Michael J. Fox recalls his family’s funny reaction to him rewatching ‘Back to the Future’

Michael J. Fox doesn't make a habit of watching his own films on a regular basis, but he did have a rather unique reaction when he stumbled upon "Back to the Future" on TV a few years ago.

The 61-year-old famously played the role of Marty McFly in the iconic "Back to the Future" trilogy between 1985-1990.

In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, the star recalls how it felt to watch himself in the opening scene of the original film all these years later.

“A few Christmases ago, we were in the living room decorating the tree. I went to the kitchen to get some cookies or something, and when I didn’t come back after like 20 minutes or so, they said, 'Michael, where the hell are you?' And I had stopped in front of the TV because I saw the opening scene from 'Back to the Future,' and I hadn’t watched it since 1986," he explained.

"So, I watched the movie. All the kids came in and watched me watch 'Back to the Future.' Then they got bored and left," he added.

Even though his kids moved on quickly, the father of four soaked up the special moment with his wife, Tracy Pollan.

"I said to Tracy — it’s the first time I ever said, 'You know what? I’m pretty good in this movie,'" he recalled. "She said, 'Yeah, no s---. Welcome to the admiration club.'"

Fox then explained that he wasn't trying to give himself a pat on the back for his acting skills. Rather, he simply felt proud in the moment.

"I said, 'No, I never really gave myself credit for being involved in this movie.' So I didn’t mean I’m good like I’m a great actor. I meant I’m good like I followed; I remembered the dance steps that I needed to do, to move a great movie along," he said.

Fox and his "Back to the Future" co-star Christopher Lloyd thrilled fans last fall when they reunited at New York Comic Con. While talking about his experience working with Fox, Lloyd said they had "immediate chemistry."

The pair reunited once again last month with their co-stars Lea Thompson and Tom Wilson while attending the Fan Expo Portland convention in Portland, Oregon.

Up next, Fox will be featured in a new Apple TV+ documentary about his life called "Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie." He worked on the project for six months with director Davis Guggenheim.

In their joint interview with EW, Guggenheim said he is inspired by the way Fox has handled his Parkinson's with such grace since being diagnosed in the early 1990s.

“I watch how Michael’s dealt with (his diagnosis), and that’s given me a path forward,” Guggenheim said. “It could be Parkinson’s, it could be cancer, it could be work, it could be anything. But that’s the appeal to me; it’s a universal story. The pitch was: What happens when an incurable optimist confronts an incurable disease?’”

This article was originally published on TODAY.com