History Trivia / BridgeToTerabithia

* MemorialCharacter: Leslie is based partially on a friend that the author's son had as a child. [[spoiler: She also died young, but from a lightning strike rather than drowning]].

** For the film, IMDB and some other trivia sites claim that Annasophia Robb had never heard of the book and the fact that her character Leslie [[spoiler: dies]] [[ActingInTheDark was kept secret from her for all of producion.]] As listed on PromotedFanboy this is completely false.

** The characters and story are based off events and people from Katherine Paterson's own life - Jesse off her son David, Leslie off his best friend Lisa Hill, etc., and Jesse's loneliness reflects Paterson's own inability to fit in at school with others. The poverty of the Jess's family also reflects their economic slump in the seventies, after the Vietnam War era, while the religious connotations come from her own upbringing, since she learned from her father (a missionary who often traveled as part of his duties).

** [[spoiler:Leslie's death]] was inspired by how the aforementioned Lisa Hill was killed at age 8 by being ''struck by lightning''. She thought that would be [[RealityIsUnrealistic too unbelievable]], so she changed it to drowning instead.

* PopCultureUrbanLegends: A rather dark rumor held that Bill's line, "She told me once that if it weren't for you..." originally ended with, "Leslie would have killed herself," before this was nixed by editors for being too dark. There is absolutely no evidence for this rumor.

* ReferencedBy:
** In ''Series/NewGirl'', Creator/ZooeyDeschanel's character ([[ActorAllusion who happens to be named Jess]]) makes a quip towards Nick that "I might as well call you ''Bridge to Terabithia'' because [[FandomNod you make children cry!"]].

* WriteWhoYouKnow: The characters and story are based off events and people from Katherine Paterson's own life - Jesse off her son David, Leslie off his best friend Lisa Hill, etc., and Jesse's loneliness reflects Paterson's own inability to fit in at school with others. Plus the poverty of the situation during the Seventies post the Vietnam War era. And the religious connotations off her own upbringing, since she learned from her father (a missionary who often traveled as part of his duties).

** For the film, IMDB and some other trivia sites claim that Annasophia Robb had never heard of the book and the fact that her character Leslie [[spoiler: dies]] [[EnforcedMethodActing was kept secret from her for all of producion.]] As listed on PromotedFanboy this is completely false.

* CreatorBacklash: Not with the film, but the marketing. The filmmakers (including the screenwriter, who was the author's ''son'' and the partial inspiration for Jess no less) were not happy with the studio making it look like the film was a fantasy adventure.

* PromotedFanboy: [=AnnaSophia=] Robb was a huge fan of the book and wrote a letter to the director when she heard the film was being made.

* CreatorBacklash: Not with the film, but the marketing. The filmmakers (including the screenwriter, who was the author's ''son'' and the partial inspiration for Jess no less) were not happy with the studio making it look like the film as a fantasy adventure.

* UrbanLegendOfZelda: A rather dark rumor held that Bill's line, "She told me once that if it weren't for you..." originally ended with, "Leslie would have killed herself," before this was nixed by editors for being too dark. There is absolutely no evidence for this rumor.

* DisownedAdaptation: The 1985 film. David Paterson (the author's son and the co-screenwriter for the 2007 film) is quoted in a 2007 interview as describing the 1985 film as "like the crazy cousin in a mental hospital that nobody talks about" and "no one on our side was either involved with it or happy with the final product.". The latter quote is probably what led to invoking OnlyTheCreatorDoesItRight.

* ActorAllusion: One of Leslie's first scenes has her offering him a stick of gum. [=AnnaSophia Robb=] previously played Violet Beauregard in the remake of ''Film/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory'' - a champion gum chewer.

* NonSingingVoice: Josh Hutcherson claimed his singing voice is terrible, and the extras in the classroom were all New Zealand children - so their singing was dubbed in post production. It's credited as "Zooey Deschanel and the Terabithia choir."

* CreatorBreakdown: The BittersweetEnding is inspired by a real life event that happened to the author's son, the same who would become the producer and co-writer for the 2007 film. In a [[http://www.vpr.net/episode/45776/ 2009 radio interview]], Paterson recalled that it took weeks to summon up the courage to write the ending, to [[spoiler: kill off the girl she had brought back to life.]]

* NonSingingVoice: Josh Hutcherson claimed his singing voice is terrible, and the extras in the classroom were all New Zealand children - so their singing was dubbed in post production. It's credited as "Zoey Deschanel and the Terabithia choir."

* PlayingAgainstType: Robert Patrick, usually dedicated to playing villains, plays a kind father. While his character is certainly a bit of a jerkass in certain parts, he is able to redeem himself at the end.

* SoMyKidsCanWatch: Robert Patrick aka [[Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay T-1000]] described his reason for taking the part in the film with precisely these words.

** [[spoiler: Leslie]] was almost SparedByTheAdaptation before the film was made, since several studios wouldn't touch the project because of the death. It was suggested that the character have a mild accident or be left in a coma instead.

* PlayingAgainstType: Robert Patrick, usually dedicated to villains, plays a kind father. Subverted in that his character is certainly a bit of a jerkass.

* CreatorBacklash: A variation. Filmmakers were not happy with the studio marketing the film as a fantasy adventure. The screenwriter was the author's ''son'' and the partial inspiration for Jess no less.
* CreatorBreakdown:
** The BittersweetEnding is inspired by a real life event that happened to the author's son. That same son would become the producer and co-writer for the 2007 film.
** In a [[http://www.vpr.net/episode/45776/ 2009 radio interview]], Paterson recalled that it took weeks to summon up the courage to write the ending, to [[spoiler: kill off the girl she had brought back to life.]]

* PlayingAgainstType: Robert Patrick - usually villains or jerkasses - as a kind father.

** An oppossum was meant to be trapped in the greenhouse, but they are not native to New Zealand and the production was not allowed to import one. So it was changed to a Common Brushtail Possum instead.

* Said son Jesse is based on is also the screenwriter for the 2007 movie adaptation.

* CaliforniaDoubling: New Zealand as Virginia in the 2007 film.

* RetroactiveRecognition:
** Jess is a young [[Film/TheHungerGames Peeta]].
** Leslie is [[Film/SoulSurfer Bethany Hamilton]]. In fact, the real-life Bethany saw [=AnnaSophia=] in this film and decided she wanted Robb to play herself. She is also [[Series/TheCarrieDiaries a teenage Carrie Bradshaw]].

* SoMyKidsCanWatch: Robert Patrick aka [[{{Franchise/Terminator}} T-1000]] described his reason for taking the part in the film with precisely these words.

* HeyItsThatGuy: Massive amounts in the 2007 movie.
** [[Creator/AnnaSophiaRobb Leslie]] is [[Film/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory Violet Beauregard]].
** Leslie's dad is [[Series/PowerRangersDinoThunder Mesogog]].
** The school bus driver is [[Series/PowerRangersMegaforce Mr. Burley]].
** The principal is [[Series/PowerRangersRPM Colonel Mason Truman]].
** Jess' dad is [[Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay the T-1000]].
** The music teacher is [[Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy Trillian]].
** Series/HannahMontana and [[{{Series/Heroes}} Claire Bennet]] perform on the soundtrack (as does Violet).
** Jessie's little sister grows up to become [[Series/OnceUponATime Snow White]].

* SpiritualLicensee: A stealth remake of ''Film/MyGirl'' but with genders reversed.

* SpiritualLicensee: To ''Film/MyGirl'' but with genders reversed.