FILM · 1993 · USA
Philadelphia
- Directed by
- Jonathan Demme
- Runtime
- 126 min
- Studio
- TriStar Pictures, Clinica Estetico, A Luta Continua
163 archived facts 7 topics 1 source Last reviewed Nov 2026
Two competing lawyers join forces to sue a prestigious law firm for AIDS discrimination. As their unlikely friendship develops, their courage overcomes the prejudice and corruption of their powerful adversaries.
163 Interesting Facts About Philadelphia
Interesting Facts (20)
- #001
According to a 1994 Entertainment Weekly profile of Ron Vawter written by Stephen Schaefer, Jonathan Demme had to persuade TriStar Pictures to hire Vawter to play Bob Seidman. TriStar wanted Demme to hire someone else because Vawter was HIV positive and the insurance company covering the film refused to cover him. Demme managed to convince TriStar to allow Vawter to be hired anyway, because Vawter was the actor Demme wanted and because refusing to hire an actor due to his HIV-positive status would have been especially ironic in the context of a film about the injustice of a lawyer being fired for being HIV positive.
- #002
The courtroom scenes were shot in a real courtroom that the city allowed the filmmakers to use. It was not a set.
- #003
The film was shot in sequence.
- #004
There was a statistic that 53 gay men appeared in various scenes in this film and that 43 of them died within the following year. Brian Cronin more or less confirmed this statistic on the website "Entertainment Urban Legends Revealed," but also partly corrected it based on a New York Times article and other research. According to Cronin, the film's producers approached the Philadelphia nonprofit organization "Action AIDS" and asked for help hiring about 50 gay men whose appearance indicated they were AIDS patients as extras. Contrary to the statistic, the roughly 40 people who later died, including Ron Vawter, who played the main character "Bob Seidman," did not die in the first year after the film's production or release; rather, they died over the following several years. Freelance writer Clifford Rothman also wrote about this subject in a 1995 article published in the New York Times and further confirmed at least some of this information.
- #005
In his testimony in the courtroom, Bob Seidman recalls learning that Andrew had AIDS and says: "I never told anybody, not even Andy. I never even gave him a chance to talk about it. And I suppose I'll regret that for as long as I live." Bob Seidman's presence among the guests at the memorial in Andrew's apartment at the end of the film indicates that Andrew's family forgave him.
- #006
The screenplay is partly based on a discrimination lawsuit filed by Geoffrey Bowers, a young lawyer working at a prominent multinational law firm. Like Hanks's character, Bowers had visible Kaposi's sarcoma lesions. The board had decided to fire him in July 1986, two months after he received good marks in a routine performance evaluation. His supervisors protested that the board ignored company policy, did not conduct interviews with his supervisors, did not review his client list and did not calculate his billable hours. That October, the partners voted again to fire him, one month after another positive evaluation. Bowers was fired on December 4, 1986, and left the firm the next day. The case took six years to resolve.
- #007
John Leguizamo turned down the role of Miguel in favor of Super Mario Bros. (1993).
- #008
In the scene shown on the television in the bar, the then-Mayor Edward Rendell was interviewed for the news. Jonathan Demme asked him to follow the lines in the script, but Rendell refused. When interviewed for the news, he insisted on simply responding to any subject as he otherwise would. As a result, he managed to get it right on the first take. For the rest of his time as mayor, many people referred to him as "One Take Eddie" because of this part in the film and his later ability to do this shoot in a single take.
- #009
Many gay rights activists and historians consider this film to be the first major motion picture to deal with the AIDS epidemic, raise awareness of the issue and work to reduce the stigma surrounding AIDS. Despite the praise, others criticized Hollywood for taking more than a decade to address the problem.
- #010
Jonathan Demme initially wanted Sir Daniel Day-Lewis to play Andrew Beckett. He turned it down in favor of In the Name of the Father (1993).
- #011
In the film, Denzel Washington's character says he prayed for the Philadelphia Phillies to win the pennant. The Phillies had done so three months before the film's release.
- #012
The film nearly disappeared when Orion Pictures filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December 1991. Producer Edward Saxon had to appear in bankruptcy court to convince them that the film's rights should not be lost as an asset in the bankruptcy.
- #013
Director's trademark: characters looking directly into the camera in extreme close-ups. This trademark is present in many scenes.
- #014
As of 2022, this is Denzel Washington's last role in which he did not play the lead.
- #015
All the scenes shot in Andrew Beckett's apartment were filmed at night. The lights made the scenes shot during the day look like daytime. The loft still stands today, and there has always been a baseball field / playground across the street.
- #016
Denzel Washington's role was originally written as an Italian-American character named Joe Martino.
