Glendon Swarthout's novel was published in 1988. Paul Newman owned the rights, and wanted to direct the film himself. After several failed scripts, he gave up.
Meryl Streep's first role in a Western.
Danish director Nikolaj Arcel recommended fellow Dane Sonja Richter for the part of Gro Svendsen. Arcel said Jones approached him a few minutes after Un asunto real (2012) was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film.
Hailee Steinfeld's second western after her Oscar-nominated, breakout role in True Grit (2010).
Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones' scenes only took one day to film.