History Trivia / TropicThunder

** W. Earl Brown was one of the first considerations for Portnoy, but he personally turned it down because he felt Creator/JackBlack fit the role better.

* ActorAllusion:
** In the fake trailers at the beginning of the movie, [[Film/IronMan Tony Stark]] and [[Film/SpiderManTrilogy Peter Parker]] as gay monks! Could also be an Actor Allusion to the relationship that Creator/RobertDowneyJr and Creator/TobeyMaguire's characters had in ''Film/WonderBoys''.
** "Dear Mr. Joe Quesada,[[note]]Editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics at the time the film was made[[/note]] boy do I have an idea for you..."
* ActorInspiredElement: The entire character of Les Grossman is this, as Tom Cruise was only meant to make a cameo as Speedman's agent, Rick Pecker, but Cruise instead suggested that he play a foulmouthed studio executive. Both him and Ben Stiller worked on developing the character, with Cruise specifically suggesting Grossman having large hands and dancing to "[[Music/FloRida Low]]".

* TheOtherMarty: Owen Wilson was originally set to play Tugg Speedman's agent, Rick Peck, but after his suicide attempt, he understandably backed out of the role. The role ended up going to Creator/MatthewMcConaughey.

** Peck was supposed to be played by Owen Wilson but he dropped out to seek treatment after a suicide attempt. Creator/BenStiller and Creator/TomCruise were also considered for the role of Peck.

** Mos Def was offered the part of Alpa Chino, but turned it down. Creator/KevinHart was also considered.

* ActorInspiredElement: The entire character of Les Grossman is this, as Tom Cruise was only meant to make a cameo as Speedman's agent, Rick Pecker, but Cruise instead suggested that he play a foulmouthed studio executive. Both him and Ben Stiller worked on developing the character, with Cruise specifically suggesting Grossman having large hands and dancing to "[[Creator/FloRida Low]]".

* FakeAustralian: American Creator/RobertDowneyJr played an Australian who was playing an African American and even disguised himself as an Asian farmer. He's a dude playing a dude playing as a dude disguised as another dude. There's a reason he got an Oscar nomination for this role.

* DyeingForYourArt: Cruise's appearance is completely transformed from sleek, muscular hunk to portly, hair, balding and scraggly. Grossman's personality and character, however, are typical Cruise.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: Peck's obsession with [=TiVo=].

* PlayingAgainstType: Creator/TomCruise in a fat suit and heavy make up that make him almost unrecognizable as a crass {{Jerkass}} film producer in a comedy film is probably one of the biggest examples of this trope in history.

** In the fake trailers at the beginning of the movie, [[Film/IronMan Tony Stark]] and [[Film/SpiderManTrilogy Peter Parker]] as gay monks!
*** Could also be an ActorAllusion to the relationship that Creator/RobertDowneyJr and Creator/TobeyMaguire's characters had in [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonder_Boys_%28film%29 "Wonder Boys"]].
** "Dear Mr. Joe Queseda, boy do I have an idea for you..."
* AdamWesting: With JasonBateman.
* AllStarCast: In-universe. The movie being filmed contains a comedy star, a high-profile rapper, an Academy Award winner and a former action hero. Of course, the real cast should not be counted out: Creator/BenStiller, Creator/RobertDowneyJr, Creator/JackBlack, Creator/TomCruise, Creator/JayBaruchel, Creator/NickNolte, Creator/MatthewMcConaughey, Danny [=McBride=] and Creator/SteveCoogan.

* DyeingForYourArt: Parodied with Kirk having his skin dyed to become a sassy black sergeant. Alpa Chino, a real black man, is not amused.

** The Vietnamese cartel Flaming Dragon is led by a Chinese-American and the second-in-command is Filipino-American.
* MemeticMutation: Several, though the most famous one is actually a case of BeamMeUpScotty.
* MethodActing: Kirk Lazarus undergoes surgery for a better ''racial'' resemblance and doesn't drop from character until he's done with the DVD commentaries.

* AdamWesting: With Jason Bateman.

*** Could also be an ActorAllusion to the relationship the two actors' characters had in [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonder_Boys_%28film%29 "Wonder Boys"]].

** Could also be an ActorAllusion to the relationship the two actors' characters had in [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonder_Boys_%28film%29 "Wonder Boys"]].

