At one point during shooting, Kevin Costner stormed off the set in a huff. Rather than wait for him to return, director Clint Eastwood continued to shoot the scene using Costner's stand-in, Mark Thomason. When Costner later returned to the set, shocked to discover that the scene continued without him, Eastwood told him: "If you walk off, I'll shoot close-ups with your double. You watch. This guy will play the whole movie. I'm not here to jerk off - Everything!" After that incident, Costner did not leave the set during shooting again.
Producer and director Clint Eastwood originally intended to give the role of Butch to Denzel Washington.
One of Clint Eastwood's favorite movies of those he directed.
Filming wrapped in July 1993, and thanks to producer and director Clint Eastwood's fast, economical directing and editing style, was out in time for the December 1993 Oscar season.