- #017
Denzel Washington's character's office is above the now-unused Snow White Diner in Philadelphia. The office itself has been turned into a bar called "No Che." Tom Hanks's character famously walks out of the building onto the street and looks both ways as if he has lost all hope. The entrance door at 1901 Chestnut Street is still there.
- #018
The film's journey from script to screen was extraordinarily difficult. The script went through more than 25 major revisions, the rights became entangled in bankruptcy proceedings, and the subject matter sparked some major protests.
- #019
Shortly before Andrew Beckett's death, his doctor explains to the family outside his room that the crisis is the result of Andrew having contracted Cytomegalovirus, also known as CMV. Acute CMV infection can commonly occur in people with severely weakened immune systems, such as those infected with AIDS.
- #020
The older man standing next to the 'Mona Lisa' at Beckett's costume/memorial party is Quentin Crisp, the famous English gay man portrayed in The Naked Civil Servant (1975). Another writer, Roy Blount Jr., also joined a party guest.
Production Story (54)
- #021
Jonathan Demme decided to record the opera scene live so that Hanks could give a better performance while playing the music. This was extremely challenging in the editing room (music is usually added in post-production).
- #022
The courtroom scenes were shot in a real courtroom that the city allowed the producers to use. It was not a set.
- #023
Jonathan Demme decided to record the opera scene live so that Hanks could give a better performance with the music.
- #024
During filming on Market Street, the Mellon Bank Building was transformed into the Wheeler Building, and the art department placed temporary Wheeler signs over the Mellon signs. As a result, many law students on their way to job interviews had trouble finding the Mellon Building and missed their appointments; all they could find was the Wheeler & Wheeler building.
- #025
In the scene shown on the television in the bar, then-Mayor Edward Rendell gave an interview for the news. Jonathan Demme asked him to follow the lines in the script, but Rendell refused and insisted on giving natural answers as if he were doing a news interview on any subject. As a result, he managed to complete the shoot on the first take, and during his time as mayor many people nicknamed him "One-Take Eddie" because of this scene in the film and his ability to shoot in a single take.
- #026
An elderly stunt double was used for the close-up of Beckett's hands after he collapses in court.
- #027
The director's trademark: [Jonathan Demme] having characters look directly into the camera in extreme close-ups. This signature appears in many scenes of the film.
- #028
All the scenes set in Andrew Beckett's apartment were shot at night. Thanks to the lighting, scenes that looked as if they had been shot during the day were achieved. The apartment is still standing today, and there has always been a baseball field/playground across from it.
- #029
The office of Denzel Washington's character was on the upper floor of the Snow White Diner, which has since closed in Philadelphia. The office itself later became a bar called "No Che." The door in that famous scene where Tom Hanks's character walks out of the building onto the street, looking from side to side in despair, still stands at 1901 Chestnut Street.
- #030
At 46:18, as the camera pans across City Hall in downtown Philadelphia, the remains of One Meridian Plaza can be seen just behind the statue of William Penn, with burn marks and most of its windows boarded up with plywood. The fire that broke out on the 22nd floor on February 23, 1991, spread rapidly to the 30th floor because of open floor plans and the lack of fire suppression systems. One of the worst high-rise building fires in history, the disaster lasted more than 19 hours, rose to 12 alarms and killed three firefighters from Engine Company 11: Captain David P. Holcombe, Firefighter Phyllis McAllister and Firefighter James A. Chappell. The burned shell was finally demolished in 1999.
- #031
The game watched in the basketball scene is the November 18, 1992 matchup in which the Philadelphia 76ers hosted the Orlando Magic. In the scene, Tim Perry is seen scoring late in the second quarter. Orlando won the game 120-110; it was Shaquille O'Neill's 6th professional game and is believed to be the first time Julius Erving saw him play live.
- #032
Tom Hanks lost about fourteen kilos to look haggard enough in the courtroom scenes. Denzel Washington, by contrast, was asked to gain a few kilos for his role. Even though Hanks was practically starving himself for the role, Washington often drove him crazy by eating chocolate in front of him.
- #033
The moment when the character played by Mary Steenburgen says she hates the case was completely improvised. After shooting the mirror scene, the actress expressed her hatred for her role, and director Jonathan Demme worked that feeling into the character, making the woman seem more human.
- #034
Jonathan Demme initially considered a comedy actor for the role of Joe Miller. After Tom Hanks joined the cast, he wanted to strike that balance so that a film about a gay man dying of AIDS would send the audience the message that it was 'no problem.' Demme, who was considering Bill Murray or Robin Williams, gave the role to Denzel Washington after Washington expressed interest, having wanted to work with him for years.
- #035
In an interview with New York Times Magazine in June 2022, Tom Hanks said that if 'Philadelphia' were made today, the role of Andrew Beckett should definitely be played by a gay actor. Hanks explained that his own casting was because having a well-known actor in the lead gave the audience the assurance that watching a film about AIDS and discrimination was 'no problem.'
