Will Ferrell's Heartwarming Netflix Doc "Will & Harper" Will Show You The True Meaning Of Friendship
by Ada Enechi · BuzzFeedWill Ferrell is arguably one of the greatest comedy actors of our time, giving us iconic roles such as Ron Burgundy in Anchor Man and Buddy in Elf.
Will got his start like many comedians on a little-known show called Saturday Night Live, but do you know the writer behind a lot of his characters and jokes? Meet Harper Steele.
Harper Steele* started working on SNL in the same week and Will and the rest was history. Harper worked at SNL for 13 years, eventually becoming a head writer and also winning an Emmy.
*(formerly Andrew Steele).
Will and Harper have been a match made in comedy heaven, and now they've come together to highlight their friendship in the new Netflix documentary Will & Harper
The documentary follows Will and Harper on a road trip across America as they navigate Harper's new reality presenting as a trans woman. Pre-transition Harper loved to take back country roads and enjoy a drink or two in dive bars but can she still enjoy what she loved as a trans woman?
Speaking to Will and Harper we explore how this journey changed their relationship and what it means for the future:
What I loved most about this film was how your relationship dynamic seemed to change. At the beginning Harper, you were propping Will up when no one seemed to believe in his talent or comedy but now Will, it's your turn to prop Harper up in this new lease of life and support her journey. Did you feel a big change in your relationship now it was up to you to hold Harper up?
Will Ferrell: We don't talk about it in the film, because in the film we talk about Harper's initial email to all of our friend group but she had another follow-up email that said, "Look, I ask for you to do your best to stand up for me. And I know it's not going to be easy and it's going to be an adjustment. But if you hear me getting misgendered, do your best to correct that and help." So that was part of what played into this for me, and that was "Okay, I want to really support my friend and really practice and walk the walk." It is true in some terms of what you're saying, it is a little bit of a full circle moment in that she was there for me in the early days and it was going to be an opportunity to do that. But we also like doing fun, strange stuff together and this was going to be another chapter.
It's just another chapter in your friendship and this film is just about friendship, so between the both of you do you now have a new definition of what friendship means, or is it still the same but with a stronger bond?
Harper Steele: I think sort of, we do have a new definition – or well I do. I think what I appreciate the most about friendship in general, and was something I began to understand a little better on this trip, is friends who really do put in the time and listen to their friends. Those are the real friends and I have those friends, I'm fortunate enough to have those friends. But I didn't really appreciate the work that goes into it. And I felt like, "Oh, yeah, I feel better for knowing this. Maybe I might be a better friend now." That was a learning experience for me.
As a writer and a creator, so much of yourself is put into your work. Now you're in a new phase of life, has your writing changed at all? Do you imagine it having more depth now you can live as your full authentic self? How has it affected your creative process?
Harper: Well, certainly there are areas of comedy that I have learned that I would like to keep away from just out of respect for trans people or queer people in general. That's been a developing thing way before I transitioned. And here's the thing before I transitioned, a lot of myself in terms of my repressed feelings were out there on the page and I was using the page to express them. So I don't know, I haven't really put anything big out there since I transitioned. So this will be fascinating to me.