After Robert Pattinson saw this film for the first time in 2008, he immediately sought out James Gray to work with him. It finally happened in 2015, in The Lost City of Z.
The role of Michelle was written with Gwyneth Paltrow in mind. James Gray actually credits Paltrow with inspiring him to write the script, as he met her at a party and she lamented that all his movies were too masculine, so he wrote this to prove her wrong.
This was to be Joaquin Phoenix's last movie before his retirement from acting, something which was later revealed to be a hoax.
Doug Wright, who plays the maitre d' at the restaurant, is the writer of Quills, which starred Joaquin Phoenix in 2000.