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By India McCarty
BACK TO THE FUTURE star Thomas F. Wilson retired his character’s famous catchphrase for this reason.
“This year will be the 40th anniversary…and for 25 years, I really tried to make everybody happy, everybody who came up to me,” the actor said during an episode of the “Inside of You” podcast. “After 25 years, I said, ‘You know, I think I’ve been generous with this, but after 25 years, I’m not gonna knock anyone on the head, and I’m not gonna call anyone ‘Butthead’ anymore.’”
Wilson explained that he wants to interact with fans as himself, rather than his character, Biff Tannen.
“I’m gonna have a season of my life where I just, if you wanna take a picture of me, I’m not beating you up,” he said. “We just both look nice and we smile. And those kinds of things.”
The actor shared that, when you play a beloved character, “you become not a person” to many fans; instead, they see you as “the end of a treasure hunt…and I would rather just meet people as a person.”
Related: Will We Get Another BACK TO THE FUTURE Sequel?
Wilson has previously spoken about his mixed feelings surrounding his portrayal of bully Biff, saying he “didn’t want to play the role of a bully” in a 2024 YouTube video.
“The role was for a bully. I’d never played a bully before. I didn’t want to play the role of a bully. I’ve been pushed around by bullies my whole life,” he explained.
The actor added, “I hate bullies. Jesus wants me to love everyone. Everyone is my brother, my sister. My parents, they taught me to approach everyone with compassion. Smile on your brother. Everyone get together, try to love one another right now. I hate bullies.”
Wilson has previously spoken about his devout Catholic faith, telling Charisma Magazine he “found great comfort” in attending prayer meetings as a teenager.
“I felt I had a place to go where I belonged, and a place to worship God and have fun too,” he explained.
Wilson has also recorded and released an album of Christian music, In The Name of the Father, alongside his wife Caroline, who plays keyboard and sings on the project.
“Before I was performing in any other arena, I was playing the guitar and singing at church,” he said in a post on his website, calling himself a “late sixties ‘Jesus Freak.’”
While Wilson undoubtedly appreciates the legacy his role in BACK TO THE FUTURE created, it’s clear the actor is ready to step away from being Biff and just be himself.
Read Next: BACK TO THE FUTURE Star Claudia Wells: ‘I Am…Proof That God Is Real’
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