Production designer Charles William Breen used "The Wizard of Oz (1939)" as inspiration for the look of this movie. If you look closely, you'll find hidden references that pay homage to the 1939 movie.
Paul Threlkeld, the grip on the soap opera set of the show-within-a-show, was the dolly grip for the movie.
In a thirty second television spot for this movie, the blood on Betty's nurse's dress, from helping the young man in the ambulance, was dyed blue, per M.P.A.A. guidelines.
Scenes involving Christopher McDonald as a racist truck driver, who sells porno to Chris Rock and Morgan Freeman, were cut from the final movie.
This movie includes three Oscar winners: Renée Zellwegger, Morgan Freeman, and Allison Janney; and one Oscar nominee: Greg Kinnear.