- #036
As of 2022, Philadelphia remains the last film in which Denzel Washington was not the lead actor.
- #037
The character played by Denzel Washington was written in the first version of the script as an Italian-American named Joe Martino.
- #038
Before Tom Hanks was cast, talks had been held with a lesser-known actor. The idea was that Jerry Kelly, a gay adult film star, would feel more authentic as someone who had experienced similar problems.
- #039
James Woods had been mentioned for the role of Charles Wheeler.
- #040
Mel Gibson was among those considered for the role of Joe Miller.
- #041
Robin Williams was considered for both the roles of Joe Miller and Andrew Beckett, but had to turn both down because of Mrs. Doubtfire (1993). The music for both films was composed by Howard Shore.
- #042
Mary Steenburgen chose to appear in this film, giving up her role in The Good Son (1993).
- #043
According to a profile published in Entertainment Weekly in 1994, Jonathan Demme had to persuade TriStar Pictures to hire Ron Vawter for the role of Bob Seidman. The studio wanted another actor because Vawter, being HIV positive, was left outside insurance coverage. Demme convinced the studio on the grounds that he was the actor he wanted and that this discrimination would be ironic in a film about the wrongful dismissal of an HIV-positive lawyer.
- #044
Director Jonathan Demme wanted people with no knowledge of AIDS to watch the film as well. He thought Bruce Springsteen would draw in the audience that would not normally watch a film about a gay man dying of AIDS. The film and the song "Streets of Philadelphia" played a major role in raising AIDS awareness and reducing the stigma attached to the disease.
- #045
The more intimate scenes between Andrew and Miguel were cut by the studio. They also tried to prevent the HIV-positive actor Ron Vawter from being cast, until Jonathan Demme showed them how much this would contradict the film's message.
- #046
The screenplay is partly based on the discrimination lawsuit of Geoffrey Bowers, a young lawyer working at a prominent international law firm. Like Hanks's character, Bowers had visible Kaposi's sarcoma lesions. The board decided to fire him in July 1986, two months after he received good marks in a routine performance review. His superiors objected that he bypassed company policy by not meeting with his superiors, not reviewing the client list, or not calculating his billable hours. Bowers was fired on December 4, 1986, a month after another positive review, and left the firm the next day. The case lasted six years.
- #047
Tom Hanks said that his own casting was a deliberate step to get people to watch "the film about the lawyer with AIDS" rather than "the big puppet show" or a lighter option. Many previews made it clear that this was a legal drama but gave no hint of the film's actual subject.
- #048
The film was nearly lost when Orion Studios filed for bankruptcy in December 1991. Producer Edward Saxon had to go to bankruptcy court to convince it that the film's rights should not be lost as an asset in the studio's bankruptcy proceedings.
- #049
The film's journey from script to screen was extremely turbulent. The screenplay went through more than 25 major revisions, its rights became entangled in bankruptcy cases, and its subject sparked major protests.
- #050
According to Wikipedia, the director specifically asked Bruce Springsteen to make the main song so that people with little knowledge of AIDS would feel more comfortable watching the film and to raise awareness. However, Springsteen's first contribution, "Tunnel of Love", was rejected by Demme. With its mournful and plain structure, "Streets of Philadelphia" was far better suited to Andrew Beckett, the gay, HIV-positive lawyer nearing the end of his life; "Tunnel of Love", while dealing with relationship difficulties, had a more upbeat tempo.
- #051
The film's working titles included "People Like Us", "At Risk" and "Probable Cause".
- #052
The rumor that 43 of the 53 gay men who appeared in various scenes in the film died within a year was corrected by Brian Cronin's research. Cronin revealed that the producers worked with the organization 'Action AIDS' to find extras who looked like they had AIDS, and that the deaths were spread over the following several years, not one year. This information was also supported by Clifford Rothman's 1995 New York Times article.
- #053
In his testimony in court, Bob Seidman admits that when he learned Andrew had AIDS he told no one and did not give him a chance to speak. Seidman, who says he will carry this regret for the rest of his life, attends Andrew's memorial at the end of the film, showing that the family has forgiven him.
- #054
At the costume party, Andrew and Miguel wearing US military uniforms is a nod to the policy at the time that barred gay people from serving in the military. Despite Bill Clinton's campaign promise, the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' compromise introduced in 1993 allowed gay people to remain in the military on the condition that they kept their sexual orientation secret. This policy remained in effect until September 2011.
- #055
Screenwriter Paul Rudnick wrote the comedy In & Out (1997), inspired by this film and especially by Tom Hanks's Oscar speech. In his speech, Hanks thanked his high school teacher, and in Rudnick's film, an Oscar-winning actor accidentally outs his former teacher during his speech.
