When Will Ferrell joined the cast of late-night comedy institution Saturday Night Live in 1995, he was not universally welcomed. In the words of comedy writer Harper Steele, a fellow newbie back then and one of the few SNL staff to stand up for him, “they all thought Will Ferrell was a dud”.
The pair became close friends and collaborators. The friendship endured as Steele became SNL head writer and Ferrell found global fame with his brand of larger-than-life character comedy that gave us Elf, Ron Burgundy and Zoolander’s fashion designer nemesis Mugatu. The duo co-wrote 2020 Netflix hit Eurovision Song Contest – The Story Of Fire Saga, which starred Ferrell alongside Rachel McAdams and a remarkable turn from Dan Stevens.
Then, three years ago, Steele sent Ferrell an email. “Hey Will. Something I need you to know. I’m old now, and as ridiculous and as unnecessary as it may seem to report, I’ll be transitioning to live as a woman,” it began. “Instead of being an asshole, I’ll be a bitch,” it concluded.
Ferrell responded with the open-heartedness he brings to so much of his comedy. But would Steele’s transition change their relationship?
To put this to the test, reframe their friendship and learn about themselves and each other, the pair decided to set off on a road trip across America. The result is a warm, tender and enlightening portrait of friendship, allyship and the trans experience.
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Both began with questions. From Steele, “Does he think I’m a woman? Does he know any trans people besides me? Is he curious about hormones and hair removal?” While Ferrell wondered, “Does she still like shitty beer or is she just totally into wine now? How am I supposed to treat her – does she want it to change? Will I be making a completely new friend?”
As they set off, Steele says: “I will see the country that I love as myself, which I’ve never done.” A big, scary question is whether the country still loves her back.
The contrasting reaction to Ferrell and Steele is one of the more eye-opening elements of the film. Ferrell can walk into any room confident that his celebrity will not only open the door but ensure he will be met on the other side by the warmest of welcomes.
For Steele, at the basketball games, dive bars and smalltown diners she has always loved, the reaction she receives is now different. “Walking through all those bros in a bro-y environment as a woman has been the hardest part of my transition,” she says. “I was that person. I know the culture.” But she appreciates Ferrell’s support. “We’ve been to a lot of Lakers games. I’ve never seen Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Vince Vaughn at a basketball game sitting next to their trans friend.”
Ferrell is brilliant at being funny, a natural showman who never switches off, and has an unshakeable optimism that is, presumably, reinforced by the reaction he receives wherever he travels. He asks guileless questions – “How are your boobs, now you’ve got boobs?” – from a place of love, and receives honest, heartfelt answers in return.
Along the way they go for breakfast with Harper’s kids to discuss their father’s transition, visit her sister – whose initial response to Harper’s revelation was “I always wanted a sister” and enlist Kristin Wiig to write them a theme song. They also go for cocktails with old SNL pals, including Tina Fey.
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“My whole creative life, I performed as a character named Andrew,” Steele explains. “That’s how I think about it. Coming out to my friends was especially hard. I really can’t tell if they think I’m Harper. I think they might think I’m still Andrew and now I wear dresses.”
Throughout the film, Ferrell is visibly willing the world to love his friend like he does. When Steele is misgendered in a diner, Ferrell is clumsily supportive as the scales fall from his eyes, while Steele is quietly crushed.
But they continue. More mistakes are made. More lessons are learnt. Ferrell’s openness sees him pose with Indiana governor Eric Holcomb at a Pacers basketball game – unwittingly celeb-washing the Republican politician’s previous support for anti-trans legislation. The social media response to the pair is even more upsetting.
As Steele opens up about the feelings she kept to herself for so long, tears flow. But a bottomless supply of love and support and tubes of Pringles sees the pair arrive on the West Coast with their friendship and understanding deeper than ever.
Ferrell’s fame is such that this film will be widely seen worldwide, where its influence will be hugely positive. As Ferrell learns more about his friend and has his eyes open to the prejudice Steele will face, he is also able to help Steele with something.
Steele begins this film feeling fearful. “The biggest question when people come out of the closet is, will I still be loved?” By the end of her trip, with a little help from her famous friend, she has a resoundingly positive answer.
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Will & Harper is in cinemas now and on Netflix from 27 September.
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