James Earl Jones was 88 years old when he filmed his scenes. Although in reasonably good health for a man of his age, and happy to appear in this movie, James did not want to travel far to do so. His scenes were shot in one day on a rented TV soundstage nearer his home on the New York state/Connecticut border, without any of the other cast members present. It was to be Jones' final feature film role.
Madge Sinclair (Queen Aoleon Joffer) passed away of cancer in 1995, which explains her absence in this movie.
As a child, Jermaine Fowler (Lavelle) would record Coming to America (1988)'s barbershop scenes to his family's answering machine, so that the old men's banter would be heard anytime someone called their house.
The name Meeka (the eldest daughter of Akeem and Lisa) is Akeem spelled backward.