Cast the Runner-Up: Marlon Yates Jr., a fashion model went originally auditioning for the role of Dr. Dre. F. Gary Gray told Yates he had a great audition but he was actually too handsome for the role of Dre. A few weeks later he was called back and offered the role of The D.O.C.
Neil Brown Jr., who plays Yella, was 34 at the time of the film's making, making him considerably older than the rest of the actors playing NWA, as well as his real-life equivalent, whom he plays from age 18 to 27.
O'Shea Jackson Jr., who played his dad, was a subversion. During the making of the film, he was 24-25, and portrayed his dad during his senior year of high school, but was roughly the same age as him in 1995 by the end of the film.
The original cut of the film was three and a half hours long, and contained a lot of scenes not included in the finished product. The cut scenes included Dr. Dre's infamous beating of journalist Dee Barnes, the incident where Dre was shot four times in the leg, a graphic flashback of his younger brother's death and his discovery of Eminem.
Originally at the end of the film there was going to be some clips of Ice Cube's cousin Del the Funky Homosapien on how his cousin has inspired him to be a music artist. But was cut due to the filmmakers couldn't do anything with it and him.
In order to fulfill the physical appearance, Jason Mitchell had to consume 4,000 calories a day.
Missing Trailer Scene: There were many scenes cut from the film that were shown in the trailers. For example, there is a scene in which Eazy-E attempts to bring a gun on the tour bus, a scene in which Dr. Dre is in jail talking to his girlfriend, and an alternative sequence in which N.W.A performs "Straight Outta Compton".
Real-Life Relative: O'Shea Jackson Jr. plays his own father O'Shea "Ice Cube" Jackson. When Cube talks about having a "baby on the way" - he's playing his father talking about himself.
Star-Making Role: O'Shea Jackson Jr. made a big splash with this film, thanks to his dead-on portrayal of his dad, and he's since found his way into the MonsterVerse and the extended Star Wars universe, as well as other acclaimed lead and supporting roles.
Throw It In!: The original "Bye, Felicia" scene actually didn't have Ice Cube saying the infamous line in the script. During a retake, O'Shea Jr. ad-libbed it on the spot, and had everyone on set cracking up.
Wag the Director: A positive example. According to O'Shea Jackson Jr., the scene where Ice Cube trashes the office of Priority Records almost didn't make the final film. It was absent from a rewrite and he pleaded that it be reinstated.
The original script by S. Leigh Savidge and Alan Wenkus solely focused on N.W.A's rise to fame and disbandment through Eazy-E's point of view.
O'Shea Jackson Jr. said he initially turned down the offer to portray his father, but changed his mind when he realized it wouldn't sit well with him if he let someone else get the role.note Ice Cube still made him go through auditions and acting classes so he wouldn't be accused of nepotism.
Michael B. Jordan was considered to play Dr. Dre but declined due to scheduling conflicts.
Ray Fisher was cast but ultimately didn't play in the film.
Eazy's son Eric Wright Jr. was also tentatively considered to play his father, but didn't get the role because he looked too different from his father.
Writing by the Seat of Your Pants: According to Costume Designer Kelli Jones, "the script was literally changing the entire time we were shooting, I mean literally the entire time. There would be days where I would get a call on Friday and they were like 'oh by the way we've moved the pool party scene to Monday' and the pool party scene had like 400 people and I needed to get '80s bathing suits, so there wasn't a single weekend where me and my team were not working. It was insane!"
