Edward James Olmos had a clause in his contract that no strange aliens or monsters would ever appear on the show. He wanted to ensure that the story stay focused on human drama.
The phrase "so say we all," which is used as a ceremonial affirmation in the series, was ad-libbed by Edward James Olmos in a speech given by Commander Adama in the mini-series.
The network expressed apprehension at the casting of Tricia Helfer in the pivotal role of Number Six. At the time, Helfer was known primarily as a model, and had virtually no acting experience. Later, network executives were so impressed with her performance that they based the entire marketing campaign of the show around her character.
When Laura Roslin goes to the doctor and finds out she has cancer, the ship from Joss Whedon's Firefly (2002) can be seen through the main windows as it lands.
Edward James Olmos initially refused to read the pilot script, assuming the show would gear towards the campier tone of the original series. At the insistence of his family, he finally read the script. After reading the first four pages, he decided to accept the role.