 Denzel Washington (qv) was cast in this film because of a trip to  a doctor. He ran into director Tony Scott (I) (qv) in the waiting  room of a medical office and the two men started chatting. Scott had  not seen Washington in person since they worked together on  _Crimson Tide (1995)_ (qv). Scott happened to see  Dakota Fanning (qv) in _I Am Sam (2001)_ (qv) the night before and  seeing Washington made Scott think using of the two actors together.