History Trivia / DoTheRightThing

* CastTheRunnerUp: Creator/SpikeLee originally wanted Bill Nunn to play Mister Señor Love Daddy, but later recast him as Radio Raheem.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: Radio Raheem seems to do nothing but walk around carrying a boombox blaring Music/PublicEnemy's "Fight the Power", and there are references to several contemporary well-publicized hate crimes, making it a perfect period piece of its late '80s release date (it was released in 1989).

* UsefulNotes/AFIS100YearsSeries:
** AFIS100Years100Songs:
*** #40, "Fight The Power"
** AFIS100Years100Movies10THAnniversaryEdition: #96

* AFIS100YearsSeries:

** Creator/JamesEarlJones was offered to play the role as Da Mayor, but turned it down in favour of ''Film/TheBestOfTheBest''.

** Creator/SpikeLee's first choice for Sal was Creator/RobertDeNiro, who turned it down because he felt the role was too similar to ones he had played in the past. Creator/JoeMantenga and Creator/JoePesci were also considered.

* ChannelHop: On both an interview, and the DVDCommentary for the Criterion Collection, Creator/SpikeLee says that the project was originally at Creator/{{Paramount}}, but the studio was worried about the climax, and wanted it toned down. Lee refused, and in the same weekend Paramount turned the project down, Creator/UniversalPictures picked it up for distribution.

* InspirationForTheWork: Creator/SpikeLee first got the idea for the film after watching the ''Series/AlfredHitchcockPresents'' episode "Shopping for Death," in which the main characters discuss their theory that hot weather increases violent tendencies. He was also inspired by the 1986 Howard Beach racial incident, in which an African-American man was killed; and also the shooting of Eleanor Bumpurs by police.

** Ossie Davis and wife Ruby Dee, as Da Mayor and Mother Sister.

** Creator/SpikeLee's first choice for Sal was Creator/RobertDeNiro, who turned it down because he felt the role was too similar to ones he had played in the past. Creator/JoePesci was also considered.

** Rick Aiello, who played Officer Long, is the real life son of Danny Aiello, who played Sal in the film.

* PlayingAgainstType:

** A retroactive case. Creator/JohnTurturro, an Italian-American frequently cast as [[FakeNationality Latinos]], plays an actual Italian.
** Who knew [[Series/BreakingBad Gus]] was such a rectroactive loudmouth?

* AndStarring[=/=]StarMakingRole: Introducing Creator/RosiePerez.

** Creator/MattDillon was Lee's first choice for Pino.

* ThrowItIn:
** The key scene when Danny Aiello and John Turturro talk alone in the restaurant booth was partly improvised. The scripted scene ended as the character Smiley approached the window. Everything after that until the end of the scene was completely ad-libbed.
** All of the scenes of the corner men were improvised.

* CastingGag: Buggin' Out, who says Sal is racist for not putting any black people on his Italian-American exclusive "Wall of Fame" is played by Creator/GiancarloEsposito, who is himself half-black, half-Italian American.

* AndStarring[=/=]StarMakingRole: Introducing Creator/RosiePerez

** Who knew [[Series/BreakingBad Gus]] could be such a loudmouth?

** Creator/JohnTurturro (an Italian-American), actually playing... an Italian![[note]]He's frequently cast as [[FakeNationality Latinos]][[/note]]

** Creator/LaurenceFishburne was offered but turned down the role of Love Daddy. He was also considered for Radio Raheen.

** John Turturro (an Italian-American), actually playing... an Italian![[note]]He's frequently cast as [[FakeNationality Latinos]][[/note]]

** Creator/SpikeLee's first choice for Sal was Creator/RobertDeNiro, who turned it down because he felt the role was too similar to ones he had played in the past. Creator/MattDillon was also Lee's first choice for Pino.

** Creator/LaurenceFishburne was offered but turned down the role of Love Daddy.

** [[spoiler: In the original scripted ending, Sal and Mookie reconcile. Sal, although upset, tells Mookie that he understands that Mookie had to do the right thing. Creator/SpikeLee changed the ending during filming and has never explained why he did]].

** The key scene when Danny Aiello and John Turturro talk alone approximately midway through the film was partly improvised. The scripted scene ended as the character Smiley approached the window. Everything after that until the end of the scene was completely ad-libbed.

** Creator/Wesley Snipes turned down a role in the film in order to star in ''Film/MajorLeague''.

* PlayingAgainstType: John Turturro (an Italian-American), actually playing... an Italian![[note]]He's frequently cast as [[FakeNationality Latinos]][[/note]]

* RealLifeRelative: Mookie's sister Jade is played by Creator/SpikeLee's real-life sister Joie.

* RippedFromTheHeadlines: This film was inspired by an actual incident in New York where some black youths were chased out of a pizzeria by some white youths in a section of New York known as Howard Beach.
* ThrowItIn: The key scene when Danny Aiello and John Turturro talk alone approximately midway through the film was partly improvised. The scripted scene ended as the character Smiley approached the window. Everything after that until the end of the scene was completely ad-libbed.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Creator/SpikeLee's first choice for Sal was RobertDeNiro, who turned it down because he felt the role was too similar to ones he had played in the past. MattDillon was also Lee's first choice for Pino.

** Wesley Snipes turned down a role in the film in order to star in ''Film/MajorLeague''.

** AFIS100Years100Movies10ThAnniversaryEdition: #96