James Earl Jones was 88 years old when he filmed his scenes. Although in reasonably good health for a man of his age, and happy to appear in this movie, James did not want to travel far to do so. It is believed his few scenes were shot in one day on a rented TV soundstage nearer his home on the New York state/Connecticut border, without Eddie Murphy or any of the other Atlanta-based cast members present. This explains why he and Eddie Murphy never talk face-to-face in the film.
Madge Sinclair (Queen Aoleon Joffer) passed away of cancer in 1995, which explains her absence in this movie.
The name Meeka (the eldest daughter of Akeem and Lisa) is Akeem spelled backward.
As a child, Jermaine Fowler (Lavelle) would record Coming to America (1988)'s barbershop scenes to his family's answering machine, so that the old men's banter would be heard anytime someone called their house.