This actor rose to prominence in the 1980s, and worked with Tom Cruise and Quentin Tarantino. He was also famously fired from an iconic film.
On Monday, the star, now 63, looked unrecognizable while enjoying a rare outing in Manhattan’s West Village neighborhood.
The California native — who once dated Jackie Brown star Bridget Fonda — sported a cartoon T-shirt paired with blue jeans and sneakers.
He wore a faded hat over his grown-out silver hair and carried a backpack. He also sported a pair of sunglasses.
This film star, who also famously played a drug dealer in a Quentin Tarantino movie, was previously nominated for a Golden Globe.
Can you guess who it is?
This actor rose to prominence in the 80s and was famously fired from an iconic film. On Monday, he was seen looking unrecognizable on a rare outing in New York. Can you guess who he is?
That’s right, it’s Eric Stoltz!
Stoltz was famously hired to play Marty McFly in the 1985 film Back to the Future.
After more than a month of filming, he was fired and replaced with Michael J. Fox.
Director Robert Zemeckis had determined that his serious method acting style didn’t match the film’s comedic tone.
The film transformed Fox into one of the biggest stars of the Eighties.
‘He’s a magnificent actor, but his comedy sensibilities were very different from what I had written with Bob Gale,’ Zemeckis said of Stoltz.
‘And he and I were just never able to make that work.’
Zemeckis said he showed Steven Spielberg the first five weeks of footage and told him they weren’t ‘getting the laughs I was hoping we would get.’
Said Spielberg: ‘He was absolutely correct so I had to make this horrific decision which was heartbreaking for everybody.’
That’s right, it’s Eric Stoltz! He was famously hired to play Marty McFly in the 1985 film Back to the Future, before getting fired; Pictured (L) in a still from the film’s footage
The California native sported a cartoon T-shirt paired with blue jeans and sneakers. He wore a faded hat over his grown-out silver hair and carried a backpack.
After more than a month of filming Back To The Future, Stoltz was fired and replaced with Michael J. Fox; Christopher Lloyd and Fox pictured in a still
Director Robert Zemeckis had determined that Stoltz’s serious method acting style didn’t match the film’s comedic tone; Stoltz seen in a still from Some Kind Of Wonderful (1987)
While Fox enjoyed a soaring career after Back to the Future, before revealing his Parkinson’s diagnosis in 1998, Stoltz carved out a varied career with a series of supporting roles; (L) Stoltz pictured in 2024, (R) Fox seen in 2019
Stoltz went on to enjoy some success with the 1985 drama Mask, for which he nabbed a Golden Globe nomination; Seen in a still from the film
In 1994, he played a drug dealer named Lance in Tarantino’s iconic film, Pulp Fiction; Pictured in a still from the movie
Stoltz once dated Jackie Brown star Bridget Fonda.Their relationship ended in 1998. He went on to marry his current wife Bernadette Moley in 2005; Stoltz and Fonda pictured in 1997
While Michael went on to become a hugely popular star, Stoltz had to settle with a career full of bit parts.
But he did enjoy some success with 1985 drama Mask, for which he nabbed a Golden Globe nomination, the same year that back to the Future became one of the highest grossing blockbusters of all time.
He also starred as Keith Nelson in Some Kind of Wonderful (1987).
In 1994, he played a drug dealer named Lance in Tarantino’s iconic film, Pulp Fiction.
He also appeared as Ethan Valhere in the 1996 hit film Jerry Maguire, which starred Tom Cruise.
He has since had small roles in The Butterfly Effect and hit TV show Grey’s Anatomy where he played a serial killer.
Though he is now married to Bernadette Moley, Stoltz once dated daughter of actor Peter Fonda, Bridget.
She was a prominent figure in Hollywood during the late 1980s and 1990s, starring in films like The Godfather Part III, Single White Female, and Jackie Brown.
The two met in 1986, and started dating in 1990.
In 1997 they attended the premiere of Jackie Brown together at the Ziegfeld Theater in New York City.
Their relationship ended in 1998.
Eric went on to marry Bernadette in 2005.