The Tragic Reason Why Elisabeth Shue Replaced Claudia Wells' Role In Back To The Future

In an interview with People that same year, Wells remembered that the stars nearly didn't line up for her to take part in Back to the Future at all. She was initially cast when Eric Stoltz, who was famously replaced with Fox after shooting a great deal of the movie, was still holding down the role of Marty. "We even did girlfriend/boyfriend pictures together that were going to go in his wallet," the actress remembered. But then, she was forced to drop out due to her commitment to the sitcom Off the Rack, which had been picked up from pilot. She was replaced with future The Office star Melora Hardin — but fate intervened. By the time the decision was made to recast the role of Marty with Fox, Wells' sitcom had gotten the axe — and Hardin was deemed to be too tall to star opposite the film's new lead. "I'm [five feet, three and a half inches], and Michael's [five feet four inches], so I got my part back," Wells recalled. "How cool is that? It's absolutely fate."

After departing show business and recovering from the death of her mother — interestingly enough, with the help of a support group led by the legendary Saturday Night Live alum Gilda Radner — Wells began a new chapter in her life, opening a high-end menswear shop in Studio City, California, which still thrives to this day. She never forgot her love of acting, though, or the role that almost made her a household name — both of which she was fortunate enough to revisit years down the road.