The King's Speech/Trivia


 * All-Star Cast: In addition to the aforementioned Firth, Rush, and Bonham Carter, there are supporting roles played by Sir Derek Jacobi, Guy Pearce, and Sir Michael Gambon.
 * Dueling Movies: The filmcriticosphere tried to force it into this with The Social Network, both big-hitting, big-budget biopics trying to nab Oscars and pretty much the only two contenders for Best Picture. This went right into the actual Oscars ceremony: Social Network's synth version of "Hall of the Mountain King" was the music for the opening montage while the title speech was the backdrop of the Best Picture montage.
 * Fake Nationality:
 * Fake American: Eve Best was born in London.
 * Fake Australian: Jennifer Ehle was born in North Carolina.
 * Fake Brit: The Australian Guy Pearce as Edward VIII. (Yes, this means that we have an American playing an Australian, an Australian playing a Brit, and a Brit playing an American. The mind boggles...)
 * Although at the time, there was no separate Australian citizenship, Australia was merely a self governing part of the Empire.
 * Playing Against Type: Timothy Spall as Winston Churchill. He is usually known for playing repulsive villains such as Peter Pettigrew and the villainous sidekick in Enchanted.
 * Could be a form of Fridge Brilliance. Churchill was, especially because of his self-righteous defense of British imperialism in 1930s and other personal and political flaws, considered a repulsive villain by many of his contemporaries.
 * Reality Subtext: The film's writer was himself a stutterer, who took great inspiration from listening to King George's radio addresses, with his parents assuring him the King once stuttered worse than him.
 * Role Association: Among other things, most of the cast of this movie are also in the Harry Potter movies.
 * Perhaps not entirely surprising, since the Potter movies always cast the cream of British talent.
 * More specifically, Peter Pettigrew is Winston Churchill, Dumbledore is George V, and Bellatrix Lestrange is Queen Mum.
 * Ed Exley gave up the throne to marry Dr. O'Hara.
 * Barbossa is a speech therapist?
 * And he's married to Elizabeth Bennet?
 * Brother Cadfael is the Archbishop.
 * The Master is organizing the coronation of Mr. Darcy while Mr. Collins is the leader of a theater company.
 * Not only that, Kazran Sardick (and his dad) is King George V.
 * Karen is Princess Margaret.
 * Michael Gambon had also played George V's father Edward VII in the acclaimed 2003 BBC The Lost Prince miniseries, about Bertie's younger brother who died of epilepsy.
 * Sir Percy Blakeney is Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin.
 * What Could Have Been: Paul Bettany was the first choice to play King George VI, but turned it down.
 * Hugh Grant was also offered the part (he had played a stutterer before) and Robert Downey, Jr. was considered, too.