Trivia for
Higher Learning (1995)

photos

board

trailer

details

• Tupac Shakur was originally set to play the role of Malik but he was jailed shortly after getting the part and the role went instead to Omar Epps.
  
  
• Ironically, most of the Neo-Nazi skinheads were played by Jewish actors.
  
  
• John Singleton wanted Sidney Poitier to play professor Maurice Phipps. He was not available. Singleton's second choice for Professor Phipps was Samuel L. Jackson; the studio preferred Laurence Fishburne, who had worked successfully with Singleton in Boys in the Hood (1991).
  
  

• The film was heavily cut upon its release, eliminating much of the romantic relationship between Jennifer Connelly and Kristy Swanson's characters including the resolution to it, along with more scenes involving the Nazi's and the other groups activities and relationships going throughout the University.
  
  
• Originally John Singleton wanted 'Leonard DiCaprio' to play Remy, while 'Michael Rappaport' was originally going to play Scott Moss. DiCaprio was cast, but unable to be in the film because of a scheduling conflict with _Quick and The Dead, The (1995)_ . So Singleton had Rappaport play Remy once Hauser was cast.
  
  
• The idea for the film came when Director Jonathan Demme approached John Singleton about making a movie about college racial issues throughout the country when they were in pre-production for Boyz N The Hood which was being developed at Orion Pictures with Singleton directing and Demme producing. Once the deal with Orion Pictures fell through, Singleton took the idea and began to develop it while at Columbia Pictures.
  
  
• The fictitious college of Columbus University where the film takes place was actually around South Central Los Angeles with the production designer Keith Brian Burns turning some old dilapidated houses into frat houses.
  
  
• According to John Singleton, this film is based on his college experiences while attending USC. Singleton says in the DVD commentary that the scene in which Remy walks up to Malik and voicing his opinion about the T-shirt that he was wearing is based on an actual incident that happened to him in which he too became enraged and wanted to beat the hell out of the guy.
  
  
• Cameo: [Antonio Fargas]
  
  
• Cameo: [Morris Chestnut]
  
  
• Dustin Hoffman was originally considered for the role of a the professor that becomes a mentor to Malik. Hoffman wanted the plot to revolve around the professor and the student, but Singleton refused.
  
  
• Drew Barrymore lost the role of Kristen.
  
  
• In the scene where Adam Goldberg is headed up to his room, (to find out that Remy had messed up his side of the room), right before entering the building a couple walks by him. The man is Director/Producer John Singleton.
  
  

Related Links