The real Michelle Knight was reluctant to meet Raymond Cruz because he reminded her so much of the real Ariel Castro. Eventually, the two became friends.
When offered to play the part of Ariel Castro, Raymond Cruz's wife originally told him not to take the offer because of how sick Castro was. After reading the script, his wife had a change of heart and urged him to take the role because if he didn't "play the devil", then nobody would care about the girls.
It was filmed entirely in Cleveland, Ohio where the abductions took place.
Charles Ramsey became an internet sensation because of an interview he gave following the girls' rescue. A portion of his interview was even remixed into a song titled "Dead Giveaway."