Michael J. Fox Turned Down Ghost? The Actor Was Offered A Role In The Iconic Film!
Michael J. Fox is one of the most beloved actors of his generation. He is known for his roles in ‘Back to the Future‘, ‘Family Ties‘ and ‘Spin City‘. But did you know that he could have been part of another classic movie? According to the actor himself, he was offered a role in the 1990 romantic thriller ‘Ghost‘, but he turned it down!
Why did he say no to Ghost?
Fox revealed this surprising fact in a recent interview with Variety. Where he reflected on his career and his battle with Parkinson’s disease. He said that he didn’t see how the movie would work and that it shows he can be an idiot too. He didn’t specify which role he was offered. But it’s likely that it was the lead role of Sam Wheat, a murdered banker who tries to communicate with his girlfriend Molly (played by Demi Moore) through a psychic (played by Whoopi Goldberg).
The role of Sam eventually went to Patrick Swayze. Who became a huge star after the success of ‘Ghost’. The movie was a box office smash. It earned over $500 million worldwide and won two Oscars, including Best Supporting Actress for Goldberg.
Fox also admitted that he regretted turning down the chance to work with Goldberg, who is now a co-host of ‘The View’. He appeared on the talk show earlier this month and told her that there was a chance to work with her that he missed. They talked to him about ‘Ghost‘ early on, but he didn’t do it.
How did Parkinson’s affect his career?
Fox also opened up about how his diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease in 1991 affected his career choices. He said that he was told by doctors that he only had 10 years left to work. So he prioritized paychecks over substance. He took roles in Hollywood flops like ‘Life With Mikey‘ and ‘For Love or Money‘. Which he said were not very good movies.
He said that he didn’t want to think about or deal with his condition. Which is a degenerative disorder that affects the nervous system and causes tremors, stiffness, and difficulty with movement. He said that it didn’t fit his story and that he just shut down.
However, Fox didn’t let Parkinson’s stop him from acting altogether. He continued to star in movies like ‘ The Frighteners ‘, ‘Mars Attacks!‘ and ‘Stuart Little‘, as well as TV shows like ‘The Good Wife’, ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm‘ and ‘The Michael J. Fox Show‘. He also became an advocate for Parkinson’s research. And founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which has raised over $1 billion for finding a cure.
Fox recently released his fourth memoir, titled ‘No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality‘, where he shares more details about his life, career, and health challenges.
What do you think of Michael J. Fox’s decision to turn down Ghost?
Do you think he made a mistake or do you think he was right to follow his instincts? Do you think he would have been a good fit for the role of Sam or do you prefer Patrick Swayze’s performance? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Sources:
¹: Michael J. Fox Regrets Turning Down Ghost, Tells Whoopi ‘I’m a … – TooFab
²: Michael J. Fox Says He Turned Down ‘Ghost’ – TODAY
³: Michael J. Fox Reveals the Major Movie Role He Turned Down – Parade
⁴: Michael J Fox calls himself a ‘f—— idiot’ for turning down ‘Ghost’