History Trivia / TheKingsSpeech

* FakeAmerican: The English Creator/EveBest the American socialite Wallis Simpson.

* DawsonCasting: Then 50 year old Colin Firth plays Bertie, who at the start of the movie is barely into his 40s. Firth is also 8 years older than Guy Pearce, who plays his ''older'' brother.

* IronyasSheIsCast: Despite playing King George VI, Creator/ColinFirth is actually a British republican advocating the abolition of the monarchy. Still, he accepted a CBE.

* FakeBrit: The Australian Guy Pearce as Edward VIII. Although at the time, there was no separate Australian citizenship, Australia was merely a self governing part of the Empire and this is a subversion for Pearce, who was actually born in Britain (his mother is British) and moved to Australia when he was three.
* FakeNationality: Jennifer Ehle was born in North Carolina. (Yes, this means that we have an American playing an Australian, an Australian playing a Brit, and a Brit playing an American. The mind boggles...)
* IronyasSheIsCast: Despite playing King George VI, Creator\ColinFirth is actually a British republican advocating the abolition of the monarchy. Still, he accepted a CBE.

** Colin Firth revealed that playing a stutterer had a physical effects on him, inducing him headaches and an odd left arm paralysis that lasted some days. Derek Jacobi also warned Firth that the role might make him actually stutter himself for some time after wrapping production.

* DuelingWorks: There seemed to be an effort to force the movie into this with ''Film/TheSocialNetwork'', both big-hitting, big-budget biopics trying to nab Oscars and pretty much the only two contenders for Best Picture. This went right into the actual Oscars ceremony: ''Social Network''[='s=] synth version of "Hall of the Mountain King" was the music for the opening montage while the title speech was the backdrop of the Best Picture montage.

* IronyasHeIsCast: Despite playing King George VI, [[Creator\ColinFirth Colin Firth]] is actually a British republican advocating the abolition of the monarchy. Still, he accepted a CBE.

* IronyasHeIsCast: Despite playing King George VI, Creator\ColinFirth is actually a British republican advocating the abolition of the monarchy. Still, he accepted a CBE.

* FakeAmerican: Eve Best was born in London and plays the American socialite Wallis Simpson.

* DawnsonCasting: Then 50 year old Colin Firth plays Bertie, who at the start of the movie is barely into his 40s. Firth is also 8 years older than Guy Pearce, who plays his ''older'' brother.

* RealitySubtext: The film's writer was himself a stutterer, who took great inspiration from listening to King George's radio addresses, with his parents assuring him the King once stuttered worse than him.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Creator/PaulBettany was the first choice to play King George VI, but turned it down. Creator/HughGrant was also offered the part (he had played a stutterer [[Film/FourWeddingsAndAFuneral before]]) and Creator/RobertDowneyJr was considered, for it too.

* PlayingAgainstType:
** Creator/TimothySpall as UsefulNotes/WinstonChurchill. He is usually known for playing repulsive villains such as [[Film/HarryPotter Peter Pettigrew]] and the villainous sidekick in ''Film/{{Enchanted}}''. Could be a form of FridgeBrilliance considering that Churchill was, especially because of his self-righteous defense of British imperialism in 1930s and other personal and political flaws, considered a repulsive villain by many of his contemporaries.
** Creator/HelenaBonhamCarter has personally stated that she plays the crazy people well. [[Film/AliceInWonderland2010 The last time she was a queen]], she yelled "Off with their heads" every five minutes. But as the Duchess of York, she's an eloquent, articulate, caring and supportive mother and wife.

* OneHitWonder: Most of screenwriter David Seidler's career had been spent writing TV movies and not-particularly-successful animated films such as ''WesternAnimation/QuestForCamelot'' and ''WesternAnimation/TheKingAndI''. After winning an Oscar for his screenplay for this film, he promptly retired, deciding to end his career on a high note.

* FakeAmerican: Eve Best was born in London.

** Creator/TimothySpall as UsefulNotes/WinstonChurchill. He is usually known for playing repulsive villains such as [[Film/HarryPotter Peter Pettigrew]] and the villainous sidekick in ''Film/{{Enchanted}}''.
*** Could be a form of FridgeBrilliance. Churchill was, especially because of his self-righteous defense of British imperialism in 1930s and other personal and political flaws, considered a repulsive villain by many of his contemporaries.

** So [[Literature/BridgetJones Daniel Cleaver]] not only lost the girl but also [[HilariousInHindsight the role to Darcy?]]

