While filming this movie, Kerry Washington was still a regular on the TV show Scandal, on which she plays a political "fixer" modeled on the real-life self-dubbed "crisis management expert" Judy Smith. Smith is depicted as a character (played by Kristen Ariza) in this movie; during the era depicted in Confirmation, Smith was the G. H. W. Bush administration's White House Deputy Press Secretary and played a large role in countering Anita Hill's claims of sexual harassment against Clarence Thomas in the media.
Kerry Washington was originally in negotiations to star alongside Kate Hudson in Unforgettable (2017), but decided to use her hiatus from Scandal (2012) to make this film instead.
Kerry Washington and Wendell Pierce previously starred together in Ray (2004) and Night Catches Us (2010). They also played a married couple in I Think I Love My Wife.
Jeffrey Wright, Kimberly Elise, and Bill Irwin previously appeared in The Manchurian Candidate (2004).
Cobie Smulders was cast as Carolyn Hart but had to drop out after she broke her leg. She was replaced by Zoe Lister-Jones.