The Italian restaurant that Annie visits is named "Domani", a translation of "Tomorrow", the title of this musical's best-known song.
Sandra Bullock was originally considered to play Miss Hannigan. She declined the role, citing once how she "hates musicals and vows to never star in one."
This was Cameron Diaz's final film before a long hiatus until she starred in Back in Action (2025). Some say that winning a "Worst Actress" Golden Raspberry Award for her performance pushed her leave acting.
In 2011, Will Smith envisioned this film as a star vehicle for his daughter, Willow Smith, with Jay-Z playing Will Stacks. By the time production was ready in 2013, Willow was too old to play Annie.
When Will Stacks takes Annie and her friends to a movie, the movie's cast members are Andrea Alvin and Simon Goodspeed. Andrea McArdle played Annie in the play's Broadway premiere at the Alvin Theatre. Goodspeed is the theater where Annie premiered before Broadway.