Curtis refused the role of Lancaster's brother, feeling that at this point in his career, he no longer needed to play seconds leads.

According to an interview with Laurie, when interviewed by John Huston for the lead role he remarked "oh yes, you're the girl who eats flowers". Audrey Hepburn eventually got the part.

In a June 2009 interview, the star of "The Diary of Anne Frank" told film writer Glenn Kenny that the producers of "The Unforgiven" wanted to borrow her from Fox to play the role eventually played by Audrey Hepburn. Fox refused saying that they would find their own projects for Perkins.

Wood was considered for the role of Rachel Zachary in this Western film.