The sex scenes between Kevin Costner and Madeleine Stowe were not rehearsed or choreographed in any way before shooting. Tony Scott simply set up three cameras and allowed the actors to find their way into the scenes. Everything seen during the sex scenes was improvised by the actors themselves. When Costner viewed Scott's director's cut of the movie in 2007 he said of these scenes, 'Boy, we really got into it didn't we'?
Was originally going to be directed by John Huston, who did not want Kevin Costner as a lead. After Costner became a success with The Untouchables (1987) and Bull Durham (1988), he was powerful enough to produce it himself.
Before Tony Scott came on board as director, Kevin Costner himself wanted to make the movie as his directorial debut, but producer Ray Stark talked him out of it as he didn't feel Costner was ready to helm a project just yet.
An early draft of the screenplay was specifically written with Jack Nicholson in mind for the role of Tiburon "Tibey" Mendez. Apparently, Nicholson saw the character of Tibey as something of a dream role for him and was also prepared to direct the film at one point.
Anthony Quinn and Madeline Stowe play husband and wife here. Twelve years later in 2002, Quinn and Stowe would work together again in the film "Avenging Angelo" , playing father and daughter.