* FakeAustralian: American Creator/RobertDowneyJr played an Australian who was playing an African American and even disguised himself as an Asian farmer. He's a dude playing a dude playing as a dude disguised as another dude. There's a reason he got an Oscar Nomination for this role.

* TheOtherMarty: Owen Wilson was originally set to play Tugg Speedman's agent, Rick Peck, but after his suicide attempt, he understandably backed out of the role. The role ended up going to MatthewMcConaughey.
* PlayingAgainstType: Creator/TomCruise in a fat suit and heavy make up that make him almost unrecognizable as a crass JerkAss film producer in a comedy film is probably one of the biggest examples of this trope in history.
* StarringAStarAsAStar: Movie stars Jack Black, Ben Stiller, and Robert Downey, Jr. play fictional movie stars Jeff Portnoy, Tugg Speedman, and Kirk Lazarus (with Portnoy as more of a wacky fart-joke comedy guy, Speedman as a monosyllabic actioner, and Lazarus as an Oscar-obsessed intensive method actor.)

** The dance sequence at the end came from Tom Cruise randomly deciding to start hip-hop dancing during a make-up test. The crew thought it was funny enough that they worked it into the script.
** Some improvisation was used for the real film's dialogue -- in fact, Kirk was written as ''Irish'', but Creator/RobertDowneyJr. found it easier to improvise with an Australian accent.
* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: Peck's obsession with TiVo.

** Creator/KeanuReeves was originally supposed to play Tugg, poking fun at the criticisms of his own inability to emote.

** W. Earl Brown was one of the first considerations for Portnoy, but he personally turned it down because he felt Jack Black fit the role better.
** Mos Def was offered the part of Alpa Chino, but turned it down. KevinHart was also considered.

** The Vietnamese cartel Chinese Dragon is lead by a Chinese-American and the second-in-command is Filipino-American.

** The original draft of the movie was about a bunch of actors developing PTSD as a result of the pre-production boot camp necessary to make them into plausible soldiers for a war movie.

* PlayingAgainstType: TomCruise in a fat suit and heavy make up that make him almost unrecognizable as a crass JerkAss film producer in a comedy film is probably one of the biggest examples of this trope in history.

** Some improvisation was used for the real film's dialogue -- in fact, Kirk was written as ''Irish'', but Robert Downey Jr. found it easier to improvise with an Australian accent.

** Peck was supposed to be played by Owen Wilson but he dropped out to seek treatment after a suicide attempt. Ben Stiller and Tom Cruise were also considered for the role of Peck.
** [[Creator/KeanuReeves Keanu Reeves]] was originally supposed to play Tugg, poking fun at the criticisms of his own inability to emote.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Peck was supposed to be played by Owen Wilson but he dropped out to seek treatment after a suicide attempt. Ben Stiller and Tom Cruise were also considered for the role of Peck.
** [[Creator/KeanuReeves Keanu Reeves]] was originally supposed to play Tugg, poking fun at the criticisms of his own inability to emote.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Peck was supposed to be played Owen Wilson but he dropped out to seek treatment after a suicide attempt. Ben Stiller and Tom Cruise were also considered for the role of Peck.

* HeyItsThatGuy: Pecker's assistant Vivica is also [[Series/{{Community}} Shirley]].
** The Chinese Dragon second-in-command is [[PrisonBreak William Kim]].
** The [[Creator/{{JayBaruchel}} non-famous guy]] is now the star of [[Series/{{ManSeekingWoman}} Man Seeking Woman]].

** " Dear Mr. Joe Queseda, boy do I have an idea for you..."

* FakeNationality: American Creator/RobertDowneyJr played an Australian who was playing an African American and even disguised himself as an Asian farmer. He's a dude playing a dude playing as a dude disguised as another dude. There's a reason he got an Oscar Nomination for this role.

* FakeNationality: American RobertDowneyJr played an Australian who was playing an African American and even disguised himself as an Asian farmer. He's a dude playing a dude playing as a dude disguised as another dude. There's a reason he got an Oscar Nomination for this role.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Peck was supposed to be played Owen Wilson but he dropped out to seek treatment after a suicide attempt. Ben Stiller and Tom Cruise were also considered for the role of Peck.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Peck was supposed to be played Owen Wilson but he dropped out to seek treatment after a suicide attempt.