Trivia / Philadelphia

• Cast the Runner-Up: Tom Hanks was originally offered the role of Joe Miller, but he was more interested in playing Andrew Beckett.
• Dyeing for Your Art: Tom Hanks had to starve himself during the film's entire production to appear as though he were wasting away from AIDS. Inversely, Denzel Washington was encouraged to gain weight to give the impression of someone who lived much more comfortably.
• Executive Meddling: Several scenes depicting a more intimate relationship between Andrew and Miguel were chopped out by the studio. They also attempted to block the casting of the HIV-positive Ron Vawter^note  as, ironically, one of the partners who let Andy go, until director Jonathan Demme pointed out how hypocritical this would be in the face of the film's message.
• Playing Against Type: This led to Tom Hanks Syndrome.
• Reality Subtext: Prior to this film, Jonathan Demme had faced a massive backlash for Silence of the Lambs from the gay community, who felt that the Buffalo Bill's villainous characterization was rooted heavily in Gay Panic (feminine voice, a poodle named Precious, cross dressing, etc). Demme's follow up was a film which not only normalized homosexual people, but brought attention to one of their most infamous issues, though he claimed that he was planning on making it long before the Lambs controversy.
• Real-Life Relative: Robert W. Castle, Jonathan Demme's cousin (and subject of Demme's documentary Cousin Bobby), plays Andrew's father.
• Throw It In!: The moment when Belinda says that she hates the case was improvised in the moment, when Mary Steenburgen expressed her hate towards her role after shooting the mirror scene and Jonathan Demme encouraged her to incorporate it into the role, so the woman would seem more human.
• Tom Hanks Syndrome: The Trope Maker. Prior to Philadelphia, Tom Hanks had only appeared in two dramatic films, Nothing in Common and Every Time We Say Goodbye, neither of which were commercially or critically successful, so Hanks returned to doing comedic films. After this film, Hanks made the permanent transition from comedies to dramas.^note Parodied in the first episode of Family Guy (recycling a gag from Seth MacFarlane's student film, "The Life of Larry") where the Griffen family goes to see this film and Peter recognizes Hanks as "the guy from Big," laughing uncontrollably at the line "I have AIDS".
• What Could Have Been:
  • Daniel Day-Lewis was Jonathan Demme's first choice to play Andrew Beckett. He turned it down in favor of In the Name of the Father. William Baldwin, Andy García, Michael Keaton, Matthew Modine and Tim Robbins were also offered the role.
  • Originally, Demme was going to cast a comedic actor in role of Joe Miller as he felt it would be a good counter balance for Tom Hanks who had already been cast and to give an audience the "it's OK" to watch a film about a gay man dying of AIDS. Demme had considered casting either Bill Murray or Robin Williams but when Denzel Washington showed interest in the part, he gave the role to him instead because Demme had wanted to work with Washington for the past few years.
  • Joe Miller was originally written as an Italian-American character named Joe Martino. There were also talks of making him a woman, with Jodie Foster being the ideal choice. Mel Gibson was also considered for the part.
  • John Leguizamo turned down the part of Miguel in favor of Super Mario Bros. (1993).
  • James Woods was considered for Charles Wheeler.
• Working Title: People Like Us, At Risk and Probable Cause.

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