- Banned in China: Nowhere in particular but certain cinemas refused to show the movie.
- Creator Breakdown: As it was her first lead role in a feature film, Brooke Shields broke down crying when it was over and everyone had to say goodbye.
- Dark Horse Casting: Brooke Shields had virtually no training when she was cast as Violet, and later says that her "unpolished" performance worked for the character.
- Dawson Casting: Infamously averted; Brooke Shields was actually 12 years old herself when cast as Violet. Effects of this trope were felt in the auditions - as Debra Winger in particular auditioned for the role and was turned down because she was twenty one.
- Enforced Method Acting:
- Susan Sarandon actually did slap Brooke Shields when Hattie leaves Violet. According to the latter, she told Louis Malle that she would be unable to convincingly fake it, and the director then told her to be "defiant" whenever she was slapped.
- Brooke Shields was having trouble kissing Keith Carradine, as she'd never kissed anyone before. He took her aside and told her that a movie kiss "didn't count", which made her feel much better.
- Hostility on the Set: Screenwriter Polly Platt described Teri Shields as "obstreprous", annoying the cast by doing things such as drunk driving with her daughter in the car and getting into fights with police during filming.
- Referenced by...:
- My Dark Vanessa: In college, the only movies Vanessa owns are ones that feature an Age-Gap Romance, including Pretty Baby.
- Treme: In "I'll Fly Away", the first season finale, Davis takes Jennette to a bar the night before she's set to move to New York City, and mentions it's the same place where Pretty Baby was shot.
- Romance on the Set: Susan Sarandon and Louis Malle dated for a while.
- Star-Making Role: For Brooke Shields, who had only done the film Alice, Sweet Alice, and became a famous model and child star shortly afterwards.
- Typecasting: Defied. Susan Sarandon turned down a lot of prostitute roles after this.
- Unbuilt Casting Type: Brooke Shields would find herself playing a lot of roles where she experienced a sexual awakening, dealing with teenage sexuality, and usually losing her virginity. This role is in fact an examination of her Troubling Unchildlike Behaviour from being born in a brothel, and ends with her attempting to have a normal childhood.
- What Could Have Been:
- Robert Redford was the original choice for Bellocq and Jack Nicholson was the second choice, but both of them passed on it. Other candidates were Albert Brooks, James Caan, Robert De Niro, Mel Gibson, Dustin Hoffman, Malcolm McDowell, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, Rob Reiner, Christopher Reevenote , Burt Reynolds, Sylvester Stallonenote , John Travoltanote and Christopher Walken. Spaghetti Western star Gianni Garko claimed he was offered the part, but turned it down.
- Jodie Foster was offered the role of Violet, but turned it down partly because she was already committed to Candleshoe and also because she didn't want to get typecast playing underage prostitutes - Louis Malle also wanted a younger actress for the role. Numerous other child actors of the day considered the role but were refused by their parents. Other candidates were Rosanna Arquette, Linda Blair, Jamie Lee Curtis, Bo Derek, Laura Dern, Carrie Fisher, Bridget Fonda, Melanie Griffith, Mariel Hemingway, Amy Irving, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kristy McNichol, Tatum O'Neal, Sarah Jessica Parker, Michelle Pfeiffer, Ally Sheedy, Meg Tilly and Debra Winger.
- Candice Bergen, Stockard Channing, Cher, Glenn Close, Mia Farrow, Farrah Fawcett, Goldie Hawnnote Anjelica Huston, Diane Keaton, Sylvia Kristel, Liza Minnelli, Cybill Shepherd, Sissy Spacek, Meryl Streep and Sigourney Weaver were all considered for Hattie.
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