Back to the Future turns 30: See how the cast have aged in REAL LIFE compared to how their characters were made to look old in the movie

One of Hollywood's biggest box office hits - Back to the Future - celebrated its 30th anniversary on July 3, and the cast have clearly aged better than their characters.

Robert Zemeckis' Oscar-winning sci-fi comedy hopped between 1985 and 1955 - challenging the charismatic actors to play themselves at 17 and 47 with the help of Ken Chase's prosthetic make-up.

Lea Thompson looks gorgeous at 54 - seven years older than the boozy, bloated Lorraine Baines-McFly was at the beginning of the time-traveling classic.

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Better than expected! One of Hollywood's biggest box office hits - Back to the Future - celebrated its 30th anniversary on July 3, and the cast have clearly aged better than their characters

Better than expected! One of Hollywood's biggest box office hits - Back to the Future - celebrated its 30th anniversary on July 3, and the cast have clearly aged better than their characters

1.21 gigawatts! Robert Zemeckis' sci-fi comedy hopped between 1985 and 1955 - challenging the charismatic actors to play themselves at 17 and 47 with the help of Ken Chase's prosthetic make-up (pictured in 2010)

1.21 gigawatts! Robert Zemeckis' sci-fi comedy hopped between 1985 and 1955 - challenging the charismatic actors to play themselves at 17 and 47 with the help of Ken Chase's prosthetic make-up (pictured in 2010)

The former Dancing with the Stars contestant - who still gets asked to autograph purple Calvin Klein Y-fronts - was just 24 when she endured three hours of make-up application.

'Well, it's so funny because they'd be like, "Oh you look so old!" And now, of course, I'm there,' Thompson laughed on the Today Show in 2010.

'But especially in Back to the Future [Part II], I was covered in plastic when I was Lorraine with the big boobs. That was a real dream of mine.'  

'Now, of course, I'm there!' Lea Thompson looks gorgeous at 54 - seven years older than the boozy, bloated Lorraine Baines-McFly was at the beginning of the time-traveling classic (pictured Wednesday)
'Now, of course, I'm there!' Lea Thompson looks gorgeous at 54 - seven years older than the boozy, bloated Lorraine Baines-McFly was at the beginning of the time-traveling classic (pictured Wednesday)

'Now, of course, I'm there!' Lea Thompson looks gorgeous at 54 - seven years older than the boozy, bloated Lorraine Baines-McFly was at the beginning of the time-traveling classic (pictured Wednesday)

End of the film: The former Dancing with the Stars contestant - who still gets asked to autograph purple Calvin Klein Y-fronts - was just 24 when she endured three hours of make-up application

End of the film: The former Dancing with the Stars contestant - who still gets asked to autograph purple Calvin Klein Y-fronts - was just 24 when she endured three hours of make-up application

On the small screen: Lea currently plays author Kathryn Kennish on the fourth season of Switched at Birth, which returns August 24 on ABC Family

On the small screen: Lea currently plays author Kathryn Kennish on the fourth season of Switched at Birth, which returns August 24 on ABC Family

Lea currently plays author Kathryn Kennish on the fourth season of Switched at Birth, which returns August 24 on ABC Family.

Aside from the brassy hair colour, Michael J. Fox - now 54 - really resembles the 47-year-old Marty McFly from Back to the Future Part II (1989).

The four-time Golden Globe winner - who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1991 - now plays indestructible attorney Louis Canning on CBS' The Good Wife.  

'My mother has got the hots for me?' Aside from the brassy hair colour, Michael J. Fox - now 54 - really resembles the 47-year-old Marty McFly from Back to the Future Part II (pictured May 2)
'My mother has got the hots for me?' Aside from the brassy hair colour, Michael J. Fox - now 54 - really resembles the 47-year-old Marty McFly from Back to the Future Part II (pictured May 2)

'My mother has got the hots for me?' Aside from the brassy hair colour, Michael J. Fox - now 54 - really resembles the 47-year-old Marty McFly from Back to the Future Part II (pictured May 2)

Still boyish! The four-time Golden Globe winner - who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1991 - now plays indestructible attorney Louis Canning on CBS' The Good Wife

Still boyish! The four-time Golden Globe winner - who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1991 - now plays indestructible attorney Louis Canning on CBS' The Good Wife

Christopher Lloyd - now 76 - rocked a shock of white hair as the 1985 version of inventor Dr. Emmett 'Doc' Brown.

'It's amazing after 30 years that it thrives the way it does and continues to grow,' the three-time Emmy winner told People at a recent Hollywood Bowl screening.

'Kids who saw it when it first came out are adults with children now, and it's cycling. It just keeps going on. It's extraordinary, and the impact it's had on so many people's lives. It's sort of stunning.' 