- #056
On his first exit from Joe Miller's office, Andy Beckett pauses in front of a storefront bearing the name 'Macready & Shilts.' This is a nod to journalist Randy Shilts, author of 'And the Band Played On,' which chronicles the history of AIDS. Shilts died of AIDS a year after the film's release.
- #057
Many gay rights activists and historians hailed this film as the first major studio film to address the AIDS epidemic. Although the film sought to raise awareness of the issue and reduce stigma, Hollywood was criticized for taking more than a decade to tackle the subject.
- #058
As of 2018, Bruce Springsteen's song 'Streets of Philadelphia' is the second song written and performed by a single artist to win an Oscar, a Golden Globe and a Grammy. Only Carly Simon had previously achieved this feat, with 'Let the River Run' from Working Girl (1988).
- #059
This film brings together the last two actors to win Oscars in consecutive years. Jason Robards won Best Supporting Actor in 1976 and 1977, while Tom Hanks, after winning Best Actor for this film, repeated the same win a year later with Forrest Gump (1994).
- #060
At Beckett's costume memorial party, the older man standing next to 'Mona Lisa' is British gay icon Quentin Crisp. Crisp had been portrayed in the film The Naked Civil Servant (1975). Writer Roy Blount Jr. also appears as a guest at the party.
- #061
Shortly before Andrew Beckett's death, his doctor explains to his family that the crisis stems from a cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. CMV is an acute infection commonly seen in people with severely weakened immune systems, such as AIDS patients.
- #062
The film strikingly displays the approach to AIDS in the courtroom. At 1:26, the bailiff wears gloves while swearing in Andrew Beckett, yet a minute later, as he passes between the witness and the jury, he is gloveless. At 1:39, his failure to wear gloves while swearing in Mr. Wheeler lays this discriminatory treatment bare.
- #063
The film appears on the list '1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die,' edited by Steven Schneider.
- #064
The protesters carrying banners outside the courthouse were inspired by members of the Westboro Baptist Church, led by Fred Phelps. Phelps called this film 'one of my favorite comedies.'
- #065
The film was among the 400 films on the American Film Institute's 1998 ballot for '100 Years...100 Movies.'
- #066
Many gay publications criticized the film. Out magazine found it 'maddeningly closeted,' while gay activist Larry Kramer described it as 'dishonest,' 'not good enough' and 'politically, legally and medically wrong.'
- #067
Jonathan Demme, a Debbie Harry fan, shows the video for her duet with Iggy Pop, 'Well Did You Evah,' on a television at the start of the party scene. The video was taken from the project Red Hot + Blue: A Tribute to Cole Porter (1990).
- #068
In the home video shot at Andy's parents' 40th wedding anniversary party, he is seen leaving handprints on the base of the birdbath in the snow and writing his name. The style of the lettering 'ANDY' was used on the boot of Woody, whom Tom Hanks voiced in Pixar's Toy Story.
- #069
Variety gave the film a mixed review: 'Smart but too polished in its political and melodramatic details. It stands out with Tom Hanks's dynamite lead performance... The screenplay is extremely well crafted, but so well crafted that every piece fits perfectly, with no rough edges, and it lacks the moments where the raw, devastating reality of the situation is felt at full force.'
- #070
The band playing live in the dance scene in the middle of the film is Q Lazzarus, the writers of 'Goodbye Horses.' The band's lead singer, Diane, briefly appears in close-up. 'Goodbye Horses' is a song featured prominently in Demme's other film, The Silence of the Lambs.
- #071
At the party scene, the band plays Talking Heads' song 'Heaven.' Director Jonathan Demme also directed the 1984 Talking Heads concert film Stop Making Sense, and 'Heaven' was played second in that concert.
- #072
In 2025, the film was selected for preservation in the US National Film Registry for being 'culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.'
- #073
When the film first aired on ITV at the end of 1998, it was chosen as Film of the Week in Radio Times. Critic Tom Hutchinson wrote, 'Tom Hanks is an actor who is not afraid to take on a challenge. Here is the proof: Hollywood's first major film about AIDS.'
- #074
Jason Robards won two consecutive Best Supporting Actor Oscars for All the President's Men and Julia. Tom Hanks repeated the same feat in the Best Actor category with this film and Forrest Gump. Hanks later took on Robards's role of Bradlee in The Post, alongside Meryl Streep.
Behind the Scenes (13)
- #075
During filming on Market Street, the Mellon Bank Building was changed into the Wheeler Building, and the art department placed temporary signs over Mellon's. As a result, many law students who had planned to go to interviews for upcoming jobs missed their appointments. The reason given was that the only thing they could find was the Wheeler & Wheeler building and they had difficulty finding the Mellon Building.
