"He turned out to be a good friend and a great guy" - Michael J. Fox recalls nearly missing out on his breakthrough role

Michael J. Fox had just last month announced that he was set to publish his new memoir, titled "Future Boy: Back to the Future and My Journey Through the Space-Time Continum," a book that shall chronicle his rise to fame following his role as Alex P. Keaton in the Emmy nominated show, "Family Ties." Now, according to Entertainment Weekly, Michael J. Fox had earlier told in an interview with Parade, that he almost lost out on the role because former NBC President Brandon Tartikoff wanted to cast someone else. The "Back to the Future" actor said in the interview that despite this initial skepticism, the two of them eventually became good friends. He said:

"He [Brandon] turned out to be a good friend and a great guy."

In his role as Alex P. Keaton, Michael J. Fox played the character of the eldest son of Else and Steve Keaton, portrayed by Meredith Baxter and Michael Gross, respectively. In the show, Fox's character, a young yet staunch conservative, is shown often clashing with his liberal minded parents, creating humorous situations.

More about Michael J. Fox's interview, in which the actor revealed unknown details about his casting as Alex P. Keaton

According to Entertainment Weekly, Michael J. Fox spoke in a 2012 interview with Parade about how, despite being cast, he was almost replaced because the then-NBC network executive did not see his potential or believe he was suited for the role. He said:

"I knew there was something special there. I wasn't the featured character in the pilot, but my stuff all seemed to work. But when we had a pickup order for the first season, [network executive] Brandon Tartikoff wanted to fire me. He said 'I love the show, you've just got to get rid of the kid. I can't see that face on a lunchbox.'"

Michael J. Fox further added that "Family Ties" would go on to become a much loved show and would end up earning numerous accolades, prompting Fox to send Brandon Tarkitoff a lunchbox with a picture of his face on it, in a hilarious attempt to remind him that he had once tried to fire him. The "Good Wife" actor said:

"Years later, when Back to the Future hit and Family Ties was the number two show on TV, I made Brandon a lunchbox with my picture on it, and I wrote, 'This is for you to put your crow in. Love, me."

Michael J. Fox and Brandon Tartikoff maintained their close friendship until the latter's sudden death in August 1997, from Hodgkin's Lymphoma, a rare type of blood cancer that originates in the white blood cells of the lymph nodes, according to the Cleveland Clinic. In his interview, Fox said:

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"He[Brandon] kept that [lunchbox] on his desk until the day he died."

Michael J. Fox, who is set to release his memoir, "Future Boy: Back to the Future and My Journey Through the Space-Time Continuum" this fall, is also set to join the cast of the Apple TV+ series, "Shrinking" for its third season.

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