Val Kilmer had to undergo over an hour of makeup, facial hair and wig placement each day for his role. He elected to shave his head into a Mohawk to make it easier to glue the wig onto his scalp.]
Richard King was a real person who started the King Ranch in South Texas. At the time of King's death in 1885, his ranch covered 825,000 acres, an area larger than Rhode Island. It remains the largest ranch in Texas.
Val Kilmer who lives on a nearby New Mexico ranch agreed to participate in this film secondary to his work with New Mexico's Film Investment Program.