Trivia

Director/producer Mel Gibson was investigated by an animal welfare organization, who were convinced that the fake horses used were real. Only when one of his assistants provided some videotaped footage of the location shooting were they convinced otherwise.

When asked by a local why the Battle of Stirling Bridge was filmed on an open plain, Gibson answered that "the bridge got in the way". "Aye," the local answered. "That's what the English found."

Wallace's real wife was named Marian. However, it is believed that the name was changed to 'Murron' to avoid confusion with the Robin Hood character of the same name.

Mel Gibson was supposed to star in Terry Gilliam's (never made) film "A Tale of Two Cities" but turned it down to star in this movie which he then offered to Gilliam to direct, but Gilliam declined.

The battle of Stirling took six weeks to film; roughly half a million feet of film (90+ hours) were shot for the sequence.

Randall Wallace had very little historical evidence to work with in regard to William Wallace's life; he has noted that even Churchill's definitive work "A History of the English Speaking Peoples" observed in only a single line that virtually no factual material survives about the Scottish leader. Because of this, Randall Wallace relied heavily on a 15th-century romantic poem by the Scottish writer Henry the Minstrel ("Blind Harry") in constructing his story.

Glen Nevis, the Scottish valley which served as the location for Wallace's childhood village, also enjoys the heaviest rainfall in Europe. During the six weeks spent filming in the area, only three days of sunshine occurred, during which the wedding scene was finished. The filmmakers resigned themselves to the fact that constant rain was inevitable, and opted to film scenes regardless of weather conditions.

The mechanical horses designed for the battle sequences weighed 200 pounds and were fueled by nitrogen cylinders propelling them at 30 mph on 20-foot tracks.

The film correctly depicts the father of Robert the Bruce suffering from leprosy in his later years; Robert the Bruce himself would be overcome by the disease in the late 1320s.

The only way Gibson could get the film made was if he agreed with Paramount studios that he would star in the film as well.

Brian Cox who plays Argyle Wallace was first offered a larger role but took the role of Argyle because he felt it was a better role.

English soldiers had no uniform during the Scots Wars of Independence.

There is an in-joke in the film that William Wallace's private time with Isabella led to the conception of Edward III. This could not have been the case, since Edward III was born almost ten years after Wallace died.

Despite the film being set in Scotland, and based on the life of a Scottish folk hero, the primary instrument heard throughout the soundtrack (most notably at William's father's funeral) are the Uilleann pipes, which are a smaller traditionally Irish version of bagpipes rather than the ubiquitous Great Highland Bagpipe.

Mel Gibson originally wanted Jason Patric to play William Wallace.

Mel Gibson, who had been heavily criticized for a December 1991 interview with a Spanish magazine, was accused of homophobia for the film's portrayal of the Prince of Wales (and future King Edward II) as an effeminate homosexual. It is strongly disputed whether Edward II, who fathered at least five children, was either homosexual or even bisexual at all. The scene where Edward I threw his son's lover out of a castle window was particularly criticized for inciting homophobia. The lover was based on Piers Gaveston, who was allegedly Edward II's lover although he was also married and many historians believe these were just rumours invented by the King's enemies in order to discredit him. Gibson refused to apologize for the controversy in a 1995 interview with "Playboy" magazine while promoting the movie. However, in January 1997 he did agree to host a summit for representatives of gay rights organization GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) on the set of Conspiracy Theory. Although the leaders of GLAAD noted they were disappointed that he did not apologize to them for the film's alleged homophobia, Gibson did acknowledge "regret" over his controversial 1991 interview, claiming he had been drinking at the time and that his words had frequently been used to criticize him.

Many Scots were offended by the film's portrayal of Robert the Bruce, who is considered a National Hero of Scotland (along with Wallace).

Mel Gibson was on the set of Ransom when both Braveheart and Apollo 13 were nominated for Best Picture. He pulled a prank on Apollo director Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer by giving them an ad in which Braveheart was considered for 'Best Moon Shot'. The accompanying picture was a shot of the Scottish army mooning the English.

The Gaelic chant is "Alba gu brath", which means Scotland forever. Although Wallace was a Lowlander, many of his troops were Highlanders, and a large part of the Lowlands were still Gaelic speaking at this time in history.

Mel Gibson has said he would give five dollars to anyone who could spot the fake horses in the final film. Reportedly he has not had to make good on the wager.

William Wallace gives a speech in which he says the famous quote "Every man dies - Not every man really lives." This famous quote commonly attributed to the "Braveheart" character was actually authored by a 19th Century American Poet whose name was William Ross Wallace, famous for writing the poem "The Hand That Rocks The Cradle Is The Hand That Rules The World", who is of no relation to the William Wallace in the film.

In an October 2009 interview with "The Daily Mail", Mel Gibson admitted that the film was heavily fictitious but claimed the changes had been made for dramatic purposes. He also admitted he had always felt he was at least a decade too old to play Wallace.

Although playing father and son, James Cosmo and Brendan Gleeson are only seven years apart in age.

When the members of Clan MacGregor attempt to join Wallace's rebellion against the English, the MacGregor chieftain mildly insults Wallace and his men by calling them "Amadans". "Amadan" is both Scots Gaelic and Irish Gaelic for "fool" or "idiot". Thus, the MacGregor chieftain is calling Wallace and his men fools, both for resisting the English and for not inviting the MacGregors to participate in the rebellion.

Shortly after Wallace is knighted, an elderly member of Clan Balliol (portrayed by Bernard Horsfall) asks Wallace about the Balliol claim to the throne of Scotland. In real life, John Balliol became King of Scotland in 1292, but was deposed by King Edward I of England in 1296. The real William Wallace swore his loyalty to King John Balliol, even after Balliol was imprisoned in England.

King Edward I was called "The Longshanks" (long legs) since he was uncommonly tall for a man of the time. Edward I was at least 6 feet, 2 inches.

William Wallace's disembowelment was filmed in graphic detail, but was cut so that it's implied to occur out of frame, due to negative test audience reaction.

Elder Campbell is wounded in every battle he is seen participating in. He takes an arrow in the chest during the initial uprising against the local magistrate, his hand is cut off during the Battle of Stirling Bridge, and finally he takes an axe to the gut during the battle of Falkirk.