The film
- Ability over Appearance: Alfre Woodard's role as Judge Shoat was originally written as a 60-year old White male.
- Actor-Inspired Element: It was Edward Norton's idea for Aaron to have a stutter.
- Billing Displacement: Because this was his first-ever film (and therefore, he wasn't well known at the time), Edward Norton was billed sixth, despite playing the main focus of the film. As Norton became a big star after the film's release, later home releases billed him second on the cover.
- Recycled Set: The exterior police station where Martin Vail goes to see Aaron Stampler is the same exterior police station used for Hill Street Blues, for which director Gregory Hoblit was producer and director.
- Referenced by...: In one episode of Radio Enfer, Vincent teaches Carl how to behave for his upcoming trial and tells him to take some inspiration from "the guy from Primal Fear".
- Star-Making Role: Edward Norton. Mind you, this was his first-ever film appearance.
- What Could Have Been:
- Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, Edward Furlong, Jason Marsden, Danny Masterson, James Van Der Beek and Wil Wheaton were all considered for the role of Aaron.
- Pedro Pascal auditioned
for a role in this movie, the first movie he ever auditioned for. He lost. - A second ending was considered during which Marty Vail would get Aaron/Roy back into court and justice would be done, vindicating him. The idea was scrapped in favor of the egotistical Vail getting outsmarted by what appeared to be a dim country hick.
