'Back to the Future: The Musical' Star Casey Likes Says Michael J. Fox Quoted Movie to Him (Exclusive)

Casey Likes tells PEOPLE that Michael J. Fox 'kind of means more to me than just his performance' as Marty McFly in the 1985 classic 'Back to the Future'

Back to the Future: The Musical star Casey Likes, who plays Marty McFly in new show, had quite the memorable encounter with Michael J. Fox, who famously originated the role.

The two briefly met when Fox and some of the cast from the original 1985 movie attended a gala event for the show in July.

"It was kind of a whirlwind," Likes, 21, recalls to PEOPLE of the evening where he and costar Roger Bart, who plays Doc Brown in the musical, posed on the red carpet with their onscreen counterparts Fox and Christopher Lloyd. The film's director Robert Zemeckis and costars Huey Lewis and Leah Thompson were also in attendance.

"I got to briefly meet him and while we're taking pictures, I kind of whispered to Michael, ‘Thank you for everything. Thanks for inspiring everything.' He kind of means more to me than just his performance," Likes, who notes he has interacted further with Fox over email, says.

Likes says Fox's ability to navigate "this kind of treacherous career while struggling with real human issues" makes the actor an inspiration outside of originating the iconic movie role that Likes now plays on Broadway.

Related: 'Back to the Future' Cast Takes Adorable Selfie During Convention Reunion: 'So This Happened'

"I was just kind of trying to let him know that while we were taking pictures. He was very open and very kind about it," Likes tells PEOPLE. "He was very much putting the attention on me in a very humble way. Right before he left, I realized I hadn't asked him the question I wanted to ask him. So I caught up to him and I said, ‘Michael, do you have any advice for me before I go out on stage?’ "

"And he said, ‘Kick ass! If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything,' " Likes adds, revealing how Fox recalled one of Back to the Future's most iconic lines. "And then a minute later, I was walking through the door and I was on stage.”

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Likes made his Broadway debut in another musical adapted from a film last fall when he played the lead role in Almost Famous. His Back to the Future: The Musical as Marty McFly costar Bart, 60, has been portraying Doc Brown since the show originally opened in the United Kingdom in 2020.

"Casey — he’s not up for adoption, but were he, I would grab him, because I know that there's a good chance he's gonna have a really big house and I can live in his garage," Bart tells PEOPLE of his young costar, adding that their shared experience leading the show has proven "really unique."

Related: 'Back to the Future' Cast: Where Are They Now?

"We’re up there together up there in front of about 1,600 people a night and we're having a good time," Bart says of performing with Likes. He adds that their onstage chemistry is "so important for the audience."

"The audience is smart. They can smell when people aren't having a good time and or that we're just faking or phoning it in," Bart says. "And Casey... it's been fun!"

Back to the Future: The Musical is playing now at the Winter Garden Theatre in New York City.

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