Will Ferrell and Harper Steele Insisted Netflix Release ‘Will & Harper’ Before Election Day So People Could ‘Start Having Important Discussions in Their Living Rooms’

It’s no coincidence that the new Netflix documentary “Will & Harper” was released just a few weeks before Election Day.

The film chronicles a cross-country road trip that Will Ferrell took with former “Saturday Night Live” head writer Harper Steele shortly after her transition.

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“When we sat down with Netflix we made it clear that we wanted this out before the election,” Ferrell told me at the film’s Los Angeles premiere. “We wanted it to have enough runway for people to get to see it and hopefully start having important discussions in their living rooms.”

Since premiering at the Sundance Film Festival in January, Harper said that she’s been hearing from a “lot of parents and kids” who want to see the movie.

“We’ve heard from people who say they can’t wait to see this with friends and family who maybe don’t share the same viewpoint and they’re looking forward to watching it all together,” Ferrell said. “Hopefully it could slowly chip away at some of that.”

Director Josh Greenbaum admitted he was nervous that the two wouldn’t let their guards down on camera. “One of my fears was how open and vulnerable they were willing to get with each other,” he said. “They’re comedians at the end of the day and I’m friends with lots of comedians and they’re not always about being open and vulnerable. But within a couple of days of shooting they opened up and that fear was not warranted.”

Ferrell said, “It was amazing how we were able to keep the flow of conversation going six hours  a day in a car and the depths of things we explored.”

While the film featured Steele struggling with revisiting old stomping grounds for the first time as a woman and the hate she and Ferrell were subjected to on social media after they were spotted at an Indiana Pacers basketball game and surrounded by fans at a Texas steakhouse, the two joked that the most challenging times while shooting had nothing to do with gender identity. “I hate to sound so flip but starting the car in the morning was probably the hardest thing we had to deal with,” Steele said, laughing.

“Yeah, that car wasn’t good,” Ferrell added.

I also asked the two for casting suggestions in case the doc ever gets adapted as a scripted feature.

Steele cracked, “I love Hunter Schafer and I feel like I look exactly like her.”

When Ferrell suggested Leonardo DiCaprio play him, Steele quipped, “He’d probably have to put on a bit of ugly makeup to look like you.”

See more photos from the Los Angeles premiere of “Will & Harper” below.

Christopher Leggett, Will Ferrell, Harper Steele, Josh Greenbaum, Jessica Elbaum and Rafael Marmor at the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix’s “Will & Harper” held at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood on September 19, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.
Christopher Leggett, left, Will Ferrell, Harper Steele, Josh Greenbaum, Jessica Elbaum and Rafael Marmor at the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix’s “Will & Harper.”
Viveca Paulin, Will Ferrell, Mattias Paulin Ferrell, Magnus Paulin Ferrell and guest at the 2024 BMAC Gala held at The Beverly Hilton on September 19, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.
Viveca Paulin, left, Will Ferrell, Mattias Paulin Ferrell, Magnus Paulin Ferrell and guest at the 2024 BMAC Gala at The Beverly Hilton.
Kristen Wiig, Will Ferrell and Harper Steele at the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix’s “Will & Harper” held at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood on September 19, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.
Kristen Wiig, left, Will Ferrell and Harper Steele at the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix’s “Will & Harper.”
Chrishell Stause and G Flip at the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix’s “Will & Harper” held at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood on September 19, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.
Chrishell Stause, left, and G Flip at the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix’s “Will & Harper.”
Michael Keaton and Sean Douglas at the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix’s “Will & Harper” held at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood on September 19, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.
Michael Keaton, left, and Sean Douglas at the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix’s “Will & Harper.”
Charles Melton at the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix’s “Will & Harper” held at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood on September 19, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.
Charles Melton at the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix’s “Will & Harper.”
Harper Steele and Dylan Mulvaney at the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix’s “Will & Harper” held at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood on September 19, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.
Harper Steele, left, and Dylan Mulvaney at the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix’s “Will & Harper.”
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 19: Dan Lin, Chairman, Netflix Film, speaks onstage during Netflix's "Will & Harper" LA Premiere at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood on September 19, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Netflix)
Netflix Film chairman Dan Lin
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 19: (L-R) Samantha Apfel, Alex Schmider, and guest attend Netflix's "Will & Harper" LA Premiere at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood on September 19, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Netflix)
Samantha Apfel, left, Alex Schmider and a guest attend Netflix’s “Will & Harper.”
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 19: Jen Richards attends Netflix's "Will & Harper" LA Premiere at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood on September 19, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Netflix)
Jen Richards attends Netflix’s “Will & Harper” LA Premiere at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood.
Will & Harper Premiere. (L to R) Producer Jessica Elbaum, Jesse Plemons at The Egyptian Theater. Cr. Lindsey Byrnes/Netflix © 2024
Producer Jessica Elbaum, left, and Jesse Plemons at The Egyptian Theater.

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