Meryl Streep called Bette Midler to use her songs in the movie and Midler said "of course".
During the birthday party for George (William Hurt), when he and Ellen (Renee Zellweger) are avoiding a couple of party guests, George says, "Danger, Will Robertson, danger", and Ellen corrects him that it's Robinson, not Robertson. This a reference to Lost in Space (1998), in which William Hurt starred just before this movie.
Kate Gulden (Meryl Streep) was based on Prudence Pantano Quindlen, the mother of Anna Quindlen, the author of the book on which the script is based. Prudence Quindlen died in 1972 from ovarian cancer.
One True Thing is referenced in the season 1 finale of the tv show The Sopranos.