After the make-up and clothing was applied for the Jewish character Saul, Eddie Murphy wanted to test the make-up and costume out. He got a golf cart and drove from one studio department to another in Paramount Studios. He would get out of the cart and say in his regular voice, "Hi. I'm Eddie Murphy." No one believed him.
This was the first time Eddie Murphy played multiple characters in the same film, inspired by Peter Sellers who did the same in Dr. Insólito (1964). This would become a trademark of Murphy.
The homeless men that receive the money from Prince Akeem (Eddie Murphy) are the Duke brothers (Ralph Bellamy and Don Ameche) from De mendigo a millonario (1983) (also directed by John Landis). In that movie, Billy Ray Valentine (Murphy) was responsible for The Dukes losing their fortune. The Dukes theme from the movie can be heard in the background. Apparently, Landis didn't like the idea because it would be too self-referential, even though he is known for breaking the fourth wall in his movies. It led to a conflict with producer George Folsey Jr., until star Eddie Murphy decided that it was a great idea.
Cuba Gooding Jr. shot a scene in which his character (Boy Getting Haircut) tells Clarence that he does not have the money to pay for his haircut. Clarence responds by shaving a bald patch out of the boy's hair. But to Gooding's disappointment, the scene was deleted.
The name of the fictional African country the main characters are from is called "Zamunda". This name was taken from a Richard Pryor routine where he referred to a fictional African tribe of the same name. The writers had originally named it "Zmuda", but director John Landis had it changed to Zamunda.
F. Gary Gray: in the front row of the Black Awareness Program, seated in front of Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, and Clint Smith.
Tobe Hooper: to the right of Reverend Brown and Lisa, listening to Brown's non-stop preaching during the McDowell party.
John Landis: [breaking the fourth wall] Akeem asks his intended bride to bark like a dog. When she does so, Eddie Murphy looks at the camera. When Patrice tells Darryl he needs to take off his wet clothes after he tells her that Lisa dumped him, he looks directly into the camera. Also, at the McDowell's house, when Cleo's daughter Patrice said, "Why does she always get the good ones?", the dog does the same thing. When Akeem and Semmi are on the ledge of their apartment, Semmi looks at the camera also.