History Trivia / TheAviator

** Although Creator/CateBlanchett was always the first choice for Creator/KatharineHepburn, there was worry about a schedule conflict with ''Film/TheMissing''. Should she not have been available, Creator/NicoleKidman was the second choice.

* DawsonCasting: Gwen Stefani plays Creator/JeanHarlow, who was 19 at the time the film shows her (she never even lived to be 34, Gwen's age during filming).

* DoingItForTheArt: Creator/MartinScorsese supplied $5000 of his own money when the film went overbudget.

* FakeAmerican: Creator/CateBlanchett (Australian) as Creator/KatharineHepburn and Creator/KateBeckinsale (British) as Creator/AvaGardner.

* BoxOfficeBomb: Budget, $110 million. Box office, $102,610,330 (domestic), $111,109,612 (international). While regarded as one of the greatest films of 2004, controversy arose over producer Charles Evans Jr's involvement, which wasn't helped by him forcing himself into a producers' photo at the Producers Guild of America Awards. Evans hasn't really been involved with Hollywood since. This helped screenwriter Creator/JohnLogan's career out somewhat after he "helped" crash ''Film/StarTrekNemesis'' along with two other movies, but it would still be a few years before he got back in the Hollywood swing of things.

* TheOtherMarty: Creator/GwynethPaltrow was cast as Creator/AvaGardner, but dropped out at the last minute, and was replaced with Kate Beckinsale.

** Creator/WarrenBeatty planned to direct and star in a Hughes biopic in the early 1970s. He co-wrote the script with Bo Goldman after a proposed collaboration with Creator/PaulSchrader fell through. Goldman wrote his own script, ''Melvin and Howard'', which depicted Hughes' possible relationship with Melvin Dummar. Beatty's thoughts regularly returned to the project over the years, and in 1990 he approached Creator/StevenSpielberg to direct Goldman's script. Beatty's Hughes biopic was eventually released under the title ''Film/RulesDontApply'' in 2016. Charles Evans, Jr. purchased the film rights of ''Howard Hughes: The Untold Story'' in 1993. Evans secured financing from New Regency Productions, but development stalled.

** Although Cate Blanchett was always the first choice for Creator/KatharineHepburn, there was worry about a schedule conflict with ''Film/TheMissing''. Should she not have been available, Creator/NicoleKidman was the second choice.

** Creator/CateBlanchett does not look anything like Creator/KatharineHepburn, but she sure gets the voice, accent, and mannerisms down perfectly.

* BoxOfficeBomb: Budget, $110 million. Box office, $102,610,330 (domestic), $213,741,459 (worldwide). While regarded as one of the greatest films of 2004, controversy arose over producer Charles Evans Jr's involvement, which wasn't helped by him forcing himself into a producers' photo at the Producers Guild of America Awards. Evans hasn't really been involved with Hollywood since. This helped screenwriter Creator/JohnLogan's career out somewhat after he "helped" crash ''Film/StarTrekNemesis'' along with two other movies, but it would still be a few years before he got back in the Hollywood swing of things.

** Creator/WarrenBeatty planned to direct and star in a Hughes biopic in the early 1970s. He co-wrote the script with Bo Goldman after a proposed collaboration with Creator/PaulSchrader fell through. Goldman wrote his own script, Melvin and Howard, which depicted Hughes' possible relationship with Melvin Dummar. Beatty's thoughts regularly returned to the project over the years, and in 1990 he approached Creator/StevenSpielberg to direct Goldman's script. Beatty's Hughes biopic was eventually released under the title ''Film/RulesDontApply'' in 2016. Charles Evans, Jr. purchased the film rights of ''Howard Hughes: The Untold Story'' in 1993. Evans secured financing from New Regency Productions, but development stalled.

** Disney restarted development on a new biopic in June 1999, hiring Creator/MichaelMann to direct Creator/LeonardoDiCaprio playing the role of Howard Hughes, based on a script by John Logan. The studio put it in turnaround again following the disappointing box-office performance of Mann's critically acclaimed ''Film/TheInsider''. Creator/NewLineCinema picked it up in turnaround almost immediately, with Mann planning to direct after finishing ''Film/{{Ali}}''. Mann was eventually replaced with Scorsese.

** In the mid 1990s and early 2000s, Creator/MilosForman was in talks to direct a film about the early life Hughes starring Creator/EdwardNorton.

** Creator/WarrenBeatty planned to direct and star in a Hughes biopic in the early 1970s. He co-wrote the script with Bo Goldman after a proposed collaboration with Creator/PaulSchrader fell through. Goldman wrote his own script, Melvin and Howard, which depicted Hughes' possible relationship with Melvin Dummar. Beatty's thoughts regularly returned to the project over the years, and in 1990 he approached Creator/StevenSpielberg to direct Goldman's script. Beatty's Hughes biopic was eventually released under the title Rules Don't Apply in 2016. Charles Evans, Jr. purchased the film rights of ''Howard Hughes: The Untold Story'' in 1993. Evans secured financing from New Regency Productions, but development stalled.

** Creator/UniversalPictures joined the competition in March 1998 when it purchased the film rights to ''Empire: The Life, Legend and Madness of Howard Hughes'', written by Donald Barlett and James Steele. Creator/TheHughesBrothers were going to direct Creator/JohnnyDepp as Howard Hughes, based on a script by Terry Hayes, Universal canceled it when it decided it did not want to fast-track development to compete with Disney.

