Many of the story elements in "Van Wilder" came from a Rolling Stone article called "The Undergraduate," about the college career of comedian Bert Kreischer which was optioned by director and producer Oliver Stone.
Michael Olowokandi, Darius Miles, and Quentin Richardson, who were all players on Coolidge's basketball team, were real life teammates at the time in the NBA on the Los Angeles Clippers.
After the release of the film, Ryan Reynolds said a group of male college students were excited to approach him but were surprised that he was not a "party guy", which he did not like being associated with.
Charlie Talbert: the interviewee who plays with his stomach. He is seen wearing a t-shirt with the words "Who's your daddy?" In 2004 he played the role of Adam in Who's Your Daddy? (2002).