Here’s an interesting detail about Michael J. Fox’s career that I didn’t know before. The actor had the opportunity to star alongside Whoopie Goldberg in the classic 1990 film Ghost, but he turned down the opportunity, and it’s a decision that he now regrets.

Fox talked about this on The View where he spoke with Goldberg and when asked by Goldberg if he had any regrets about acting roles he had walked away from in the past in the past, he said:

“There was a chance to work with you that I missed. They talked to me about Ghost early on. I said, ‘It’ll never work.’ I said, ‘Whoopi is great but it’ll never work.’ And then it was great, and huge and I’m a f***ing idiot.”

Goldberg added, “Well, you know what? There’s still time. So, yeah, we’ll find something to do now.” Which might be hard considering that Fox has retired from acting.

With Fox being at the top of his game in the early ‘90s, he was most likely up for the role that Patrick Swayze ended up playing, and I think one of the reasons why the film was as successful as it was, was because of Swayze. While I’m a fan of Fox, I’m not sure he would have been able to pull it off. It’s hard to imagine him that role!

The romantic supernatural thriller was directed by Jerry Zucker and written by Bruce Joel Rubin. The movie also starred Demi Moore, and the story revolves around a young couple, Sam Wheat (Swayze) and Molly Jensen (Moore), whose lives are forever changed after Sam is murdered during a mugging.

Following his untimely death, Sam becomes a ghost trapped between the earthly realm and the afterlife. He soon discovers that his murder was not a random act and that Molly’s life is still in danger. Desperate to protect her, Sam seeks the help of a psychic named Oda Mae Brown (Goldberg), who is initially skeptical of her own abilities but eventually realizes that she can communicate with Sam.

Sam and Oda Mae form an unlikely alliance as they work together to uncover the truth behind Sam’s murder and protect Molly from impending danger. Throughout their journey, Sam learns to navigate the supernatural world and communicate with Molly, all while struggling with his own limitations as a ghost.

Goldberg won an Oscar in the Best Supporting Actress category for her role in the film. Ghost went on to also win an Academy Award for Best Screenplay.

You can watch Fox’s interview with Goldberg below: