Michael J. Fox had the perfect birthday message for Christopher Lloyd as his Back to the Future co-star reached an age with special significance for fans of their films.

Celebrating Christopher's 88th birthday on October 22, Michael shared a photograph of the pair laughing together at a restaurant table.

"Great Scott you're 88! That's some serious [expletive], love you!" he wrote, borrowing Doc Brown's famous exclamation.

Christopher responded with an equally affectionate message: "We truly are timeless. Love you friend."

In the photograph, Michael leaned toward his co-star in a denim shirt layered over a printed white T-shirt, while Christopher smiled beside him in glasses and a black zip-up sweater.

The post quickly drew thousands of likes, with followers picking up on the connection between Christopher's birthday and the 88 miles per hour needed to send the films' DeLorean through time.

"88 miles per hour! Happy birthday," one wrote. Another added: "Both legends. I still watch the back to the future films regularly to this day."

More than four decades have passed since Michael's Marty McFly first joined Christopher's eccentric inventor, Doc Brown, on screen.

The original Back to the Future arrived in 1985, followed by sequels in 1989 and 1990. Their friendship has continued long beyond the trilogy, with the actors regularly reuniting at fan events.

During a joint appearance at New York Comic Con in 2022, Michael explained what had made the experience so memorable.

"The best part of doing this movie was working with Chris," he told the audience. He also acknowledged Christopher's support during a discussion of his life with Parkinson's disease. "People like Chris have been there a lot for me, and so many of you have," Michael said. 

The birthday tribute comes during a significant year for Michael, whose appearance in the third season of Shrinking brought him back to television alongside Harrison Ford and Jason Segel.

His performance as Gerry earned him a 2026 Emmy nomination for outstanding guest actor in a comedy series, the 19th nomination of his career.

Michael also received the Television Academy's Bob Hope Humanitarian Award this year, recognizing another important part of his life beyond acting. He established the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research in 2000, two years after publicly disclosing his diagnosis. 

Alongside those milestones, he has continued to share moments with the friend who helped make Back to the Future so beloved.

In an earlier Instagram post celebrating another dinner together, Michael affectionately described Christopher as his closest companion for the evening: "Dining with my bestie at the beach."