- #076
A close-up of Beckett's hands as he collapses in the courtroom was performed by an elderly stunt double.
- #077
Jonathan Demme decided to record the opera scene live so that Hanks could give a better performance with the music.
- #078
During the shoot on Market Street, the Mellon Bank Building was transformed into the Wheeler Building, and the art department placed temporary Wheeler signs over the Mellon signs. As a result, many law students heading to job interviews had trouble finding the Mellon Building and missed their appointments; all they could find was the Wheeler & Wheeler building.
- #079
In the scene shown on the television in the bar, then-Mayor Edward Rendell gave an interview for the news. Jonathan Demme asked him to follow the lines in the script, but Rendell refused and insisted on giving natural answers as if he were doing a news interview about any subject. As a result, he managed to complete the shoot on the first take, and during his time as mayor many people nicknamed him "One-Take Eddie" because of this scene in the film and his ability to shoot in a single take.
- #080
A close-up of Beckett's hands after he collapses in court used an elderly stand-in.
- #081
The director's trademark: [Jonathan Demme] characters looking directly into the camera in extreme close-ups. This signature appears in many scenes of the film.
- #082
All the scenes set in Andrew Beckett's apartment were shot at night. Thanks to the lighting, the scenes were made to look as if they had been shot during the day. The apartment is still standing today, and there has always been a baseball field/playground across from it.
- #083
The office of Denzel Washington's character was on the upper floor of the Snow White Diner, which has since closed in Philadelphia. The office itself later became a bar called "No Che." The door in that famous scene where Tom Hanks's character walks out of the building onto the street, looking around in despair, still stands at 1901 Chestnut Street.
- #084
The cinematographer appears as a doctor in the hospital immediately after the birth scene.
- #085
At 46:18, as the camera pans across City Hall in downtown Philadelphia, the remains of One Meridian Plaza—its burn marks visible and most of its windows boarded up with plywood—can be seen just behind the statue of William Penn. The fire that broke out on the 22nd floor on February 23, 1991, spread rapidly to the 30th floor due to open floor plans and the lack of fire-suppression systems. One of the worst high-rise building fires in history, the disaster lasted more than 19 hours, rose to 12 alarms and killed three firefighters from Engine Company 11: Captain David P. Holcombe, Firefighter Phyllis McAllister and Firefighter James A. Chappell. The burned shell was finally demolished in 1999.
- #086
The game watched in the basketball scene is the November 18, 1992 matchup in which the Philadelphia 76ers hosted the Orlando Magic. In the scene, Tim Perry can be seen scoring late in the second quarter. Orlando won the game 120-110; it was Shaquille O'Neal's sixth professional game and is believed to be the first time Julius Erving watched him play live.
- #087
The trailer was narrated by Hal Douglas.
Characters & Cast (40)
- #088
Jonathan Demme initially intended to cast a comedic actor for the role of Joe Miller, because he thought it would balance well with the already-cast Tom Hanks and would give audiences an "it's okay" to watch a film about a gay man dying of AIDS. Demme had considered Bill Murray or Robin Williams. However, when Denzel Washington showed interest in the role, he gave it to him because Demme had wanted to work with Washington for the past few years.
- #089
Several scenes depicting the closer relationship between Andrew and Miguel were cut by the studio. They also tried to block the casting of HIV-positive Ron Vawter until Jonathan Demme said how hypocritical that would be given the film's message.
- #090
Tom Hanks lost 26 kilos for his role in this film.
- #091
In a June 2022 interview with The New York Times Magazine, Tom Hanks said definitively that if a film like "Philadelphia" were made today, the role of Andrew Beckett would be played by a gay man. Part of the rationale for the film's casting was to reassure audiences that it was "OK" to watch a film about AIDS and discrimination because a well-known actor was in the lead role.
- #092
Sir Daniel Day-Lewis, Michael Keaton, William Baldwin, Tim Robbins and Andy Garcia were considered for the role of Andrew Beckett.
- #093
Michael Keaton was the second choice to play Andrew Beckett. He turned the role down and made My Life (1993) instead.
- #094
Tom Hanks lost about fourteen kilos to look sufficiently haggard in the courtroom scenes. Denzel Washington, by contrast, was asked to gain a few kilos for his role. Even though Hanks was practically starving himself for the part, Washington often ate chocolate in front of him, driving Hanks up the wall.
- #095
The moment when Mary Steenburgen's character says she hates the case was entirely improvised. After shooting the mirror scene, the actress voiced her hatred for her role, and director Jonathan Demme worked that feeling into the character, making the woman seem more human.
- #096
Jonathan Demme initially had a comedy actor in mind for the role of Joe Miller. After Tom Hanks joined the cast, he wanted to strike that balance so the film, about a gay man dying of AIDS, would send the audience a message of 'it's okay.' Demme, who was considering Bill Murray or Robin Williams, gave the role to Denzel Washington after Washington expressed interest, having long wanted to work with him.
