If you have any movie buff friends, you know that they’re always offering up never-before-heard pieces of trivia about films from the past and present. These tidbits are not only cool to know, but they come in handy at trivia nights or when you’re playing HQ.
Picking up this kind of information is actually useful beyond just impressing your friends or winning a free beer at trivia night. A 2016 study reported by Harvard Men’s Health Watch, found that “acquiring new information and experiences” can keep your brain healthy by slowing down its aging as well. Luckily, movie facts count as “new information.”
Whether you’re a movie expert or a novice, there’s bound to be something new to learn, like the celebrity ties to the high school Moonlight was filmed at during its second act, the thousands of movie quotes that people get wrong, and the whopping amount of glasses Daniel Radcliffe had to try on to find a pair that was just right for his portrayal of Harry Potter. There are even some actors who were almost in some of our favorite films but didn’t end up in the final versions—sorry to break your heart.
To assist you in your next trivia quest (and maybe help you snag some cash in the next round of HQ), here are 20 random movie facts.
1. Moonlight
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The second act of Moonlight was filmed at New York Giants’ quarterback Geno Smith’s alma mater, Miramar High School. Johnny Depp attended Miramar in the ‘70s.
2. Star Wars
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One of the most popular quotes in pop culture is Darth Vader’s “Luke, I am your father.” But here’s how you can tell a real Star Wars fan from a recent convert: Darth Vader actually says, “No, I am your father.”
3. Titanic
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Viewers swooned over Leonardo DiCaprio’s Jack Dawson drawing Kate Winslet’s Rose Bukater, but as some cynics may have guessed, that isn’t DiCaprio’s hand sketching Rose’s nude body. Instead it’s the work of the film’s director, James Cameron, who also drew the rest of the pieces in Jack’s sketchbook. Disappointing, yes, but major props to James Cameron.
4. Psycho
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Walt Disney was not a fan of Alfred Hitchcock, and wouldn’t let him film at “the happiest place on Earth” aka Disneyland. The reason? Because Hitchcock made “that disgusting movie Psycho.”
5. The Dark Knight
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Heath Ledger’s Joker was one of the best villains in history, if not the best. So it’s no surprise that he scared Michael Caine to the point that Caine forgot his lines while they were filming The Dark Knight.
6. Creed
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Sylvester Stallone is an advocate for authenticity. When he was filming Rocky IV, he told Dolph Lundgren to actually punch him. Michael B. Jordan did the same when he filmed the Rocky spinoff, Creed, and even got knocked out at one point.
7. Black Panther
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In Black Panther, the younger version of Forest Whitaker's character, Zuri, is played by Denzel Whitaker. But despite having the same last name, the two are not related at all. However, this is the second film they’ve appeared in together after 2007’s The Great Debaters.
8. Halloween
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Have you ever thought that Michael Myers and Captain Kirk look alike? Probably not. But the two are actually one in the same—sort of. It turns out that Myers’ terrifying mask in Halloween is actually Captain Kirk—aka William Shatner’s—face, but painted white.
9. The Matrix
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Will Smith was originally offered the role of Neo in The Matrix instead of Keanu Reeves, but turned it down. He has no regrets about it though, he later told Wired that he would have “absolutely messed up The Matrix.”
10. Batman & Robin
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Marlon Wayans almost played Batman’s famed sidekick, Robin, but he was recast when a new director, Joel Schumacher, was brought in and replaced Wayans with Chris O’Donnell.
11. Wonder Woman
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Gal Gadot might actually be Wonder Woman in real life; she was five months pregnant while filming the DC action film. Pretty badass.
12. The Terminator
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O.J. Simpson was almost The Terminator instead of Arnold Schwarzenegger, but the studio executives thought Simpson was “too nice” to be a believable killer. Like the cyborg, though, he seems to always come back—in headlines, at least.
13. Brown Sugar
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Idris Elba auditioned for the role of suave basketball player Kelby Dawson in the 2002 rom-com Brown Sugar. However, fans of the film know that the role went to Boris Kodjoe.
14. Straight Outta Compton
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Straight Outta Compton stars Ice Cube’s son, O’Shea Jackson Jr., as his rap dad. In the film, the younger Jackson even got to utter the same phrase his dad did in Friday: “Bye, Felicia.”
15. A Wrinkle In Time
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With A Wrinkle In Time, Ava DuVernay became the first African-American woman to direct a film with a $100 million budget. She’s set to do it again with DC Comics’ The New Gods.
16. Iron Man
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Iron Man’s A.I., J.A.R.V.I.S., isn’t just his name. It’s also an acronym for “Just A Rather Very Intelligent System.” Also, the voice actor for J.A.R.V.I.S., Paul Bettany, plays The Vision in the films.
17. Harry Potter
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Harry Potter’s glasses are iconic, so it makes sense that Daniel Radcliffe had to try on 160 pairs of prop glasses before they found one that was just right. They ended up with a pair from Savile Row Eyewear. Definitely worth it.
18. The Breakfast Club
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The Breakfast Club’s John Bender is one of the most beloved (and loathed) characters in the film. But even Futurama’s creators hold a soft spot for him and named the heavy-drinking robot, Bender, after him.
19. The Lion King
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Pumbaa from The Lion King holds the honor of first character to ever fart in a Disney film. There’s a first time for everything, right?
20. Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory
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Actor Peter Ostrum has one acting credit—Charlie in 1971’s Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. After the film, Ostrum became a veterinarian.
