* ActorInspiredElement: Creator/LeonardoDiCaprio created Arnie's trademark flicking his finger against his nose, describing it as a sort of "brain wipe...like Arnie is massaging the inside of his brain."
* DyeingForYourArt: Creator/LeonardoDiCaprio really did not bathe during the period in filming when Arnie refused to go near water.
* HostilityOnTheSet: In an interview, Creator/JohnnyDepp admitted that he got easily irritated by Creator/LeonardoDiCaprio during the filming of the movie, though he ultimately respected him enough as an actor to get the job done.
-->"It was a hard time for me, that film, for some reason. I don't know why. I tortured him (Leonardo [=DiCaprio=]). I really did. He was always talking about these video games, you know? I told you it was kind of a dark period... 'No, I will not give you a drag of my cigarette while you hide from your mother again, Leo.'[...] I'd say the absolute truth is that I respect Leo a lot. He worked really hard on that film, and spent a lot of time researching. He came to set and he was ready to work hard and all his ducks were in a row".
* SelfAdaptation: The screenplay and the original book were both written by Peter Hedges.
* StarMakingRole: For Creator/LeonardoDiCaprio.
* WriteWhoYouKnow: Writer Peter Hedges based Bonnie on a woman he used to know when he was growing up in Iowa.
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