The production designers went to a great deal of trouble to make this film look like it was made in the era it was set, including avoiding quick edits, softening the colour palette and using a relevant font for the film credits.
Kazuo Ishiguro had dreamed of doing a remake of Ikiru (1952) in English with Bill Nighy for many years. One night, he and his wife ended up sharing a cab with Nighy after a party, and he pitched the idea. Nighy had never seen Ikiru, but once he watched it, he enthusiastically signed on to the project.
Vintage 1950s colour newsreel footage was digitally cleaned up for this film to add authenticity to establishing shots of London.
During a Q&A at the 2022 AFI Film Festival, Bill Nighy confessed that despite numerous opportunities, he has not seen the finished film. He dislikes watching himself onscreen, and hasn't watched most of his films.
Lyons Corner Houses were a chain of upmarket tea shops that, at their peak, had 250 in London alone, although their popularity declined after World War II due to changing tastes, and the last one closed in 1977.