Trivia for
Monster's Ball (2001) More at IMDbPro »

• Vanessa Williams was offered the role of Leticia, but turned it down because of the full frontal nudity.
  
  
• The landlord on Leticia's eviction notice is Robert Ortiz, the Production Manager for the film.
  
  
• Wes Bentley turned down the role of Sonny Grotowski.
  
  
• The gas station Hank buys is initially called Clement's and he tells Leticia it is on Prospect Street. Clements and Prospect are two neighboring streets in North Vancouver, BC Canada, where Lions Gate Studios are located.
  
  
• Cameo: [Milo Addica] the writer plays the prison guard Tommy, who leads the group in prayer and tells the others that Lawrence Musgrove likes to draw because it calms him down.
  
  
• The execution of character Lawrence Musgrove was filmed using the actual retired Louisiana electric chair in the very room where it was used.
  
  
• Cameo: [Will Rokos] (screenwriter) the prison's warden.
  
  
• Queen Latifah was considered for the role of Leticia.
  
  
• The part ultimately played by Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs was initially offered to Jeffrey Wright and Don Cheadle.
  
  
• As part of his research for the film, director Marc Forster actually sat in an electric chair and was horrified to see the nail marks that the electrocuted prisoners had involuntarily scratched into the wood.
  
  
• The movie was named as one of "The 20 Most Overrated Movies of All Time" by Premiere.
  
  
• Angela Bassett purportedly turned down the role of Leticia, stating "I wasn't going to be a prostitute on film..." However, Lions Gate Production President Michael Paseornek and the film's producer Lee Daniels rebut Bassett stating that she was never even offered the role, and was already committed to another film.
  
  
• The movie was floating around the studio for six years, and at one time Sean Penn was set to direct with Robert De Niro to star.
  
  

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