Melora Hardin, the actress celebrated for her memorable role in the hit series ‘The Office’, has recently shared a poignant story from her early career about the time she was let go from the iconic film ‘Back to the Future’. In a candid interview, she revealed the dual reasons behind this professional setback that ultimately redirected her path in Hollywood.
The Heartbreaking Firing From a Classic
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Hardin recounted that she was originally cast to play Marty McFly's girlfriend in the 1985 sci-fi adventure. At just 17 years old, landing the part was a dream come true. However, her excitement was short-lived. The production's decision to fire actor Eric Stoltz, who was initially playing Marty, created a domino effect. With the lead role being recast with Michael J. Fox, the team also decided to let Hardin go and recast her part.
"‘Back to the Future’ was a huge disappointment. I was 17, you know. I burst into tears. It was very sad," the actress shared, reflecting on the emotional blow. She described it as one of the early, tough rejections that stick with an actor.
The Height Issue That Sealed the Decision
Hardin further explained that her dismissal wasn't solely due to the recasting chaos. Once Michael J. Fox came on board, a new concern emerged. Two female executives on the production reportedly felt that Hardin was too tall compared to Fox. They believed having a female lead taller than the male lead would be "emasculating" for the character of Marty.
"It was apparently the two female executives at the time that thought that it was emasculating for their lead male character to be in scenes with a woman that was taller than him," Hardin revealed. This additional factor cemented the decision to remove her from the project.
How Failure Paved the Way for 'The Office'
While the experience was crushing at the time, Hardin now sees it as a crucial turning point. She firmly believes that if she had starred in ‘Back to the Future’, her career trajectory would have been completely different. Most significantly, she likely would never have landed the role of Jan Levinson on ‘The Office’, the part that made her a household name.
"If I had done it, I’m sure it would have all gone in a different way. I wouldn’t have done ‘The Office’," she stated, acknowledging the unpredictable nature of the industry.
Reflecting on the broader lesson, Hardin spoke about the importance of embracing failure. She advised that to succeed in a demanding field like acting, one must become comfortable with setbacks. "That failure doesn’t mean anything about you. You just have to fail better, and keep failing better … to be able to really weather this career choice," she philosophized. Her own career stands as a testament to the idea that a closed door can often lead to the right open window.
