Director Adrienne Shelly was killed shortly after the film was completed. Keri Russell was called in to record a director's commentary for the DVD in her place, recounting the on-set creative process and decisions that went into making the film.
The film was shot in 20 days.
Actor Eddie Jemison, who played Ogie in this movie, eventually went on to also play the role in the Broadway musical adaptation.
When Jenna and Earl argue in bed, the scene originally concluded in a sexual encounter that Keri Russell described as "kind of rapey." While filming the scene, Jeremy Sisto's sympathetic delivery of the line, "You're my sweet thing," caused Adrienne Shelly to reassess her original concept of the character. She changed the scene on set to end with Earl quietly sleeping.