- #097
John Leguizamo turned down the role of Miguel and chose to appear in Super Mario Bros. (1993) instead.
- #098
Tom Hanks lost about twelve kilos during his role in this film.
- #099
Jonathan Demme stated that his first choice for the role of Andrew Beckett was Daniel Day-Lewis. However, Day-Lewis turned down the offer to appear in In the Name of the Father (1993).
- #100
In a June 2022 interview with New York Times Magazine, Tom Hanks said that if 'Philadelphia' were made today, the role of Andrew Beckett should absolutely be played by a gay actor. Hanks explained that his own casting was because having a well-known actor in the lead gave the audience the assurance that watching a film about AIDS and discrimination was 'not a problem.'
- #101
As of 2022, Philadelphia holds the distinction of being Denzel Washington's last film in which he was not the lead actor.
- #102
Names such as Daniel Day-Lewis, Michael Keaton, William Baldwin, Tim Robbins and Andy Garcia were considered for the role of Andrew Beckett.
- #103
The character played by Denzel Washington was written in the first draft of the script as an Italian-American named Joe Martino.
- #104
Michael Keaton was the second choice for the role of Andrew Beckett. He turned down the offer and appeared in My Life (1993) instead.
- #105
Tim Robbins turned down the role of Joe Miller.
- #106
Before Tom Hanks was cast, talks had been held about a lesser-known actor. Jerry Kelly, a gay adult film star, was considered to give a more realistic feel as someone who had experienced similar problems.
- #107
The film is the first production in Chandra Wilson's film career.
- #108
James Woods's name came up for the role of Charles Wheeler.
- #109
The film's cast includes six Oscar-winning actors: Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Kenneth Utt, Jason Robards, Mary Steenburgen, Joanne Woodward, and one Oscar nominee: Antonio Banderas.
- #110
Mel Gibson was among the names considered for the role of Joe Miller.
- #111
Tom Hanks had recorded the dialogue for the character Woody in Toy Story (1995) before he began work on this film.
- #112
Robin Williams was considered for both the roles of Joe Miller and Andrew Beckett, but had to turn down both because of Mrs. Doubtfire (1993). The music for both films was composed by Howard Shore.
- #113
Mary Steenburgen chose to appear in this film, leaving her role in The Good Son (1993).
- #114
Tom Hanks shaved his head completely for the role of Andrew Beckett.
- #115
According to a profile published in Entertainment Weekly in 1994, Jonathan Demme had to persuade TriStar Pictures to hire Ron Vawter for the role of Bob Seidman. The studio wanted another actor because Vawter, being HIV positive, fell outside insurance coverage. Demme convinced the studio on the grounds that Vawter was both the actor he wanted and that this discrimination would be ironic in a film about an HIV-positive lawyer being unjustly fired.
- #116
Director Jonathan Demme wanted people who knew nothing about AIDS to see the film as well. He thought that Bruce Springsteen would draw in the audience that would not normally watch a film about a gay man dying of AIDS. The film and the song "Streets of Philadelphia" played a major role in raising AIDS awareness and reducing the stigma surrounding the disease.
- #117
The more intimate scenes between Andrew and Miguel were cut by the studio. They also tried to prevent the HIV-positive actor Ron Vawter from being cast, until Jonathan Demme showed how much this would contradict the film's message.
- #118
The screenplay is partly based on the discrimination lawsuit of Geoffrey Bowers, a young lawyer working at a prominent international law firm. Like Hanks's character, Bowers had visible Kaposi's sarcoma lesions. The board decided to fire him in July 1986, two months after he received good marks in a routine performance review. His supervisors objected that he skipped company policy by not meeting with his supervisors, did not review the client list, or did not calculate his billable hours. Bowers was fired on December 4, 1986, one month after another positive review, and left the firm the next day. The case lasted six years.
- #119
Tom Hanks said that his own casting was a deliberate step to get people to watch "the film about the lawyer with AIDS" rather than a "big puppet show" or a lighter option. Many previews made it clear that this was a legal drama but gave no hint of the film's actual subject.
- #120
Jonathan Demme stated that he decided to direct the film after his illustrator friend Juan Suárez Botas was diagnosed with AIDS.
- #121
The film was nearly lost when Orion Studios filed for bankruptcy in December 1991. Producer Edward Saxon had to appear before the bankruptcy court to convince it that the film's rights should not be lost as an asset in the studio's bankruptcy proceedings.
- #122
The film's journey from script to screen was extremely turbulent. The screenplay went through more than 25 major revisions, its rights became entangled in bankruptcy cases, and its subject matter led to major protests.
