upon its release in 1985. Marty returned in two film sequels, Back to the Future Part II in 1989 and Back to the Future Part III in 1990.

Quick Facts

Series

Back to the Future

First

Back to the Future (1985)

Creator

Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale

Portrayed by

Michael J. Fox (films; 1985–90), Olly Dobson (stage musical); Eric Stoltz (original; unreleased)

Full name

Martin Seamus McFly

Also known as

Calvin Klein
Darth Vader
Clint Eastwood

Occupation

High school student

Spouse

Jennifer Parker

Lore & Background

Marty McFly is the youngest child of George McFly and Lorraine Baines-McFly. He has an older brother, Dave McFly, and an older sister, Linda McFly. Marty's girlfriend is Jennifer. He is a confident teenager who attends high school and dreams of becoming a rock star. He also lives in a family with various personal issues. During the development of Back to the Future, Eric Stoltz was initially cast in the role, but was replaced by Fox. Various other actors have portrayed or voiced the character in other media. In the animated series, David Kaufman voices him, and in the video game developed and published by Telltale Games, he is voiced by A.J. LoCascio, while Fox makes vocal cameos as his future counterparts. Olly Dobson played him in the original stage musical adaptation in the West End and Casey Likes plays him in the Broadway production.

Reader's Guide

Marty McFly is the Back to the Future protagonist. He lives in a family with various personal issues. He is the youngest of three children of George McFly and Lorraine Baines-McFly. He has a brother, Dave McFly, and a sister, Linda McFly. Marty's girlfriend is Jennifer. Critics have described Marty as a film character that defined the 1980s. He was named one of the greatest movie characters of all time by Empire. Critics have also described him as a pop culture icon. Since the release of Back to the Future, he has been influential in other media, often being referenced in television and film.

Did You Know?

Marty was named after a production assistant on Used Cars because it seemed like a 'good, all-American name'.
Michael J. Fox was 23 years old when he took on the role of 17-year-old Marty in 1985.
For the 'Johnny B. Goode' scene, Fox mimed the guitar playing and lip-synced the song; Tim May played the guitar and Mark Campbell provided the vocals.
While filming a hanging stunt for Back to the Future Part III, the rope blocked Fox's carotid artery and he lost consciousness for several seconds.
Eric Stoltz was initially cast as Marty and used method acting, insisting the film crew call him 'Marty' even when not filming, before being replaced by Fox.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Marty McFly?

Marty is the teenage protagonist of the trilogy who travels through time alongside his eccentric mentor, Doc Brown. He begins as an ordinary high schooler but evolves into a confident hero across multiple eras.

What role does Marty play in the timeline?

As the primary time traveler, he often gets stranded in different decades where he must fix historical anomalies to ensure his own existence. His actions directly determine the fate of Hill Valley and his family line.

How does Marty travel through time?

He utilizes a modified DeLorean sports car equipped with a flux capacitor, which requires reaching 88 miles per hour to initiate temporal displacement. This vehicle is built and maintained by Dr. Emmett Brown.

Does Marty survive all three films?

Yes, Marty remains alive throughout the entire trilogy and successfully resolves conflicts in both 1955 and 2015. He ultimately returns to his original timeline with a restored family life.