* DuelingMovies: The filmcriticosphere tried to force it into this with ''Film/TheSocialNetwork'', both big-hitting, big-budget biopics trying to nab Oscars and pretty much the only two contenders for Best Picture. This went right into the actual Oscars ceremony: ''Social Network''[='s=] synth version of "Hall of the Mountain King" was the music for the opening montage while the title speech was the backdrop of the Best Picture montage.

** So [[Literature/BridgetJones Daniel Cleaver]] not only lost the girl but also [[HilariousInHindsight the role to Darcy]]?

* AllStarCast: In addition to the aforementioned Firth, Rush, and Bonham Carter, there are supporting roles played by Sir Creator/DerekJacobi, Creator/GuyPearce, Creator/TimothySpall, and Sir Michael Gambon.

* CastingGag:
** Creator/DerekJacobi's (Cosmo Lang, Archbishop of Canterbury) presence has got to be a ShoutOut to ''Series/IClaudius'', which is about another stuttering monarch who succeeded to the throne unexpectedly, and it might also allude to him being Brother Series/{{Cadfael}}.
** Myrtle Logue is played by Jennifer Ehle, who was Firth's love interest in [[PrideAndPrejudice the series that made him a heartthrob.]] Although this movie only gives her and Firth a single scene together, they make a big deal out of it.
** And then there's David Bamber's blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance as the amateur dramatics director who rejects Logue. David Bamber is probably best known for playing Cicero on ''Series/{{Rome}}'', yet another statesman with a speech impediment. He also appeared as creepy parson Mr. Collins in ''Film/PrideAndPrejudice'' with Firth and Ehle. And he additionally played Hitler in ''Film/{{Valkyrie}}''.

* ShoutOut - Just a bit of one, in John Boorman's ''Hope And Glory''. The family is listening to George VI give a speech on the radio and the father says "He's sounding better, isn't he."
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Creator/PaulBettany was the first choice to play King George VI, but turned it down.
** Hugh Grant was also offered the part (he had played a stutterer [[Film/FourWeddingsAndAFuneral before]]) and Creator/RobertDowneyJr was considered, for it too.

** Hugh Grant was also offered the part (he had played a stutterer [[FourWeddingsAndAFuneral before]]) and Creator/RobertDowneyJr was considered, for it too.

* FakeBrit: The Australian Guy Pearce as Edward VIII. Although at the time, there was no separate Australian citizenship, Australia was merely a self governing part of the Empire.

* ShoutOut - Just a bit of one, in John Boorman's ''HopeAndGlory''. The family is listening to George VI give a speech on the radio and the father says "He's sounding better, isn't he."

** Creator/HelenaBonhamCarter has personally stated that she plays the crazy people well. [[Film/AliceInWonderland The last time she was a queen]], she yelled "Off with their heads" every five minutes. But as the Duchess of York, she's an eloquent, articulate, caring and supportive mother and wife.

** Creator/DerekJacobi's (Cosmo Lang, Archbishop of Canterbury) presence has got to be a ShoutOut to ''Series/IClaudius'', which is about another stuttering monarch, and it might also allude to him being Brother Series/{{Cadfael}}.

* HeyItsThatGuy:
** [[Literature/BridgetJones Mark Darcy]] travels back in time, marries [[Film/HarryPotter Bellatrix Lestrange]], has [[Film/IronMan3 Killian]] for a brother, and their father is [[Film/HarryPotter Dumbledore]].
** [[Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean Captain Barbossa]] failed as an actor and is now a therapist married to [[Film/PrideAndPrejudice Elizabeth Bennett]].
** [[Film/HarryPotter Peter Pettigrew]] is UsefulNotes/WinstonChurchill.
** [[Series/IClaudius Claudius]] is the Archbishop of Canterbury.
**[[Series/{{Outnumbered}} Karen]] has gone back in time and renamed herself Princess Margaret.

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* AllStarCast: In addition to the aforementioned Firth, Rush, and Bonham Carter, there are supporting roles played by Sir Creator/DerekJacobi, Creator/GuyPearce, Creator/TimothySpall, and Sir Michael Gambon.

* FakeNationality:
** FakeAmerican: Eve Best was born in London.
** FakeBrit: The Australian Guy Pearce as Edward VIII.
*** Although at the time, there was no separate Australian citizenship, Australia was merely a self governing part of the Empire.
** FakeNationality: Jennifer Ehle was born in North Carolina. (Yes, this means that we have an American playing an Australian, an Australian playing a Brit, and a Brit playing an American. The mind boggles...)

** [[Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean Captain Barbossa]] failed as an actor and is now a therapist.