text:  For the roles of Jane , Ricky , and Angela , DreamWorks gave <unk> <unk> <unk> . By November 1998 , <unk> Birch , Wes Bentley , and Mena <unk> had been cast in the parts — in Birch 's case , despite the fact she was <unk> for her nude scene . As Birch was 16 at the time she made the film , and thus classified as a minor in the United States , her parents had to approve her brief <unk> scene in the movie . Child labor representatives and they were on the set for the shooting of the scene . Bentley <unk> competition from top actors under the age of 25 to be cast . The 2009 documentary My Big Break followed Bentley , and several other young actors , before and after he landed the part . To prepare , <unk> provided Bentley with a video camera , telling the actor to film what Ricky would . Peter Gallagher and Alison <unk> were cast ( as <unk> Kane and Barbara <unk> ) after filming began in December 1998 . <unk> gave <unk> a book of paintings by <unk> <unk> . He told her , " Your character is in there somewhere . " <unk> cut much of Barbara 's dialogue , including conversations between Colonel <unk> and her , as he felt that what needed to be said about the pair — their humanity and vulnerability — was conveyed successfully through their shared moments of silence . Chris Cooper plays Colonel <unk> , Scott Bakula plays Jim <unk> , and Sam <unk> plays Jim Berkley . Jim and Jim were deliberately depicted as the most normal , happy — and boring — couple in the film . Ball 's inspiration for the characters came from a thought he had after seeing a " bland , boring , heterosexual couple " who wore matching clothes : " I can 't wait for the time when a gay couple can be just as boring . " Ball also included aspects of a gay couple he knew who had the same <unk> . 
  