Before the movie starting shooting, Michael J. Fox was still keeping his Parkinson's disease a secret. He felt he would lose the role if Rob Reiner found out. During a basic and routine fitness screening, Fox was terrified that clinicians would detect the periodic shaking in his left hand and eventually connect it to Parkinson's. Fortunately for Fox, he took his medication in time to quell the shaking and the test amounted to nothing more than checking heart rate and blood pressure.

The telephone number President Shepherd gives Sydney to call him back (456-1414) is in fact the number to the White House (area code 202).

During one of his many visits to the White House, Director Rob Reiner spent two consecutive days with President Bill Clinton, following him around as he went through his day.

Robert Redford was originally cast in the lead role, but was replaced with Michael Douglas after a falling out with Rob Reiner.

President Bill Clinton and his staff granted permission for the cast and production design team to visit the White House on five occasions.

Martin Sheen, Anna Deavere Smith, Nina Siemaszko, Beau Billingslea, Joshua Malina, Ralph Meyering, Jr., Richard McGonagle, Thom Barry, Gabriel Jarret, Ron Canada, Nick Toth, and Aaron Sorkin all had roles in this movie and The West Wing (1999). Both were written by Sorkin. Some unused script ideas for the movie were later used on the show. The movie President studied under a Nobel Prize winner economist, the show President is a Nobel Prize winner economist.

Camp David is strictly off-limits to the public and the media. Production Designer Lilly Kilvert used someone's personal snapshots from the Richard Nixon-era, and a lot of imagination when designing the set.

The Oval Office set was originally constructed for Dave (1993) and used for The West Wing (1999) and this movie. Anna Deavere Smith has appeared in all three productions.

One of the few rare PG-13 movies allowed to keep its PG-13 rating despite the use of the word "fuck" three times (all within fifteen minutes of each other), but none used in sexual context.

Michael J. Fox based his portrayal of Lewis Rothschild on George Stephanopoulos.

The dialogue refers explicitly at one point to the films of Frank Capra. Capra's grandson, Frank Capra III, was First Assistant Director of this film.

Prior to Aaron Sorkin joining the project, early versions of the script depicted President Andrew Shepherd as a military veteran and former Special Ops Agent. Rob Reiner discussed the lead role with Bruce Willis and Steven Seagal before Sorkin's re-writes transitioned Shepherd to a more academic character.

After Senator Bob Rumson criticizes President Andrew Shepherd's girlfriend, Shepherd responds, "You want a character debate, Bob? You better stick with me, 'cause Sydney Ellen Wade is way out of your league." In March 2016, Republican Presidential candidate Ted Cruz closely paraphrased these lines from this movie while responding to fellow Republican candidate Donald Trump's attack on his wife: "If Donald wants to get into a character fight, he's better off sticking with me, because Heidi is way out of his league." Cruz often quoted movie lines on the campaign trail, and another of his favorites, The Princess Bride (1987), was also directed by Rob Reiner.

President Shepherd says to his Chief of Staff, A.J. MacInerney (Martin Sheen), "Someday, someone is going to have to explain to me the virtue of a proportional response." In The West Wing (1999), President Bartlett (Martin Sheen) asks his Chief of Staff, "What is the virtue of a proportional response?" Both were written by Aaron Sorkin.

The main theme, by Composer Marc Shaiman, can often be heard in the queue area of the attraction, Soarin' Over California, in Disney's California Adventure. The theme was also used as the background music in ABC television's coverage of former President Ronald Reagan's funeral.

In early showings of this movie, John Mahoney (Leo Solomon) read aloud the note that arrived with the ham. Subsequent showings, online scripts, and the DVD have excluded that portion of the scene. Many of us would like to know how the note read.

The last shot of the film, where President Shepherd walks into the House of Representatives to give his State of the Union address, was actually shot on a soundstage, with Michael Douglas walking an aisle with seats filled with extras on each side, set against bare blue plywood walls.

In frustration, Lewis Rothschild (Michael J. Fox) smacks a can of Diet Coke across the room. At one time, Michael J. Fox was a spokesman for PepsiCo.

While watching television at Camp David, there is a very brief clip of North (1994), also directed by Rob Reiner. A movie that was voted the worst film of 1994 by Siskel and Ebert.

Aaron Sorkin and Michael J. Fox were born on the same day: June 9, 1961.

At one point, Emma Thompson was in talks for the role of Sydney.

The music, to which President Shepherd and Ms. Wade dance, is the song "I Have Dreamed" from the musical "The King and I" with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. Ironically, Sydney had previously stated she had no intention of "Whistl(ing) a happy tune" (another King and I reference) when led by their President.

Produced by Rob Reiner's production company, Castle Rock Entertainment, which is named for a small town appearing in many works by Stephen King and the film adaptations thereof. It was the location of Reiner's own film Stand by Me (1986), but this was not the first film to feature the town. It previously appeared in Cujo (1983) and The Dead Zone (1983). The latter film featured Martin Sheen as a future Presidential candidate.

The film cast includes three Oscar winners: Michael Douglas, Richard Dreyfuss, and Aaron Sorkin; and two Oscar nominees: Annette Bening and David Paymer.

Michael J. Fox has worked with family members of several of his cast mates. Samantha Mathis' mother, Bibi Besch, appeared on Family Ties (1982). Annette Bening's niece, Sachi Parker (daughter of Shirley MacLaine) had a small part in Back to the Future (1985). Michael Douglas' father, Kirk Douglas, appeared in Greedy (1994). Martin Sheen's son, Charlie Sheen, replaced Fox on Spin City (1996).

Jessica Lange, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Susan Sarandon were all considered for the role of Sydney.

While Shepherd is doing his off-the-cuff lecture on his girlfriend to the White House press corp, his eye movement clearly indicates he's reading off of the teleprompter.

Aaron Sorkin worked with Rob Reiner on A Few Good Men (1992).

John Mahoney and Wendie Malick play a couple in the final season of Frasier (1993).

Cast members Richard Stahl and Kathryn Ish were married in real life.

Annette Bening was supposed to star with Michael Douglas in Disclosure (1994) the previous year, but had to bow out because of her pregnancy.

In The Sentinel (2006), Michael Douglas portrayed Peter Garrison, a senior Secret Service Agent who had many years ago taken a bullet to protect former American President Ronald Reagan. In this movie, Douglas portrayed a fictitious American President, President Andrew Shepherd.

Aaron Sorkin: The Screenwriter plays "Aide in bar".

The scale that Lucy is attempting to play, when her father brings her his old text book, is E flat major, as is the scale she's practicing in the scene where she tells her father that she's seen Sydney, and she's in his bedroom.