Will Ferrell Says His Upcoming Documentary 'Will & Harper' Will Prompt the Cis Community to "Just Listen" to Trans Experience

He also hopes it will help cis people to further educate themselves

BY Ben OkazawaPublished Jan 23, 2024

Will Ferrell has branched out from his patented goofy comedy brand for his latest venture, a documentary navigating the transition of his long-time best friend Harper Steele through the lens of their relationship with each other.

In an interview with Variety, Ferrell said that he hopes the film can reach a broad audience and educate the cis community on the trans experience. 

"I know I'd met trans people before, but I didn't have anyone personally in my life, so this was all new territory for me, which is why I think this piece is so exciting for us to kind of put out there in the world," he said. 

"I think it's a chance for all of us in the cis community to be able to ask questions. I know, for me, it was a chance for me to ask questions that I didn't know. And, also, to just listen and be there as a friend to discuss this journey."

According to Ferrell, the first questions he asked when Steele alerted him via email that she was transitioning were: "How can we help you?" and "What do you need?"

"I feel like you're running for mayor here," Steele, who worked for decades as a writer on Saturday Night Live, joked in response.

Although the film has yet to receive a release date, we do know some plot details via a synopsis shared by Pink News: "When Will Ferrell finds out his close friend of 30 years is coming out as a trans woman, the two decide to embark on a cross-country road trip to process this new stage of their relationship in an intimate portrait of friendship, transition and America."

Check out the duo's full interview with Variety below.

 

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