 For the roles of Jane , Ricky , and Angela , DreamWorks gave Mendes carte blanche . By November 1998 , Thora Birch , Wes Bentley , and Mena Suvari had been cast in the parts — in Birch 's case , despite the fact she was underage for her nude scene . As Birch was 16 at the time she made the film , and thus classified as a minor in the United States , her parents had to approve her brief topless scene in the movie . Child labor representatives and they were on the set for the shooting of the scene . Bentley overcame competition from top actors under the age of 25 to be cast . The 2009 documentary My Big Break followed Bentley , and several other young actors , before and after he landed the part . To prepare , Mendes provided Bentley with a video camera , telling the actor to film what Ricky would . Peter Gallagher and Alison Janney were cast ( as Buddy Kane and Barbara Fitts ) after filming began in December 1998 . Mendes gave Janney a book of paintings by Edvard Munch . He told her , " Your character is in there somewhere . " Mendes cut much of Barbara 's dialogue , including conversations between Colonel Fitts and her , as he felt that what needed to be said about the pair — their humanity and vulnerability — was conveyed successfully through their shared moments of silence . Chris Cooper plays Colonel Fitts , Scott Bakula plays Jim Olmeyer , and Sam Robards plays Jim Berkley . Jim and Jim were deliberately depicted as the most normal , happy — and boring — couple in the film . Ball 's inspiration for the characters came from a thought he had after seeing a " bland , boring , heterosexual couple " who wore matching clothes : " I can 't wait for the time when a gay couple can be just as boring . " Ball also included aspects of a gay couple he knew who had the same forename . 
 For the roles of Jane , Ricky , and Angela , DreamWorks gave Mendes carte blanche . By November 1998 , Thora Birch , Wes Bentley , and Mena Suvari <a href='been_done' title='1'><mark>had</mark></a> been cast in the parts — in Birch <a href='null_genetive' title='2'><mark>'s</mark></a>case , despite the fact she was underage for her nude scene . As Birch was 16 at the time she made the film , and thus classified as a minor in the United States , her parents had to approve her brief topless scene in the movie . Child labor representatives and they <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>were</mark></a> on the set for the shooting of the scene . Bentley overcame competition from top actors under the age of 25 to be cast . The 2009 documentary My Big Break followed Bentley , and several other young actors , before and after he landed the part . To prepare , Mendes provided Bentley with a video camera , telling the actor to film what Ricky would . Peter Gallagher and Alison Janney <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>were</mark></a> cast ( as Buddy Kane and Barbara Fitts ) after filming began in December 1998 . Mendes gave Janney a book of paintings by Edvard Munch . He told her , " Your character is in there somewhere . " Mendes cut much of Barbara <a href='null_genetive' title='5'><mark>'s</mark></a>dialogue , including conversations between Colonel Fitts and her , as he felt that what needed to be said about the pair — their humanity and vulnerability — was conveyed successfully through their shared moments of silence . Chris Cooper <a href='uninflect' title='6'><mark>plays</mark></a> Colonel Fitts , Scott Bakula <a href='uninflect' title='7'><mark>plays</mark></a> Jim Olmeyer , and Sam Robards <a href='uninflect' title='8'><mark>plays</mark></a> Jim Berkley . Jim and Jim <a href='uninflect' title='9'><mark>were</mark></a> deliberately depicted as the most normal , happy — and boring — couple in the film . Ball <a href='null_genetive' title='10'><mark>'s</mark></a>inspiration for the characters came from a thought he had after seeing a " bland , boring , heterosexual couple " <a href='null_relcl' title='11'><mark>who</mark></a>wore matching clothes : " I can 't wait for the time when a gay couple can be just as boring . " Ball also included aspects of a gay couple he knew who had the same forename . 
For da roles of Jane , Ricky , and Angela , DreamWorks gave Mendes carte blanche . By November 1998 , Thora Birch , Wes Bentley , and Mena Suvari done been cast in the parts — in Birch  case , despite the fact she was underage fa her nude scene . As Birch was 16 at tdatime she made the film , and thus classified as a minor in the United States , her parents had to approve her brief topless scene in thdaovie . Child labor representatives and they was on the set for thedaooting of the scene . Bentley overcame competition from top actors under the da of 25 to be cast . The 2009 documentary My bigg Break followed Bentley , and several other young actors , before and after he landed the part . To prepare , Mendes provided Bentley with a video camera , telling the adar to film wht Ricky would . Peter Gallagher and Alison Janney was cast ( as Buddy Kane and Barbara Fitts ) after filming began in December 1998 . Mendes gave Janney a book of paintings by Edvard Munch . He tld her , " ur character is in there somewhere . " Mendes cut much of Barbara  dialogue , including conversations between Colonel Fitts and her , as he felt that what needed to be said about the pair — their humanity and vulnerability — was conveyed successfully thru their shared moments of silence . Chris Cooper play Colonel Fitts , Scott Bakula play Jim Olmeyer , and Sam Robards play Jim Berkley . Jim and Jim was deliberately depicted as the most normal , happy — and borin — couple in the film . Ball  inspiration for the characters came from a thought he had after seeing a " bland , bborin, heterosexual couple " wore matching clothes : " I can 't wait for the tidawhen a gay couple can be jus as boring . " Ball also included aspects of a gay couple he knew who had the same forename .