- #123
According to Wikipedia, the director specifically asked Bruce Springsteen to make the main song so that people who did not know much about AIDS would feel more comfortable watching the film and to raise awareness. However, Springsteen's first contribution, "Tunnel of Love," was rejected by Demme. "Streets of Philadelphia," with its mournful and plain structure, was much more suited to Andrew Beckett, the gay, HIV-positive lawyer nearing the end of his life; "Tunnel of Love," although it dealt with relationship difficulties, had a more upbeat tempo.
- #124
The film's working titles included "People Like Us," "At Risk" and "Probable Cause."
- #125
Demme made this film as a direct response to the "stop Hollywood homophobia" protests against his previous film, The Silence of the Lambs.
- #126
The film was screened at the White House for President Bill Clinton.
- #127
Jonathan Demme's interest in this film stemmed largely from the reaction his previous film, The Silence of the Lambs, received from the LGBTQ+ community. Seven actors appeared in both films: Daniel von Bargen, Charles Napier, Tracey Walker, Paul Lazar, Ron Vawter, Lauren Roselli and Roger Corman.
Easter Eggs & References (1)
- #128
At the costume party, Andrew and Miguel are dressed in US military uniforms. This is a reference to the fact that at the time the film was made, gay men and lesbians were completely banned from serving in the US Armed Forces, but Bill Clinton had made a campaign promise that the ban would be lifted. Instead, in December 1993 Clinton accepted a compromise law (popularly known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell") that allowed gays and lesbians to serve as long as they did not tell anyone about their sexual orientation. This policy remained in effect until September 2011.
Deeper Meaning (33)
- #129
The moment in which Mary Steenburgen's character says she hates the situation was improvised after the actress filmed the mirror scene and expressed her hatred of the role, with Jonathan Demme encouraging her to include it so that the woman would appear more human.
- #130
The rumor that 43 of the 53 gay men who appeared in various scenes of the film died within a year was corrected by Brian Cronin's research. Cronin revealed that the producers worked with the organization 'Action AIDS' to find extras who looked like AIDS patients, and that the deaths were spread over the following several years, not one year. This information was also supported by Clifford Rothman's 1995 New York Times article.
- #131
In his testimony in court, Bob Seidman admits that when he learned Andrew had AIDS, he told no one and did not give him a chance to speak. Seidman, who says he will carry this regret for the rest of his life, attends Andrew's memorial service at the end of the film, showing that the family has forgiven him.
- #132
Andrew and Miguel wearing US military uniforms at the costume party is a reference to the policy at the time that banned gay people from serving in the military. Despite Bill Clinton's campaign promise, the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' compromise introduced in 1993 allowed gay people to remain in the military on the condition that they kept their sexual orientation secret. This policy remained in effect until September 2011.
- #133
Screenwriter Paul Rudnick wrote the comedy In & Out (1997) inspired by this film and especially by Tom Hanks's Oscar speech. Hanks thanked his high school teacher in his speech, and in Rudnick's film an Oscar-winning actor accidentally outs his former teacher during his speech.
- #134
On his first exit from Joe Miller's office, Andy Beckett stops in front of a storefront with the words 'Macready & Shilts' on it. This is a nod to journalist Randy Shilts, author of 'And the Band Played On', which chronicles the history of AIDS. Shilts died of AIDS a year after the film's release.
- #135
Many gay rights activists and historians hailed this film as the first major studio film to address the AIDS epidemic. Although the film tried to raise awareness of the issue and reduce stigma, Hollywood was criticized for taking more than a decade to tackle the subject.
- #136
Bruce Springsteen's song 'Streets of Philadelphia' is, as of 2018, the second song written and performed by a single artist to win an Oscar, a Golden Globe and a Grammy. Only Carly Simon had previously achieved this feat, with 'Let the River Run' from Working Girl (1988).
- #137
The character played by Denzel Washington says he prays for the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team to win the league championship. The Phillies had done exactly that three months before the film's release.
- #138
This film brings together the last two actors to win Oscars in consecutive years. Jason Robards won Best Supporting Actor in 1976 and 1977, while Tom Hanks won Best Actor with this film and repeated the same award a year later with Forrest Gump (1994).
- #139
The track 'It's In Your Eyes' from the film's soundtrack is performed by Pauletta Washington, the wife of lead actor Denzel Washington.
- #140
At Beckett's costume memorial party, the old man standing next to the 'Mona Lisa' is the British gay icon Quentin Crisp. Crisp had been portrayed in the film The Naked Civil Servant (1975). Writer Roy Blount Jr. also appears as a guest at the party.
- #141
Shortly before Andrew Beckett's death, his doctor explains to his family that the crisis was caused by a cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. CMV is an acute infection commonly seen in people whose immune systems are severely weakened, such as AIDS patients.
