Alec Baldwin (Ryan) was replaced in the next two Jack Ryan movies by Harrison Ford. Baldwin was already involved with other films when Patriot Games began production.

Tim Curry (Dr. Petrov) is better known for his comic and theatrical/singing roles. He created the role of Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Show (also in the movie), played the hilarious butler, Wadsworth, in Clue, and Rooster in the movie of Annie. It is amazing to see how he can be very serious is his perfect-communist role.

Fred Dalton Thompson (Adm. Painter) is known for much more than his movie roles. He is better known as Senator Thompson, R-Tenessee, who led the Senate Campaign Finance hearings during the Summer of 1997. He drew on his acting experience as a "Clinton stand-in" for Bob Dole's practice debates during the 1996 presidential campaign.

Daniel Davis (Capt. Davenport), has not appeared in any movies or other television shows since he started his role of the butler, Niles, in CBS's The Nanny in 1993. (That show went off the air in May, 1999, so perhaps he will be seen on screen again.)

Only three women have speaking parts in this movie: Ryan's wife, his daughter, and the flight attendant. All three say their lines during the opening titles. (a different flight attendent is seen at the end of the movie, but she does not say anything.) This was not sexism on the screenwriters part, but true to Clancy's book.