- None of the actresses who auditioned for the part of Sam/Samantha were selected. Director Randolph Zaini ultimately turned to fellow short film director Amy Fleming, who proved to be an ideal fit for the role.
- A former Miss Connecticut pagaent winner auditioned for the role of Sam/Samantha.
- After several of the film's original music composors fell through producers asked actor Jason Collins to write and record the film's soundtrack. Collins, who had experience playing in heavy metal bands, composed 2 songs for the film, including the title track, "Tough."
- Several key scenes were filmed on a mountain in late November 2008 with a temperature of -9 degrees (with windchill). This also happened to be the only day that the entire cast & crew of Tough were all on the set at the same time.
- While filming several violent scenes outdoors in public view the crew of "Tough" constantly had to deal with interested and concerned onlookers.
- The film's critically acclaimed make-up work was done by Ai Oyakawa, who stepped in as a last-minute replacement when the film's original makeup artist failed to show up for rehearsals. "Tough" is Oyakawa's first film.
- One rehearsal which was held at the University of Hartford was interrupted and overrun by an Obama victory party.
- Auditions for Tough lasted 3 weeks. After two weeks of not hearing anything & believing he would not land the role of Eli, Jason Collins accepted a part in a film produced by Weslyan University. When Collins learned he had been awarded the role of Eli for "Tough," he relinquished the Weslyan film role to his understudy.
- The squirrel that runs off after the cro-bar & trunk scene was purely coincidental. Some viewers initially believed it to be part of the film's naturalistic symbolism.
- Gusts of wind can be heard during the film's opening dialogue. Director Zaini kept the wind in the sound to underscore the film's theme of nature.
- Collins had to learn how to light a match from a matchbook using one hand. After perfecting his one-hand igniting technique, Collins found that it was too windy to keep the match lit on the day the scene was being filmed. So the trick did not make the final cut.
- The film's final scene was done in just one take.
- Tough gained acceptance into the first film festival to which its producers applied. Tough premiered at the Silk City Film Festival on October 9th.
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