'It's amazing after 30 years that it thrives and continues to grow': Christopher Lloyd - now 76 - rocked a shock of white hair as the 1985 version of inventor Dr. Emmett 'Doc' Brown (pictured January 15)
'It's amazing after 30 years that it thrives and continues to grow': Christopher Lloyd - now 76 - rocked a shock of white hair as the 1985 version of inventor Dr. Emmett 'Doc' Brown (pictured January 15)

'It's amazing after 30 years that it thrives and continues to grow': Christopher Lloyd - now 76 - rocked a shock of white hair as the 1985 version of inventor Dr. Emmett 'Doc' Brown (pictured January 15)

Worked together again: Two years ago, Fox reunited with Lloyd on his now-canceled NBC sitcom where he guest-starred as a high school principal

Worked together again: Two years ago, Fox reunited with Lloyd on his now-canceled NBC sitcom where he guest-starred as a high school principal

Still playing professors! The three-time Emmy winner can currently be seen as Professor Hargraves on BYUtv's Granite Flats, which is now streaming on Netflix

Still playing professors! The three-time Emmy winner can currently be seen as Professor Hargraves on BYUtv's Granite Flats, which is now streaming on Netflix

Two years ago, Fox reunited with Lloyd on his now-canceled NBC sitcom where he guest-starred as a high school principal.

Christopher can currently be seen as Professor Hargraves on BYUtv's Granite Flats, which is now streaming on Netflix.

Crispin Glover was 21 when he played Marty's awkward father George McFly and now, at 51, he doesn't appear to have any wrinkles. 

'My density has brought me to you': Crispin Glover was 21 when he played Marty's awkward father George McFly and now, at 51, he doesn't appear to have any wrinkles (pictured June 15)
'My density has brought me to you': Crispin Glover was 21 when he played Marty's awkward father George McFly and now, at 51, he doesn't appear to have any wrinkles (pictured June 15)

'My density has brought me to you': Crispin Glover was 21 when he played Marty's awkward father George McFly and now, at 51, he doesn't appear to have any wrinkles (pictured June 15)

Michael J. Fox in drag! Some fans might not even realise that the eccentric actor-director was replaced by Jeffrey Weissman for both of the BTTF sequels

Michael J. Fox in drag! Some fans might not even realise that the eccentric actor-director was replaced by Jeffrey Weissman for both of the BTTF sequels

Strong ensemble: Last month, Glover played real-life revolutionary Moseley Baker in the History Channel's 10-hour miniseries, Texas Rising

Strong ensemble: Last month, Glover played real-life revolutionary Moseley Baker in the History Channel's 10-hour miniseries, Texas Rising

Some fans might not even realise that the eccentric actor-director was replaced by Jeffrey Weissman for both of the BTTF sequels.

Last month, Glover played real-life revolutionary Moseley Baker in the History Channel's 10-hour miniseries, Texas Rising.

Thomas F. Wilson - now 56 - is practically the spitting image of the 47-year-old version of reformed bully Biff Tannen (minus the spare tire).  

'Make like a tree and get outta here': Thomas F. Wilson - now 56 - is practically the spitting image of the 47-year-old version of reformed bully Biff Tannen (pictured in 2012)
'Make like a tree and get outta here': Thomas F. Wilson - now 56 - is practically the spitting image of the 47-year-old version of reformed bully Biff Tannen (pictured in 2012)

'Make like a tree and get outta here': Thomas F. Wilson - now 56 - is practically the spitting image of the 47-year-old version of reformed bully Biff Tannen (pictured in 2012)

Cartoon crusader: The stand-up comedian voiced Ben Tweedy in The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, and he also voices Banana on Nickelodeon's Pig Goat Banana Cricket

Cartoon crusader: The stand-up comedian voiced Ben Tweedy in The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, and he also voices Banana on Nickelodeon's Pig Goat Banana Cricket

The stand-up comedian voiced Ben Tweedy in The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, and he also voices Banana on Nickelodeon's Pig Goat Banana Cricket.

In last month's tell-all book We Don't Need Roads, author Caseen Gaines revealed that Wilson 'developed a strong dislike' for the original actor cast as Marty - Eric Stoltz.

The flame-haired actor 'bothered numerous crewmembers' for going method on the set as McFly for four weeks until Zemeckis replaced him with the far funnier Fox.

Tension on the set: In last month's tell-all book We Don't Need Roads, author Caseen Gaines revealed that Wilson 'developed a strong dislike' for the original actor cast as Marty - Eric Stoltz

Tension on the set: In last month's tell-all book We Don't Need Roads, author Caseen Gaines revealed that Wilson 'developed a strong dislike' for the original actor cast as Marty - Eric Stoltz

Eric Stoltz! The flame-haired actor (R) 'bothered numerous crewmembers' for going method on the set as McFly for four weeks until Zemeckis replaced him with the far funnier Fox

Eric Stoltz! The flame-haired actor (R) 'bothered numerous crewmembers' for going method on the set as McFly for four weeks until Zemeckis replaced him with the far funnier Fox

And on October 21, a new tell-all documentary called Back In Time will have a Los Angeles theatrical release.

The critically-acclaimed fan favourite amassed $392M at the box office worldwide and eventually spawned two sequels, which grossed a combined $575.5M.

More to be revealed? And on October 21, a new tell-all documentary called Back In Time will have a Los Angeles theatrical release

More to be revealed? And on October 21, a new tell-all documentary called Back In Time will have a Los Angeles theatrical release

'When this baby hits 88 miles per hour... you're gonna see some serious s***!' Back to the Future amassed $392M at the box office worldwide and eventually spawned two sequels, which grossed a combined $575.5M

'When this baby hits 88 miles per hour... you're gonna see some serious s***!' Back to the Future amassed $392M at the box office worldwide and eventually spawned two sequels, which grossed a combined $575.5M

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