The character of Daisy (played by Heather Graham) is a thinly veiled jab at actress Anne Heche. Like Daisy, Anne is from Ohio, and, also like Daisy, Anne was briefly romantically involved with Steve Martin. Daisy's last lines about being involved with "the most powerful lesbian in Hollywood" are a reference to Anne's relationship at the time with Ellen DeGeneres.

The plot was based on a real Russian filmmaker who secretly shot silent film star Mary Pickford while she was on vacation, and decided to base a film around her.