Both lead actors got their start in soaps.
Maggie (Jen Lilley) teases that she knows Darin (Ryan Paevey) is not 6'2. Ryan Peavey is actually 6'1.
The character of Joey Buchanan, who is the producer of the rival soap, takes his name from a character from a former real soap called One Life to Live (1968).
Ryan Paevey (Darin Mitchell) played Detective Nathan West on soap opera General Hospital (1963) from 2013-2018, most of which his character was in a relationship with Maxie Jones. Jen Lilley (Maggie Coleman) temporarily played the role of Maxie on the same show from 2011-2012, about a year and a half before Nathan joined the show.
Linda Dano (Alice Hamlin) is a well known soap star and has appeared in several in her career. She played Felicia on Another World (1964) from 1983-1999. She played Rae on several soaps, including All My Children (1970), Port Charles (1997), One Life to Live (1968), and General Hospital (1963). She recently played Vivian on Days of Our Lives (1965).