- In 1977, Luc Besson was rejected by La Fémis, the national film school of France. Besson later told in interviews, that he was 18 years old, when he applied, and in a preliminary interview an administrator asked him which directors he most admired. Besson named Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and Milos Forman, before the interviewer cut him off, saying: "That's enough. I don't think you belong here".
- Often casts Gary Oldman (Leon, The Fifth Element (1997)) and they are very close friends. He produced Gary's movie Nil by Mouth (1997).
- Grew up in Greece, Bulgaria, and former Yugoslavia, where his parents were diving instructors for Club Med.
- Refuses to do interviews or audio commentaries for DVD releases. This is because he believes that they ruin the impact of the film.
- Wanted to become a marine biologist as a child, but an accident at the age of 17 prevented him from being in water.
- Lived in Bulgaria, at the Black Sea coast resort, where he spent 5 months with his parents who used to work in a sport center there, diving and exploring coastal caves. He was 9 years old then. Now as an adult he is afraid to visit that coast again not ruin his beautiful childhood memories.
- Jean-Pierre Melville had a heavy influence on him. He made Léon: The Professional (1994) after seeing Melville's masterpiece Le Samouraï (1967).
- Placed under investigation on a charge of involuntary manslaughter 4 June 2002 by Paris prosecutor during inquiry into death of a cameraman hit by a car during 1999 filming of chase scene in Taxi 2 (2000), which Besson produced.
- Has five children with three different women.
- Has written four 'Arthur' children's books, including "Arthur and the Minimoys". The series has sold more than 1 million copies in more than 30 countries. Besson later adapted the book series into films.
- President of the 'Official Competition' jury at the 53rd Cannes International Film Festival in 2000.
- Has his look-alike puppet in the French show Les Guignols de l'info (1988) (but it is rarely used).
- He always said, that he will retire as a director after he made 10 movies. This would make Arthur and the Invisibles (2006) his last one.
- Two of his films have opened the Cannes International Film Festival: The Big Blue (1988) and The Fifth Element (1997).
- President of the 'Official Competition' jury at the 32nd Moscow International Film Festival in 2010.
- Father, with Virginie Besson-Silla, of two daughters, Thalia Besson (b. 1 August 2001), Satine Besson (b. May 2003) and one son, Mao Besson (b. 16 September 2005).
- Is being declared the John Hughes of action movies due to him writing and producing films more than directing.
- Has a daughter with ex-wife Anne Parillaud, Juliette Besson (born 1987).
- Dated Maïwenn. She gave birth to their daughter, Shanna Besson, in 1993.
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