: J.K. Simmons actually has a degree in music and had played piano before, though he had to retake lessons to play Fletcher authentically.
: Director Damien Chazelle has stated in interviews that he believes Andrew dies young in his 30s of a drug overdose, mirroring his idol Charlie Parker. Whiplash (2014)
: Despite its technical precision, the movie was shot in just 19–20 days on a $3.3 million budget. Whiplash (2014)
Many viewers see the finale as a triumph of the underdog, but the creators view it as a total loss of humanity. Whiplash (2014)