History Trivia / OrdinaryPeople

* AwardCategoryFraud: One of the most outrageous examples in film history. {{Creator/Timothy Hutton}} won the Oscar for Best ''Supporting'' Actor, despite being the clear lead of the film. [[https://www.screentimecentral.com/supporting-actor-winners He's onscreen for about 53% of the film]], which is the second highest amount of screentime for any Best Supporting Actor winner, and higher than many Best Actor winners.

* AwardCategoryFraud: One of the most outrageous examples in film history. {{Creator/Timothy Hutton}} won the Oscar for Best ''Supporting'' Actor, despite being the clear lead of the film. [[https://www.screentimecentral.com/supporting-actor-winners he's onscreen for about 53% of the film]], which is the second highest amount of screentime for any Best Supporting Actor winner, and higher than many Best Actor winners.

* AwardCategoryFraud: One of the most outrageous examples in film history. {{Creator/Timothy Hutton}} won the Oscar for Best ''Supporting'' Actor, despite being the clear lead of the film.

* RealitySubtext: Timothy Hutton's father, actor Jim Hutton, passed away prior to filming. Hutton has said that he did not use his mourning as a basis for Conrad's depression. Also, Creator/MaryTylerMoore's son Richie Meeker was killed accidentally during the year of the film's production, and Moore herself separated from her husband, producer Grant Tinker, during filming.

** Creator/DonaldSutherland was initially approached to play Dr. Berger, but he persuaded Redford to cast him as Calvin instead, mostly because he found the character more relatable.

** Lee Remick and Ann-Margret lobbied for the role of Beth, as did Robert Redford's close friend Creator/NatalieWood (which is grimly ironic, given Wood's own drowning death a year later).

** Lee Remick and Ann-Margret were considered for the role of Beth, as was Robert Redford's close friend Creator/NatalieWood (which is grimly ironic, given Wood's own drowning death a year later).

** Creator/MichaelJFox auditioned for the role of Conrad Jarrett.

** Lee Remick, and Ann-Margret were considered for the role of Beth, as was Robert Redford's close friend Creator/NatalieWood (which is grimly ironic, given Wood's own drowning death a year later).

** Redford's first choice to play Calvin was Tom Skerritt. Funnily enough, Skerritt finally did get to play Timothy Hutton's father 30 years later in ''Series/{{Leverage}}''. Paramount originally wanted Redford to play the role, while Creator/BruceDern was among those considered.

** Judd Hirsch got the role of Dr. Berger after Creator/GeneHackman turned it down. Creator/RichardDreyfuss was originally considered for the role, but when Redford called him Dreyfuss said, "I can't talk to you right now, I'm having a nervous breakdown," and he hung up the phone.

* AwardCategoryFraud: One of the most outrageous examples in film history. Timothy Hutton won the Oscar for Best ''Supporting'' Actor, despite being the clear lead of the film.

* ThrowItIn: While talking about Conrad's suicide attempt in his first meeting with Dr. Berger, Creator/DonaldSutherland stutters slightly just before finishing the line "I knew something was wrong, even before he tried to kill himself". Nobody noticed it when they filmed the scene. That stutter was an accident, but instead of ordering another take when watching dailies, Creator/RobertRedford decided to use it because he felt it was perfect.

* AwardCategoryFraud: One of the most outrageous examples in film history. Timothy Hutton won the Oscar for Best ''Supporting'' Actor, despite him being the clear lead of the film.

* Creator/DonaldSutherland was initially approached to play Dr. Berger, but he persuaded Redford to cast him as Calvin instead, mostly because he found the character more relatable.

* PlayingAgainstType: Creator/MaryTylerMoore's portrayal of Beth as a cold controlfreak, on the heels of years of playing the appealing, slightly dippy Laura Petrie on ''Series/TheDickVanDykeShow'' and Mary Richards on ''Series/TheMaryTylerMooreShow'', took a lot of people by surprise and earned Moore an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.

* PlayingAgainstType: Creator/MaryTylerMoore's portrayal of Beth as a cold {{control}} freak, on the heels of years of playing the appealing, slightly dippy Laura Petrie on ''Series/TheDickVanDykeShow'' and Mary Richards on ''Series/TheMaryTylerMooreShow'', took a lot of people by surprise and earned Moore an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.