For his latest film, Will Ferrell embarked on a cross-country road trip with his best friend Harper Steele who came out as trans in 2022.
The documentary, titled Will & Harper, premiered Monday at the Sundance Film Festival, and the two have been making the rounds delving more deeply into the impact the film has made on their friendship as well as on each of them individually. The film follows the pals of nearly 30 years trekking from New York to Los Angeles as they process Steele's own journey.
Ferrell and Steele met working on Saturday Night Live where Steele was a writer from 1995 to 2008.
While speaking with Variety, Ferrell shared his hopes that his own desire to understand his friend's transition can help others to "listen" and "be there as a friend."
“I had met trans people, but I didn’t have anyone personally in my life, 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 [for] 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.”
In an interview with Deadline, Ferrell added that through Steele's experience, he was able to "transition" himself.
“For me, it was a chance to transition myself, in a way — to learn, to get to know my friend even more than I knew her before, to get to ask these questions that I think a lot of cis people still have, for me to struggle on camera with asking these questions."
“And then there are a couple emotional moments where I’m struggling with making sure I stand up for my friend in moments that felt tense for us and feeling like I fail at times.”
Steele told the Hollywood Reporter that the documentary was helpful for her as well.
“It was only my second year of transition, and I thought this would help me dissipate some of the nervousness around it."
“Walking around with a big shot like Will was gonna be helpful to me.”
You can watch that clip below.
Will Ferrell on Navigating His Best Friend's Transition in 'Will & Harper' | Sundance 2024youtu.be
Fans commended Ferrell and Steele for both their transparency and their courage to be candid about each of their individual journeys.
Many also expressed their gratitude for Ferrell's support of the trans community.
The Hollywood Reporter/YouTube
The Hollywood Reporter/YouTube
The Hollywood Reporter/YouTube
The Hollywood Reporter/YouTube
The Hollywood Reporter/YouTube
The Hollywood Reporter/YouTube
The Hollywood Reporter/YouTube
A date for the documentary's release has not yet been set, but the film's premiere at Sundance has already been met with stellar reviews.
Kevin Fallon of The Daily Beast wrote:
“It’s incredibly entertaining, and emotional in a way that only a documentary made with such authentic, all-in intention could be.”
We are so looking forward to this!
