Trivia for
The Shipping News (2001) More at IMDbPro »

• John Travolta at one time was attached to star, along with his wife, Kelly Preston. Later, Billy Bob Thornton was also linked with the project.
  
  
• The author of the novel, Annie Proulx (her name was written as "E. Annie Proulx" in the credits), would only grant the film rights to the book upon the condition that it be filmed on location in Newfoundland.
  
  
• Jason Behr put on 15 pounds for his role as Dennis Buggit.
  
  
• Kevin Spacey put on about 25 pounds for the role of Quoyle.
  
  
• The Newfoundland band Great Big Sea very much wanted to have music in the soundtrack, so they "seeded" the stereos in director's and stars' B&B with their CDs, hoping that the music would catch their attention. It did, and the band has five songs in the movie, four in the diner scenes and one at the party. The songs are not contained in the movie's official soundtrack however, a film score composed by Christopher Young.
  
  
• Composer Jerry Goldsmith was attached to the project in the early stages of its development.
  
  
• Gordon Pinsent, who played Billy Pretty in the film, was the only leading actor who was a native Newfoundlander. He was a dialect coach for a number of actors in the film including Kevin Spacey and Dame Judi Dench.
  
  
• The scenes in which Quoyle (Kevin Spacey) is in the water were filmed at a tank in St. John's, Newfoundland (normally used for testing boats and marine technology). The tank, which normally contains cold Atlantic sea water, had to be specially filled with warm water for Spacey's comfort.
  
  
• When Billy Bob Thornton was set to direct, he wanted Laura Dern to play Wavey.
  
  

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