FILM · 2017 · USA
The Big Sick
31 archived facts 6 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026
All facts (31)
- #001
The film premiered in the United States on Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon's tenth wedding anniversary.
- #002
Kumail Nanjiani personally reached out to Anupam Kher about taking on the role of his father, Azmat. Kher accepted the part after learning that Nanjiani's real father had himself expressed a desire to play the role.
- #003
The fight between Emily and Kumail when Emily discovers pictures of Pakistani women in Kumail's room never happened in real life. However, the real Emily did remember the tension that arose between the two when Kumail did not introduce her to his family.
- #004
While writing the screenplay, Kumail Nanjiani wanted his on-screen family to reflect the joking, humorous traits of his real family. He complained that many Muslim characters are often portrayed as overly serious and aimed to avoid that stereotype.
- #005
Co-writer and "real" Emily can be seen sitting next to CJ and Mary in the comedy club in the film's final scene.
- #006
While the producers were raising funds, they pitched the screenplay to various potential studios. FilmNation offered to finance the entire film with no conditions within three hours of the pitch.
- #007
The decision to add real-life photos of Emily and Kumail to the credits was suggested by producer Judd Apatow's wife, actress Leslie Mann, after she saw the film's first cut.
- #008
During the filming of his kissing scenes with Zoe Kazan, Kumail Nanjiani asked his wife and co-writer Emily V. Gordon to leave the set.
- #009
In an interview with Empire magazine, co-writer Emily V. Gordon explained that one of the hardest scenes to write was the one in which an affair of Terry's (Ray Romano) comes to light. It did not happen in real life and was suggested by producer Judd Apatow. Gordon found it very difficult to discuss this subplot with her real parents.
- #010
It has been stated repeatedly that Kumail Nanjiani is a fan of The X-Files (1993); Nanjiani appeared in the episode "Mulder & Scully Meet the Were-Monster" (2016).
- #011
Writer Emily V. Gordon mentioned that her real-life parents are quite different from their on-screen portrayals.
- #012
In November 2016, Kumail Nanjiani appeared as a guest on the NPR podcast "Pop Culture Happy Hour." When one of the podcast hosts, Linda Holmes, invited him to tease his upcoming film (then still shooting), he said: "My wife and I wrote a movie and I'm in the movie and it's coming out next year. It's currently called 'The Big Sick (2017)' but the name will change. So look for the romantic comedy about a brown guy and a white woman starring me."
- #013
Producer Judd Apatow reached out to Ray Romano for the role of Terry after briefly working with him on Funny People (2009). He was also a big fan of Romano's comedy Everybody Loves Raymond (1996).
- #014
While CJ (Bo Burnham) performs his stand-up comedy, the audience reactions were completely genuine, as Burnham did not use them in rehearsals.
- #015
Before the auditions, actress Zoe Kazan watched videos of Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon to help her better understand them and their characters.
- #016
Kumail Nanjiani was both excited and nervous while writing the screenplay. Five years had passed since his wife Emily V. Gordon's health scare, but the emotions from that experience were still fresh in his mind.
- #017
The film was the only one that year to be nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars without also being nominated for Best Picture.
- #018
On episode 1.4 of his podcast, Kumail Nanjiani explained how he planned the scene in which his character breaks down during a stand-up set. The extras' laughter was justified by the audience's laughter, and they were laughing at other stand-up performances filmed for the movie's final scene. When Nanjiani finally took the stage, the extras laughed nervously until they realized he was breaking down.
- #019
Holly Hunter would rearrange the set decorations to help her get into character.
- #020
Kumail Nanjiani played a version of himself in the film, including sharing the same name. However, his wife Emily V. Gordon's name was changed to "Emily Gardner."
- #021
Composer Michael Andrews initially incorporated Eastern-style music into his score to help convey the film's themes of culture clash and assimilation. As Andrews put it, the idea ultimately was scrapped because it "felt forced."
- #022
This film was Kumail Nanjiani's first leading role in a feature film.
- #023
In one hospital scene, Emily's wristband briefly shows her date of birth: May 5. This is Emily V. Gordon's real birthday.
- #024
Kumail Nanjiani's real-life wife, writer Emily V. Gordon, stood in for actress Zoe Kazan in a very important hospital scene, as seen on The IMDb Show (2017).
- #025
Mary's standing routine with her paper board easel is based on Aidy Bryant's real stand-up routine.
- #026
Producer Judd Apatow was drawn to the project because, besides being funny, it dealt with a variety of subjects and themes such as relationships, religion, family and stability.
- #027
Emily and her mother wear the same necklace throughout most of the film. It is a gold necklace with a sun on one side and the word "love" engraved on the other.
- #028
In one scene, Emily's family argues over who gave her a particular book. The book is a real book written by director Michael Showalter's mother, Elaine Showalter.
- #029
Rehearsals for the film were nearly postponed because actor Anupam Kher could not travel from Mumbai, India, to New York due to a visa problem. Fortunately, the issue was resolved quickly and production began as planned.
- #030
In the first headbutt on the visitor badge, Kumail's eyes are closed.
- #031
This was the opening night film of the 2017 Seattle International Film Festival.
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