- Without knowing him, Steven Spielberg and his company Amblin Entertainment sent him $5000 to finish funding for his final film project at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts after he sent out 20 letters to producers asking for help.
- Was for some time attached to direct Superman Returns (2006). He left the project because of repeated delays and difficulty in casting a lead actor. The project then went to Bryan Singer, while Ratner went on to direct X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), the two previous movies in the saga having been directed by Singer.
- Friends with Pierce Brosnan, who wanted Ratner to direct an unspecified 007 film (from the time period involved, the film in question was almost certainly Die Another Day (2002)), but the Broccolis immediately told Brosnan they did not like Ratner's films and would not consider him to ever direct a James Bond film. Brosnan took on a co-lead role in Ratner's project After the Sunset (2004) instead.
- Once vowed he would not direct movies until he had directed at least 100 music videos.
- Got his start by directing rap and hip-hop videos for his friend Russell Simmons. When the original director of Money Talks (1997) had to be replaced, Russell Simmons recommended him.
- Was great friends with the late Michael Jackson.
- Was in pre-production for a remake of John Cassavetes' The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976) after he finished Rush Hour (1998). This was to be written by Cassavetes' son, Nick Cassavetes and Warren Beatty was set to star. Ratner left the project when he was offered The Family Man (2000).
- His mother, Marsha Presman, was just age 16 when she gave birth to her son.
- His favorite film is Scarface (1932) and his favorite film director is Hal Ashby.
- In Red Dragon (2002), digital technology was used to smooth over some of Anthony Hopkins's facial features so that he would look younger than he was in The Silence of the Lambs (1991). Similar technology was used in the first scene of X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), so that Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen could play their characters twenty years younger.
- Replaced director Matthew Vaughn just two months before filming began on X-Men: The Last Stand (2006).
- No longer involved in the production of a new Superman movie. Stated that the repeated delays and difficulty in casting a lead actor made it impossible for him to remain involved.
- Was engaged to Rebecca Gayheart in the late 1990s.
- Lives in Los Angeles, California and Miami Beach, Florida.
- At Miami Beach Senior High School, he was a drama student of well-known instructor Jay W. Jensen.
- His five favorite films are The Kid Stays in the Picture (2002), The Tenant (1976), The Killing (1956), Being There (1979) and Raging Bull (1980). The last of these was the film that made him want to go to film school; Robert Evans, the subject of The Kid Stays in The Picture, was one of his mentors.
- He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on January 19, 2017.
- In the series "The Film That Changed My Life" (Observer newspaper UK/May 2010), Ratner cited Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull (1980) as the singular movie that most inspired him to become a filmmaker. Claims to have seen the movie about 100 times, first when he was only 10-years-old with his mother's permission.
- President of the 'Official Competition' jury at the sixth Beijing International Film Festival in 2016.
- Considered directing Memoirs of a Geisha (2005).
- After meeting with real life FBI agents, he decided that this would not be authentic to have Scott Glenn reprise the role of Jack Crawford in Red Dragon (2002), his prequel to The Silence of the Lambs (1991). Instead, he cast Harvey Keitel, in a role originally created by Dennis Farina in Manhunter (1986). Keitel and Farina had also both played Ray Barbone in the crime drama Get Shorty (1995). Ratner was considered for directing the sequel entitled Be Cool (2005), in which Keitel also appears.
- Attended and graduated from Miami Beach Senior High School in Miami Beach, Florida (1986).
- Lives in the former Hollywood "Hillhaven Mansion" once owned by the late Allan Carr, famously-flamboyant party-throwing producer of Grease. Ironically, Brett was about to, like Carr had done, produce an Oscar telecast. Carr's Oscars failed (the infamous 61st Academy Awards), and Ratner's never got off the ground due to comments he made.
- Ranked #81 on Premiere magazine's 2003 annual Power 100 List. He did not rank on the 2004 list.
- At the Beverly Hills Film Festival, he presented the first annual Living Legends Award to legendary photographer Phil Stern (2008).
- Grandson of Fanita Presman.
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