Phyllida Law, who plays Vera the housekeeper in the movie, is Emma Thompson's mother.

Peter has an Apple Macintosh computer, but does not own a TV. Stephen Fry was the second person in the UK to purchase a Mac, after Douglas Adams bought the first two.

Rita Rudner wrote the screenplay with her husband, Martin Bergman in just five days.

Several members of the leading cast did actually attend university together.
Stephen Fry, Emma Thompson, Hugh Laurie, and Tony Slattery met when they were members of the Cambridge Footlights Amateur Dramatic Club.