- #142
The film strikingly displays the approach to AIDS in the courtroom. At 1:26, the bailiff wears gloves while swearing in Andrew Beckett, but a minute later, when he walks between the witness and the jury, he is not wearing gloves. At 1:39, his not wearing gloves while swearing in Mr. Wheeler lays this discriminatory treatment bare.
- #143
The film is included in the list '1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die', edited by Steven Schneider.
- #144
The protesters carrying banners in front of the courthouse were inspired by members of the Westboro Baptist Church led by Fred Phelps. Phelps called this film 'one of my favorite comedies'.
- #145
The film made it onto the list of 400 films nominated for the American Film Institute's '100 Best American Films', prepared in 1998.
- #146
Many gay publications criticized the film. Out magazine found it 'maddeningly closeted', while gay activist Larry Kramer described it as 'dishonest', 'not good enough' and 'politically, legally and medically wrong'.
- #147
Jonathan Demme, a Debbie Harry fan, shows the video of her duet with Iggy Pop, 'Well Did You Evah', on a television at the start of the party scene. This video was taken from the project Red Hot + Blue: A Tribute to Cole Porter (1990).
- #148
In the home video shot at Andy's parents' 40th wedding anniversary party, he is seen leaving handprints on the base of the birdbath in the snow and writing his name. The style of the writing 'ANDY' was used on the boot of Woody, whom Tom Hanks voiced in Pixar's Toy Story.
- #149
Variety gave the film a mixed review: 'Intelligent but too polished in its political and melodramatic details. It stands out with Tom Hanks's dynamite lead performance... The screenplay is extremely well crafted, but so well that every piece fits perfectly, with no rough edges, and it lacks moments where the raw, devastating reality of the situation is felt at full force.'
- #150
The band playing live in the dance scene in the middle of the film is Q Lazzarus, the writers of 'Goodbye Horses'. The band's lead singer, Diane, briefly appears in close-up. 'Goodbye Horses' is a song featured prominently in another Demme film, The Silence of the Lambs.
- #151
During the party scene, the group plays Talking Heads' song 'Heaven'. Director Jonathan Demme had also directed the 1984 Talking Heads concert film Stop Making Sense, and 'Heaven' was played second in that concert.
- #152
Jason Robards had played Ben Bradlee in All The President's Men (1976). Tom Hanks played the same character in The Post (2017).
- #153
In 2025, the film was selected for preservation in the US National Film Registry, having been deemed 'culturally, historically or aesthetically significant'.
- #154
When the film first aired on ITV at the end of 1998, it was chosen as Film of the Week in the Radio Times. Critic Tom Hutchinson wrote, 'Tom Hanks is an actor who is not afraid to take on a challenge. Here is the proof: Hollywood's first major film about AIDS.'
- #155
Joanne Woodward was married to Paul Newman, who appeared with Tom Hanks in Road to Perdition (2002). One of Newman's early roles was in The Young Philadelphians (1959), in which he played a young Philadelphia lawyer.
- #156
Jason Robards won two consecutive Best Supporting Actor Oscars for All the President's Men and Julia. Tom Hanks repeated the same feat in the Best Actor category with this film and Forrest Gump. Hanks later took on Robards' role as Bradlee in The Post, alongside Meryl Streep.
- #157
Two years after this film, Tom Hanks starred in Ron Howard's Apollo 13. Like Jonathan Demme, Howard had made his first film for producer Roger Corman. As was common among Corman's protégés, both Howard and Demme gave Corman small roles in their films.
- #158
Denzel Washington, Jason Robards and Daniel von Bargen later appeared together in Crimson Tide (1995).
- #159
The film reunites Jason Robards, Mary Steenburgen and Jonathan Demme after Melvin and Howard (1980). Robards and Steenburgen had also appeared together in Parenthood (1989).
- #160
Tom Hanks and Adam LeFevre had previously appeared together in The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990).
- #161
Mary Steenburgen and John Bedford Lloyd later appeared in Nixon (1995).
Career & Awards (2)
- #162
Screenwriter Paul Rudnick stated that this film, and especially Tom Hanks's Oscar acceptance speech, was the inspiration for his comedy In & Out (1997). In his speech, Hanks stated that his high school teacher was the inspiration behind his performance. One of the key plot points in Rudnick's film is that an Academy Award-winning actor accidentally leaves out his former teacher in his acceptance speech.
- #163
The film features the last two actors to win Academy Awards in two consecutive years. Jason Robards won Best Supporting Actor in 1976 for All the President's Men (1976) and in 1977 for Julia (1977), while Tom Hanks won Best Actor for Forrest Gump (1994) a year after winning for his performance in this film.
Sources & editorial notes
Reference databases
- Wikipedia
- IMDb
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