Will Ferrell praised for new documentary with trans best friend, Harper Steele

Will Ferrell has been praised for a new documentary with trans best friend Harper Steele, former head writer at Saturday Night Live.

Three years ago, Will Ferrell was filming a movie when he received a most surprising email: his dear friend of nearly 30 years was coming out to him as a trans woman.

That friend was Harper Steele, a writer he met on his first day at Saturday Night Live back in 1995. From that fateful first meeting, Will knew he had found a match made in comedy, and their friendship and creative partnership would only continue to grow over the next three decades.

In this intimate, honest, and heartfelt documentary, Will and Harper hit the open road together to process this new stage of their friendship and reintroduce Harper to the country that she loves – this time, as herself. Over 16 days, the two drive from New York to LA, visiting stops that are meaningful to them, to their friendship, and to America.

Through laughter, tears, and many cans of Pringles, they push past their comfort zones as they re-examine their relationships to these spaces, and to each other, in this new light.

“We’d go to Lakers games, go on road trips together, surprise each other at random little bars in costume,” Ferrell told Netflix of their friendship.

In the Will & Harper trailer, Ferrell says: “What if we went on a road trip together, giving her a chance to go into a cowboy bar or whatever places she misses, and I can be by her side and lend support as a friend?

“At the same time, it would give us a chance to reconnect, and figure out what this transition means to our relationship.”

Speaking about her admirable decision to share her transition story, Steele said: “Ultimately, the main reason that got me to do it was, ‘Oh, maybe this could be useful for others’.

“I like to think that about any kind of work that I’m putting out there. Anything that I’m making or a part of, it’s like, ‘I hope this is somehow useful to people, that it makes them laugh or they get something out of it.’”

Will & Harper will be released in select UK cinemas on September 13, before being released on Netflix on Friday, 27 September.