For the scene where Clayton Mayfield (Stephen Dorff) has sex with the stripper, at the end, Dorff did full frontal nudity. Producer and Director Lee Daniels shot the moment with several stages of erection, knowing the MPAA would veto the fully erect shot, and like that getting away with the one he really wanted, the semi-erect shot.
In this movie, Mo'Nique plays a character called "Precious". In Precious (2009), based on the novel "Push" by Sapphire, Mo'Nique played the mother of the main character, whose name was also "Precious". Both movies were directed by Lee Daniels.
Mikey (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) has thirty-seven lines in the entire movie.
Ryan Phillippe was originally cast in the role of Mickey, but had to drop out due to a scheduling conflict.