* PlayingGertrude: Leonardo [=DiCaprio=] is the right age early on for Howard Hughes, but continues to play him well into his forties. This gives the impression that the man accomplished many of his deeds in his late twenties.

** A Creator/HowardHughes biopic had been in the works for decades. Creator/WarrenBeatty had tried back in the 80s (his fictionalized Hughes film, ''Rules Don't Apply'', came out in 2016), Creator/JohnMalkovich in the 90s, Creator/EdwardNorton in 2000 and many more. A Creator/JimCarrey vehicle with Creator/ChristopherNolan directing was nearly started in 2002 but it couldn't beat ''The Aviator'' into production.

* PlayingGertrude: Leonardo Di Caprio is the right age early on for Howard Hughes, but continues to play him well into his forties. This gives the impression that the man accomplished many of his deeds in his late twenties.

* ArtisticLicenseHistory: The scene at the Hepburn dinner.
-->'''Mrs. Hepburn''': ''We don't care about money here.''
-->'''Howard Hughes''': ''That's because you have it. You don't care about money because you've always had it.''
** The reverse happened in RealLife: Dr. Thomas N. Hepburn had raised himself from poverty working odd jobs through medical school in the early 1900s, while Howard Hughes had inherited Hughes Tool Company and few millions in cash at 18.
* CreatorKiller: Charles Evans Jr's antics during production and after crushed his Hollywood career.

* DyeingForYourArt: Creator/KateBeckinsale gained a [[{{HollywoodPudgy}} whopping 20 pounds]] to play Creator/AvaGardner.

* NamesTheSame[=/=]SimilarlyNamedWorks: This film has no connection with the 1985 Creator/ChristopherReeve film also titled ''The Aviator''.

The reverse happened in RealLife: Dr. Thomas N. Hepburn had raised himself from poverty working odd jobs through medical school in the early 1900s, while Howard Hughes had inherited Hughes Tool Company and few millions in cash at 18.

** A Creator/HowardHughes biopic had been in the works for decades. Creator/WarrenBeatty had tried back in the 80s, Creator/JohnMalkovich in the 90s, Creator/EdwardNorton in 2000 and many more. A Creator/JimCarrey vehicle with Creator/ChristopherNolan directing was nearly started in 2002 but it couldn't beat ''The Aviator'' into production.

* AbilityOverAppearance: Creator/LeonardoDiCaprio is four inches shorter than the real Howard Hughes.

** A Howard Hughes biopic had been in the works for decades. Creator/WarrenBeatty had tried back in the 80s, John Malkovich in the 90s, Creator/EdwardNorton in 2000 and many more. A Creator/JimCarrey vehicle with Christopher Nolan directing was nearly started in 2002 but it couldn't beat ''The Aviator'' into production.

* DeletedRole: Jane Lynch filmed scenes as Amelia Earhart that ended up deleted.
* DoingItForTheArt: Martin Scorsese supplied $5000 of his own money when the film went overbudget.
* DyeingForYourArt: Kate Beckinsale gained a [[{{HollywoodPudgy}} whopping 20 pounds]] to play Ava Gardner.
* FakeAmerican: Creator/CateBlanchett (Australian) as Katharine Hepburn and Kate Beckinsale (British) as Ava Gardner.
* FakeAustralian: Creator/JudeLaw, who is British, plays the Australian Errol Flynn (who himself tried to pass himself off as Irish).

* MethodActing: In addition to learning to play tennis and golf - which Katharine Hepburn loved - Cate Blanchett also started taking cold showers (something else the actress was known for).
* NamesTheSame[=/=]SimilarlyNamedWorks: This film has no connection with the 1985 Christopher Reeve film also titled ''The Aviator''.
* TheOtherMarty: Gwyneth Paltrow was cast as Ava Gardner, but dropped out at the last minute, and was replaced with Kate Beckinsale.

** Although Cate Blanchett was always the first choice for Katharine Hepburn, there was worry about a schedule conflict with ''Film/TheMissing''. Should she not have been available, Nicole Kidman was the second choice.
** A Howard Hughes biopic had been in the works for decades. Warren Beatty had tried back in the 80s, John Malkovich in the 90s, Edward Norton in 2000 and many more. A Jim Carrey vehicle with Christopher Nolan directing was nearly started in 2002 but it couldn't beat ''The Aviator'' into production.
** Barry Pepper was to play Howard Hughes's chief engineer Glenn Odekirk. But a schedule conflict with ''Ripley Under Ground'' led to him dropping out. Matt Ross replaced him.

* FakeNationality: Australian Creator/CateBlanchett as American Creator/KatharineHepburn, English Creator/JudeLaw as Tasmanian Creator/ErrolFlynn, English Creator/KateBeckinsale as American Creator/AvaGardner, English Creator/IanHolm as ambiguously Western European Professor Fritz...

* RomanceOnTheSet: This film depicts Creator/KatharineHepburn and Spencer Tracy hooking up on a movie set while she's still in a relationship with Howard; in reality, she and Howard had already broken up. See also RuleOfDrama.