Trivia / Muriel's Wedding

• California Doubling: A minor example. Although (the fictional) Porpoise Spit is meant to be flying distance from Sydney, all Porpoise Spot exteriors are shot in a suburban Sydney neighborhood.
• The Danza: Bill Heslop played by Bill Hunter.
• Dyeing for Your Art: Toni Collette put on 40lbs to play Muriel. This was a brave choice, not for fat-shaming reasons (see Hollywood Homely) but because it was her first major role in a movie that was getting an international release, and she was willing to look very different from how she normally looked.
• Star-Making Role: For Toni Collette and Rachel Griffiths.
• Throw It In!: Director P.J. Hogan and Rachel Griffiths revealed to Entertainment Weekly:
  “My greatest work in Muriel’s Wedding is when I stand in front of Toni and she moves my hair to find the camera,” jokes Griffiths. Hogan explains, “We hadn’t rehearsed with wigs on, and Toni realized that Rachel’s big curly Frida wig was completely blocking her face, so Toni reaches over, moves the hair, and stares straight into the camera. That just made me laugh out loud on set, and that’s in the film. That happened in the moment, and I’m just thankful Rachel didn’t break up when it was happening.”
• What Could Have Been: ABBA only gave permission for their music to be included in the movie two weeks before shooting commenced. At one point the filmmakers' backup plan was to change Muriel's favorite band to Village People.
• Write What You Know: Writer/Director PJ Hogan based Bill Heslop on his own father.