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Michael J. Fox says Princess Diana made the ‘Back to the Future’ premiere a ‘nightmare’ for him

Watch: Michael J Fox shares his Princess Diana story with Fallon

Michael J. Fox was on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Wednesday, to promote his new book No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality. While discussing the book, he recounted the world premiere of Back to the Future, which he says was significantly impacted by one very notable audience member.

Diana, Princess of Wales, not only attended the blockbuster event in London, she also sat right next to the actor during the screening.

“She was sitting next to me,” recalled Fox. “The lights go down and the movie starts and I realise I am one fake yawn and an arm stretch away from being on a date with her, which is hilarious.”

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - DECEMBER 03:  The Princess Of Wales Attends The Premiere Of 'back To The Future' At The Empire Cinema, Leicester Square, London Wearing A Burgundy Velvet Evening Dress Designed By Fashion Designer Catherine Walker.  She Met Steven Spielberg And His Wife Amy Irving Next To Spielberg Is Phil Collins  (Photo by Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
The Princess Of Wales Attends The Premiere Of 'Back To The Future' At The Empire Cinema, Leicester Square, London in 1985. (Photo by Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)

While sitting next to the princess was exhilarating, it wasn’t without its drawbacks. In fact, she kinda ruined the entire movie watching experience for Fox.

Read more: Michael J Fox opens up about ongoing health struggles

“The movie started and also I had to go pee,” recalled Fox. “So for the rest of the movie, I'm sitting there, like, dying. I can't say anything to her and I can't walk away from her because I can't turn my back on her. So it was just agony it could have been the greatest night of my life but it was just a nightmare. A pee-holding nightmare.”

Canadian-American actor Michael J. Fox at the premiere of the film 'Back to the Future', in which he stars as time traveller Marty McFly, London, 3rd December 1985. (Photo by Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Canadian-American actor Michael J. Fox at the premiere of the film 'Back to the Future', in which he stars as time traveller Marty McFly, London, 3rd December 1985. (Photo by Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Diana also attended the UK premiere of Back To The Future Part III in 1990. What Diana made of the films is unclear, but filmmaker Rob Reiner recently revealed that the Princess of Wales was a fan of his film When Harry Met Sally.

“We were all sitting there nervous because as we approached the famous scene in Katz’s Deli where my mother says, ‘I’ll have what she’s having.’ We realised, ‘Oh my God, I wonder how she’s gonna react to it?’” he told Extra.

Upon hearing the line, Princess Diana laughed. She then turned to actor Billy Crystal and said that she would be laughing a lot more but she knows that everyone was watching her.

Watch: Princess Diana watched Back to the Future sat next to Marty McFly