* ActorInspiredHeroism: Kristen Bell specifically wanted to find the humanity in Sarah, while acknowledging that she was a bad person, but also wanted to give the audience a way to still root for her.
* TheCastShowoff: Peter was written as a composer in order to show off Creator/JasonSegel's songwriting and singing abilities. Creator/RussellBrand sings too.
* CreatorChosenCasting: Mila Kunis attended a table read with various actors when they were working out how the script sounded read aloud, and was later offered the role of Rachel based on that.
* DeletedScene: Creator/RussellBrand revealed in one of his stand-up specials that there were meant to be scenes with Aldous horse-back riding and surfing, but he was so terrible at both the footage was deemed unusable.
-->"Some of you might be saying 'Russell, I saw that film and I don't remember a horse-riding scene.' Yeah, there's a reason for that!"
* CompletelyDifferentTitle:
** In Latin America, the movie was called ''¿Cómo sobrevivir a mi ex?'' ("How to survive my ex?").
** The movie's French title ''Sans Sarah, rien ne va'' ("Without Sarah nothing's fine").
** The movie's Russian title is ''V prolete'' ("Missed his chance").
* EnforcedMethodActing:
** An unintentional example; Creator/KristenBell found out ''Series/VeronicaMars'' had been cancelled the day before she shot the scene where Sarah found out her show was cancelled.
** Also the whole scene where Creator/JasonSegel and Creator/RussellBrand poke fun at the stupid horror movie premise of killer cellphones, not knowing that Bell (who's sitting right next to them) actually starred in the real-world horror movie ''Film/{{Pulse}}'' which revolves around exactly that premise not a year before.
* LifeImitatesArt: Part of the story is Creator/JasonSegel’s character Peter working on a puppet based comedy/musical and, at one point, he sings ''Series/TheMuppetShow'' theme tune. In 2011 he would go on to write and star in Film/TheMuppets2011 movie.
* RealitySubtext: Creator/JasonSegel revealed in interviews that the ''Literature/{{Dracula}}'' puppet musical Peter is writing in the movie is, in fact, based on a ''real'' Dracula musical which he began writing in his youth, and the song he sings in the karaoke bar is a real song from that musical. He claims to have played a demo tape for Creator/JuddApatow, whose only response was "You can never let anyone hear this tape." [[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102232289 Listen for yourselves.]] The anecdote starts at 13:30.
* VacationDearBoy: Mila Kunis signed on for the chance to visit Hawaii.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: The role of Aldous Snow was written with Creator/CharlieHunnam in mind. Creator/HughGrant was also considered.
* WriteWhatYouKnow: The script is a mish-mash of different break-ups Creator/JasonSegel had over the years, including with Creator/LindaCardellini. While it was initially assumed the story was solely about Cardellini, he later confirmed that wasn't the case: "People are bound to talk, but she was a great girlfriend."
* WrittenByCastMember: Creator/JasonSegel is the film's screenwriter.
* WrittenInInfirmity: Creator/KristenBell injured her knee while filming a horse scene, which didn't make the final cut. In scenes towards the end of the movie, she walks with a slight limp.
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