The Brazilian Connection was filmed in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Los Angeles, and Saint Louis, Missouri. Although much of the film takes place in New York City, none of the film was shot there.
The Brazilian Connection is the second collaboration between Brazilian producer Thiago Palma and American director Drew Stewart. Unlike their first film though, the idea for The Brazilian Connection came from a much more personal place. After months of applying for an O-1 Visa, Palma was rejected and then forced to return to Brazil. Luckily for Palma, he was granted a student visa to return to the US but not until a year after his deportation. In the time in between, Palma invited Stewart down to Brazil to produce a movie. From here, the two came up with the plot line of The Brazilian Connection. The themes and situations in the film are closely inspired by Palma's woes in dealing with the US immigration system.
The actor scheduled to play Edward Landon, Sr - the Landon family patriarch - dropped out of the production three days before his filming was set to begin. Richard Milanese, who was already cast as a boardroom executive with one line, was bumped up at the last minute to the role of Edward Landon, Sr. Director Drew Stewart lists Milanese's performance as one of his favorite in the film.
For the scene where Edward Landon Jr's knee is destroyed by Cobra, the producers knew they would need a fake leg. But after Palma had trouble acquiring one in Brazil, he asked if Stewart could bring one with him from Los Angeles. Drew Stewart sawed the leg off of a mannequin in LA and carried it with him all the way to Sao Paulo. The fake leg was destroyed and remains somewhere in Brazil.
To cast the ruthless Brazilian thug Henrique, as well as his henchmen, the producers wanted to find muscular actors who could bring a legitimate authenticity to the roles. Instead of going through a casting agency, producer Thiago Palma searched around local gyms to find regular people who may fit the roles. After a short search he found Junior Tavares, Junior Massa, and Christian Coppola, the actors who would play Henrique, Marcos, and Luiz, respectively. Director Drew Stewart stated that the authenticity of the "local kids" made all the difference.