Earlier this year, part-time Mattell CEO Will Ferrell premiered his new documentary Will & Harper at the Sundance Film Festival. The movie follows the Barbie actor and his longtime pal Harper who embark on a road trip after Harper comes out as trangender.
Will & Harper, directed by Josh Greenbaum, became a favorite at Sundance, with critics and fans praising the subject matter and message. It was announced this week that Netflix acquired the rights to the documentary, which follows the two pals as they enter a new phase in their friendship.
At the Sundance premiere, Steele expressed how important the film is for the trans community. “Bills were being passed all over the country,” Steele said at the screening, according to the Daily Beast. “It was looking — it still is looking quite awful. It’s ramping up. So I have this friend — this is my privilege — I have this friend whose movies appeal very broadly to a lot of people. That was the deciding factor. I can abuse this relationship for the good [of the trans community].” She added, “I still don’t know if Will knows what he did.”
Ferrell, who had been friends with Harper for over 30 years, admitted that he had “zero knowledge” about the trans community before Harper came out to him in 2021. He hopes that the film will allow others to see Harper’s story, and educate them about trans issues and history. “I had met trans people, but I didn’t have anyone personally in my life,” Ferrell said (via Variety). “So this was all new territory for me, which is why I think this film is so exciting for us to kind of put out there in the world. It’s a chance all of us in the cis community to be able to ask questions and also just to listen and be there as a friend to discuss this journey.”
Will & Harper will be streaming on Netflix later this year.
