When the film was screened at the Rotterdam Film Festival in 2000, it had a record number of walkouts. One woman, who had actually sat through the entire film, immediately walked out of the ensuing Q&A session past the stage, and hissed "You are sick!" at director Takashi Miike, much to his amusement and delight. At the Swiss premiere, someone passed out and needed emergency room attention.
Described by Quentin Tarantino as a "true masterpiece if ever there was one," in a video discussing his favorite films released between 1992 and 2009.
Heavy metal musician and horror movie director/actor Rob Zombie admitted he found this movie to be the most creepy and unsettling of any horror movie he's ever watched.
Audition was shot in approximately three weeks, which was about one more week than usual for Takashi Miike's films at the time.
Asami in the film almost always wears white clothing. In Japan, the color white is associated with death. It was also meant to make her look ghostly.