Trivia

Jim Jarmusch stated in an interview that he wrote the role of Ghost Dog specifically for Forest Whitaker, and if Whitaker hadn't taken the role, the film probably would not have been made.

As the main character, Forest Whitaker doesn't have an onscreen (non-voiceover) line of dialogue until nearly 37 minutes into the film.

Many consider this to have been a "definitive role" for Whitaker. In a manner similar to his preparation for Bird, he again immersed himself in his character's world; he studied Eastern philosophy and meditated for long hours "to hone his inner spiritual hitman." Jarmusch has told interviewers that he developed the title character with Whitaker in mind; the New York Times review of the film observed that "It's hard to think of another actor who could play a cold-blooded killer with such warmth and humanity.

Ghost Dog and Louie have differing recollections of their first meeting. This is a reference to the story in Rashomon (1950) where people give varying accounts of the same event.

The character of Nobody is played by Gary Farmer, who also played a character named Nobody in Dead Man (1995). He has the same line in both movies: "Stupid fuckin' white man!"