When Finding Nemo was released in 2003, it reminded us all to believe in ourselves, and when times get tough, just keep swimming. Get up! It’s another Disney movie fun fact list!

Animated underwater scene with vibrant coral formations swaying gently, creating a tunnel-like effect with light filtering through from above Buena Vista Pictures Distribution / giphy.com

Here are are 21 facts about Finding Nemo:

1.An obvious one for fans of literature, but Nemo’s name is a nod to the character from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, written by Jules Verne, Captain Nemo.

Animated clownfish swimming among plants and rocks in an aquarium, looking curiously ahead Buena Vista Pictures Distribution / giphy.com

2.Before Albert Brooks was cast to voice Marlin, William H. Macy was originally lined up to voice the clown fish father searching the seas for his son. I don’t know…that fun fact sounds like it came from Sandy Plankton if you ask me.

Bob Riha Jr / Getty Images, Dan Steinberg / Getty Images

3.Attention to detail matters in animation. For example, Bruce the shark had exactly 202 teeth, and all those pearly (sharp) whites were animated individually. Don’t be scared, though, he doesn’t bite…if you’re a fish.

Animated shark grinning widely underwater, with a small fish swimming nearby Buena Vista Pictures Distribution / giphy.com

4.There is a fun cameo from another Pixar picture. Toy Story character, Buzz Lightyear, can be seen on the dentist’s office floor near a toy chest for a brief moment while Nemo is looking around in panic when he first arrives.

Buzz Lightyear is lying on the floor in front of an open toy chest, surrounded by various toys in a playroom setting

Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

5.Another incredible cameo in the dentist’s office waiting room is a Mr. Incredible comic book, foreshadowing The Incredibles.

Animated scene of a child reading a comic on a couch next to an adult reading a newspaper

Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

6.This was the first Pixar film not composed by the legendary Randy Newman. Cousin of Paul, Thomas Newman, scored the soundtrack.

Seven animated seagulls perched on a rope, one repeatedly saying "Mine" in a loop, referencing a scene from an animated film Buena Vista Pictures Distribution / giphy.com

7.Pixar Animation Studios producer Darla K. Anderson often played pranks on director Andrew Stanton. This led to Stanton naming the nightmare child Darla after his producer. All in good fun, I’m sure!

Animated character with braces and freckles, wearing a headgear, smiles and points playfully towards the viewer in a classroom setting Buena Vista Pictures Distribution / giphy.com

8.Pixar has had some absolute bangers at the turn of the century, like Monsters Inc. and Toy Story. That said, it may be hard to believe, but Finding Nemo was the first Pixar film to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. *hand slightly grazes back of Oscar*

Three animated sea creatures look surprised; subtitles read: "He touched the butt." Buena Vista Pictures Distribution / giphy.com

9.There are always really cool field trips when making an animated film for Disney. The art team went the extra mile, including taking courses and attending lectures in ichthyology, marine biology, and oceanography to make the film more lifelike. The artists were also required to enroll in scuba diving classes. Safe to say they inhaled all that delicious ocean and fish knowledge.

Animated shark from a movie grins and says, "That's good!" Buena Vista Pictures Distribution / giphy.com

10.Finding Nemo is the first Pixar movie to have a post-credits scene. No Samuel L. Jackson or future Avengers present, but a good laugh would set the tone for future post-credits sequences.

Plastic bags with animated fish, floating in water near a wooden dock, from an animated film scene

Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

11.The brutal death of Marlin’s wife, Coral, was mapped out a lot differently at first. Stanton originally planned to reveal the fate of Coral gradually through flashbacks, revealing his reason for being so overprotective. While that ultimately didn’t happen in the final product, Finding Dory definitely adopted a similar style.

Two animated clownfish, likely characters from a well-known animated film, peer out from a rocky opening in an underwater scene

Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

12.The coloration of Gill’s face is intentional and simulates the characteristic lines around the mouth of voice actor Willem Dafoe. Details. Details. Details.

Animated fish conversing underwater, one with an angular face and serious expression. Scene from an animated film

Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

13.The anglerfish is characterized as female because of the glowing bait. Female anglerfish are also larger and more dangerous than males.

An anglerfish with an illuminated lure approaches two smaller fish in a deep-sea setting, referencing an animated underwater adventure movie

Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

14.The two main turtles, Crush and Squirt, are also names of popular citrus soda brands.

Animated turtle from a movie swims, eyes partly closed, saying "Noggin." Buena Vista Pictures Distribution / giphy.com

15.Bruce, the great white shark, is named after the model used for the film Jaws, which Steven Spielberg named after his lawyer.

Animated scene from a movie with a shark saying, "Fish are friends, not food," to two smaller fish, Dory and Nemo Buena Vista Pictures Distribution / giphy.com

16.The dramatic scene where Dory begs Marlin not to leave was a trial run. Filmmakers were worried a comedian like Ellen DeGeneres would struggle with the scene, but she did so well that they kept the initial trial.

Animated blue fish with wide eyes in the ocean, from a popular movie

Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

17.The character of Dory was written specifically for Ellen.

Person with short, layered hair in a collared shirt, attending an event

Dan Steinberg / Getty Images

18.Dory never actually says Marlin’s name once throughout the entire movie, despite being with him for most of the film.

A clownfish and a blue tang fish converse underwater in an animated movie scene

Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

19.Thanks to the calendar in the dentist’s office, I can confirm that the movie takes place in November.

Animated scene in a dental office showing a child pointing at an agitated adult, with November on a calendar in the background

Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

20.Director Andrew Stanton voices Crush and the seagulls that go “Mine, Mine, Mine.” What vocal range for a director!

Person in formal suit holding an award statue, smiling at an event backdrop with award statues

Bob Riha Jr / Getty Images

21.And lastly, co-writer Bob Peterson doubled as the voice of Mr. Ray. Therrrrrrrrrrrrrre’s nothing to see here.

Animated scene with a smiling stingray surrounded by colorful fish, likely from an animation movie

Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

What is your favorite thing about Finding Nemo that sticks with you? Comment below!

Watch it on Disney+.