To find a young actor for the role of Wade "Cry-Baby" Walker, director John Waters bought thirty dollars worth of teen magazines, all of which showed Johnny Depp of 21 Jump Street (1987) on the cover. Depp thought the script was funny and strange, and took the offbeat role to avoid being typecast as a television teen idol.
Tom Cruise, Robert Downey Jr., and Jim Carrey were all considered for the role of Cry-Baby until Johnny Depp was cast.
Iggy Pop shaved his hair for the film. John Waters still has a lock of his hair in a scrapbook at home.