Daniel Kaluuya was given the lead role on the spot after nailing his audition. Writer, co-producer, and director Jordan Peele said Kaluuya did about five takes of a key scene, in which his character needs to cry, and each was so perfect that the single tear came down at the exact same time for each take.
Chance the Rapper was so impressed by the film that he bought out entire showings at certain Chicago-area theaters so people could see it for free. In one of his tweets about it, he said, "Just pull up with an ID and enjoy the movie."
In an interview with Bradley Whitford on National Public Radio's show "Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me!", Whitford explained that Jordan Peele wanted him for the role of Dean Armitage because of his prior role as Josh Lyman from The West Wing (1999). Whitford said that Peele wanted all of the Armitage family members to have a distinct "white liberal feel" to them.
Jordan Peele said the title is also a reference to what he often hears black audiences shout at the screen while watching horror films: Yelling at a character to "Get out!" In this movie Rod and Andre both say it to Chris.
Jordan Peele: The voice that says, "a mind is a terrible thing to waste." He also provides the sounds of the dying deer.
Jordan Peele: [TSA] Rod Williams, a TSA agent, is a highly sympathetic character. Peele has said he has general affection for TSA screeners and doesn't just see them as annoyances at the airport, and several Key and Peele (2012) skits centered around TSA agents in various settings.
Jordan Peele: [the name of the movie spoken during an intense situation in both the trailer and movie] A character says the name of this film when a situation turns intense, as in Us (2019) and Nope (2022).