How Justine Bateman's Single 'Thank You' Flipped the Script on Michael J. Fox in 'Family Ties'

On-screen, Alex P. Keaton always got the last word. But behind the scenes, his sister Mallory found a clever trick that wasn't in the script. In his recent memoir, ‘Future Boy’, Michael J. Fox reveals how his ‘Family Ties’ co-star, Justine Bateman, single-handedly changed their on-screen dynamic with a simple, disarming response.

The Keaton Sibling Rivalry

The NBC show revolved around the Keaton family, where Fox’s sharp-witted conservative, Alex, constantly clashed with his materialistic sister, Mallory. According to Entertainment Weekly, Fox writes that his character “unleashed” all manner of zingers “on her mercilessly.” In the show's early seasons, Mallory’s typical reaction was to roll her eyes or scoff.

Flipping the Script with 'Thank You'

That dynamic began to weigh on Bateman personally. “She always had to take it,” she recalled to Fox in the book. Feeling bothered by the one-sided verbal beatdowns, she devised a new tactic: what if Mallory didn't interpret the digs as insults?

The change worked instantly. “Justine employed this technique on her own,” Fox explains, noting that the writers may not have intended it, but “hey, it got laughs, and soon her character evolved in that direction.” Despite their on-screen acrimony, Fox clarifies their relationship was the opposite in real life, calling Bateman and himself “the best of friends.”

Life After the Ties

‘Family Ties’ ran for seven seasons and aired its finale in 1989. While Fox became a global superstar with films like ‘Back to the Future’, Bateman also continued working and became an outspoken critic of the entertainment industry. Her 2018 memoir, ‘Fame’, unpacked the traps of celebrity she experienced as a young actress.