History Trivia / BoysDontCry

* SimilarlyNamedWorks: The film shares its title with a 1981 song by Music/TheCure and a British New Wave band who had a 1985 OneHitWonder with "I Wanna Be A Cowboy"

* SimilarlyNamedWorks: The film shares its title with a 1981 song by Music/TheCure and a British New Wave band who had a OneHitWonder with "I Wanna Be A Cowboy" in 1985.

* NamesTheSame: The title was also used for a 1982 song by Music/TheCure and an English New Wave band who had a 1985 OneHitWonder with "I Wanna Be A Cowboy".

* CastTheRunnerUp: Creator/ChloeSevigny, Alecia Goranson and Allison Folland all auditioned for Brandon before getting cast as Lana, Candace and Kate respectively.

* ExecutiveMeddling: The film was threatened with an NC-17 rating -- not for the violent shot through the head, but for Lana's orgasm lasting too long.

* ActorInspiredElement: Creator/PeterSarsgaard felt the need to make John more charismatic than he was described in the script - to make it believable that everyone would want to hang out with him.
* BreakthroughHit: Kimberly Peirce had only directed one short film (that was admittedly acclaimed beforehand). This suddenly put her on the map as a director.

* CastTheRunnerUp: Creator/ChloeSevigny, Alecia Goranson and Allison Folland all auditioned for Brandon, before getting cast as Lana, Candace and Kate respectively.

* DarkhorseCasting: Most high profile actresses avoided the project because of the stigma associated with an LGBT role, so Kimberly Peirce cast an unknown as Brandon.
* DawsonCasting: Creator/HilarySwank was a couple of years older than the character she played, though she lied to say she was the same age ([[ValuesDissonance claiming it's what Brandon would have done]]). Chloe Sevigny was also in her mid-twenties playing Lana at nineteen.

** Creator/HilarySwank lived as a man to prepare for her role as Brandon Teena, including cutting her hair short and wrapping her breasts. She also had to lose weight and stuff a sock down her pants. Swank's blonde hair had to be dyed brown as well.

* ExecutiveMeddling: The film was threatened with an NC-17 rating - not for the violent shot through the head - but for Lana's orgasm lasting too long.

** Chloe Sevigny likewise watched loads of videos of the real Lana to properly get a sense of her mannerisms.
* NoBudget: Made for only $2 million. As Creator/HilarySwank put it (she was paid only $3000 for it, earning $75 a day) - "I had an Academy Award but no health insurance."

* CrossCastRole: Cisgender female Creator/HilarySwank plays transgender male Brandon. Due to the lack of big-name openly trans actors at the time, this was probably to be expected.

* CrossCastRole: Cisgender female Creator/HillarySwank plays transgender male Brandon. Due to the lack of big-name openly trans actors at the time, this was probably to be expected.

* DawsonCasting: Creator/HilarySwank was a couple of years older than the character she played, though she lied to say she was the same age ([[MethodActing claiming it's what Brandon would have done]]). Chloe Sevigny was also in her mid-twenties playing Lana at nineteen.

** Kimberly Peirce envisioned a young Creator/JodieFoster as Brandon, and Creator/DrewBarrymore was attached early on.

** Initial drafts of the script focused more on ''All She Wanted'' - a biography of Brandon's final weeks - and would feature more of his family members and ex-girlfriends. Kimberly Peirce chose to focus more on the relationship with Lana, finding it "a great love story".

** Kimberly Peirce envisioned a young Crator/JodieFoster as Brandon, and Creator/DrewBarrymore was attached early on. ** Creator/DianeKeaton considered directing.

* ActorInspiredElement: Peter Sarsgaard felt the need to make John more charismatic than he was described in the script - to make it believable that everyone would want to hang out with him.

* CastTheRunnerUp: Chloe Sevigny, Alecia Goranson and Allison Folland all auditioned for Brandon, before getting cast as Lana, Candace and Kate respectively.
* TheCastShowOff: Chloe Sevigny performs "The Bluest Eyes in Texas" in the karaoke scene.
* DarkHorseCasting: Most high profile actresses avoided the project because of the stigma associated with an LGBT role, so Kimberly Peirce cast an unknown as Brandon.

** Chloe Sevigny dyed her blonde hair red because Lana Tisdel is a redhead in real life.

* NoBudget: Made for only $2 million. As Hilary Swank put it (she was paid only $3000 for it, earning $75 a day) - "I had an Academy Award but no health insurance."

** The WorkingTitle was 'Take It Like a Man'.

** Kimberly Peirce envisioned a young Jodie Foster as Brandon, and Drew Barrymore was attached early on. Both Alecia Goranson and Creator/ChloeSevigny auditioned for the part before being cast in other roles. Diane Keaton considered directing too.

** The film's low budget meant that two real life figures had to be left out of the story - Lana's real life sister Leslie and her boyfriend Philip Devine. He was a black, disabled man who was murdered on the same night as Brandon.

* StarMakingRole: Creator/HillarySwank as Brandon Teena. An Oscar win catapulted her to stardom.

* RealLife/MeanCharacterNiceActor: Brendon Sexton III, who played Tom, walked away in tears after filming the rape scene.

* DawsonCasting: Hilary Swank was a couple of years older than the character she played, though she lied to say she was the same age ([[MethodActing claiming it's what Brandon would have done]]). Chloe Sevigny was also in her mid-twenties playing Lana at nineteen.

** Hilary Swank lived as a man to prepare for her role as Brandon Teena, including cutting her hair short and wrapping her breasts. She also had to lose weight and stuff a sock down her pants. Swank's blonde hair had to be dyed brown as well.

* MeanCharacterNiceActor: Brendon Sexton III, who played Tom, walked away in tears after filming the rape scene.

* StarMakingRole: Hillary Swank as Brandon Teena. An Oscar win catapulted her to stardom.

** Kimberly Peirce envisioned a young Jodie Foster as Brandon, and Drew Barrymore was attached early on. Both Alecia Goranson and Chloe Sevigny auditioned for the part before being cast in other roles. Diane Keaton considered directing too.

* DisownedAdaptation: Lana Tisdel sued the filmmakers for defamation, enraged that she was depicted as "white trash" and an alcoholic.
* DyeingForYourArt: Hilary Swank lived as a man to prepare for her role as Brandon Teena, including cutting her hair short and wrapping her breasts. She also had to lose weight and stuff a sock down her pants. Swank's blonde hair had to be dyed brown as well.

** The rape scene was longer and more graphic, showing that Brandon was raped repeatedly throughout the night. It had to be reduced after negative responses from test audiences.

* DyeingForYourArt: Hilary Swank lived as a man to prepare for her role as Brandon Teena, including cutting her hair short and wrapping her breasts. She also had to lose weight and stuff a sock down her pants.

* DyeingForYourArt: Hilary Swank lived as a man to prepare for her role as Brandon Teena.
* StarMakingRole: Hillary Swank as Brandon Teena.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen : Kimberly Peirce envisioned a young Jodie Foster as Brandon, and Drew Barrymore was attached early on. Both Alecia Goranson and Chloe Sevigny auditioned for the part before being cast in other roles.