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Tampa Bay Comic Con guest Lea Thompson talks her nerdiest roles

 
Lea Thompson, 54, appreciates comic con fans, who are “really into celebrating having a good time.”
Lea Thompson, 54, appreciates comic con fans, who are “really into celebrating having a good time.”
Published July 29, 2015

Lea Thompson thinks her 54 years of life have earned her the right to be frank. The actor has starred in so many classic films (Red Dawn, All the Right Moves, Some Kind of Wonderful, Howard the Duck, The Little Rascals) that even the unpopular ones are a part of pop-culture history. � But Comic Con fans will surely remember her most iconic role, Lorraine Baines in the Back to the Future franchise. Her appearance Saturday at the 2015 Tampa Bay Comic Con will be her first visit to Tampa — even though she had family members who worked for the Tampa Ballet. � "I just never got down there when they were there," she said. � When she's not de-skunking her dog and reminiscing about that time she almost got the part of Shelby in Steel Magnolias, she's starring in ABC Family's Switched at Birth. � She'll be sharing her story at a TBCC panel at 4 p.m. Saturday. Thompson called to talk about her storied career, her feelings on "nerd chic" and the real injustice of the Oscars.

How does it feel getting invited to conventions for Back to the Future?

You know, I just love meeting the fans. I really, really do. It sounds weird but I'm so grateful I've had people who love my movies and are happy to meet me. That's why I love to perform. I want to make people happy and want to make them laugh. To see the fruits of that labor, seeing the people that are touched and took an interest in something I was a part of like Back to the Future or Howard the Duck.

Did you know Carrie Fisher and Linda Hamilton will also be at Tampa Bay Comic Con?

That's exciting. Oh my god! That's so awesome. I love those ladies. They are great ladies, not at all standoffish. We're all nice.

What's it like at comic cons for you?

You know, it's just such a really good feeling. You never think that you're doing something that 30 years later people will be still appreciating. The exchanges, the nice feelings are there between the people there and the celebrities. It's such a lovely event. I love people that are not trying to act too cool to have a good time. Dress up and get your freak on. I like them, not the ones trying to pretend they are the coolest kid on the block.

But you are the coolest kid on the block.

I never feel like that. I always tried to be true to my inner nerd. I'm the biggest Star Trek fan of all time. William Shatner is my favorite actor. He's amazing. I've never worked with him. That would be a geek-out moment. He'd probably think I was a weirdo. It's probably best that we've never met. I have always loved Star Trek. We didn't have a TV when I was a kid so I had to walk a block and a half to watch Star Trek. I love the ideas. They had broader ideas and dealt with things like racism and space science and they did it in kind of a sexy way.

Why do you think comic conventions have become such a big deal?

Well, look who the richest man in America is. The people of Silicon Valley, the nerds, the ones who invented Apple and Microsoft are some of the richest people in the world. That adds to the fact that this is not an agricultural society. Your brain and ability to think outside of the box is most valued. Abs are a value. But more, it's your ability to think outside that's ruling the world. That's my intellectual reason why nerd chic is in. It used to be a cult of fitting in and now it's a cult of standing out.

Critics hated Howard the Duck, but it seems to have a large fan base anyway. Have you met many of them at conventions?

A lot. Those critics are much quieter than they used to be. I think they were shamed out of their position. It has endured. It's a cult around it and they are the greatest people in the world who will not be told what to like. I gravitate toward that. I kind of love those people. Howard fans are pretty much my favorite. I won't say it's a perfect film. But it's really hilarious. There are problems with the film, mostly the actual essence of the comic book duck. He was sloppy and messy and the tech at the time did not allow for that character to be fully realized. It's crazy. Definitely, a strange movie.

Who's your favorite superhero?

I love Spider-Man, the comic book. I don't have a favorite on-screen Spider-Man but I love Andrew Garfield. I know that's not a popular opinion. I like Spider-Man because he is a nerd, another iconoclast, an outsider looking in.

What was the hardest part about making Back to the Future?

What was the hardest part? I was told to sell these really intense story points with acting. Lorraine was worried about being in love with this guy and then has to completely change in an instant. I had to fall in love with George McFly in one second right after that. You had to make the audience believe it happened that fast. That's the ninja acting that I think I pulled off. You know, I'm slightly regretful. Crispin (Glover) and I should've been nominated for Academy Awards. People didn't recognize fantasy, science fiction in movies back then. (Director) Bob Zemeckis should have been nominated, too.

If only we a had a DeLorean. I'd go back and tell the Academy, "This movie is so good. You guys failed epically."