Will Ferrell got emotional while talking about his best friend Harper Steele’s transition during an event in London on Sunday.
The 57-year-old actor and Steele, a former head writer for Saturday Night Live, took part in a Q&A session during a preview of their upcoming Netflix documentary, Will & Harper, at BFI Southbank.
In the documentary directed by Josh Greenbaum, Ferrell and Steele, who came out as transgender at age 61, embark on a road trip during which they discuss Steele’s transition.
The Irvine, California-born star held back tears during a discussion with Greenbaum about how she discussed the issue with Steele, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The Elf star said: “I don’t want to make a mistake. I don’t want to ask the wrong question.”
Will Ferrell, 57, got emotional while talking about his best friend Harper Steele’s (left) transition during an event in London on Sunday.
The Elf actor and Steele, a former head writer on Saturday Night Live, took part in a Q&A during a preview of his upcoming Netflix documentary, Will & Harper, at BFI Southbank.
Ferrell continued: “We just wanted to capture a conversation between two friends and take it to a level where hopefully the audience could hear me as I ask these questions to my dear friend.”
Ferrell said Harper allows him to “make those mistakes and encourages him to ask questions.”
Greenbaum said of documenting the friendship: ‘I have so much love for him, for both people, that it was a gift to be able to express it on film.
“But I just hope that (Ferrell) continues to get all the love that he deserves. Because he’s brought so much good to the world. And so many times we take for granted comedians who bring us joy and love throughout our lives and make our everyday life so much easier, so I hope he feels that.”
As Ferrell wiped his eyes, Steele joked, “What is this shit?”
Steele spoke about an emotional moment he had in London years ago.
“I was in London shooting a film with Will just before the pandemic, about the Eurovision Song Contest,” Steele said. “And I was at the beginning of this experience, but it was a difficult period for me in London.”
“And walking around London, going to buy my Greggs sausage dressed as myself, finally, was an immense joy. Thank you.”
In the documentary directed by Josh Greenbaum, Ferrell and Steele, who came out as transgender at age 61, embark on a road trip during which they discuss Steele’s transition.
Ferrell said Harper allows him to “make those mistakes and encourages him to question them.”
Ferrell, Greenbaum and Steele pictured at Sunday’s event.
Ferrell said that amid the more than two-week journey, “Every day there was a highlight,” as he and Steele sought to “make each other laugh all the time.”
The documentary also features cameos from SNL personalities Tina Fey, Seth Meyers and Kristen Wiig.
Ferrell said that during the more than two-week trip, “Every day there was a highlight,” as he and Steele sought to “make each other laugh all the time.”
She added: ‘And the highlights were from Harper showing us pictures of herself on a unicycle, the way she used to get around Iowa City, only to be in front of her childhood home and this young person showing up on a unicycle… crazy… and even though they didn’t recognise me.
“Then Harper gets on a unicycle in heels. Between that and our chance encounter at the Grand Canyon with a retired therapist who’s trying to make amends for a situation she didn’t know how to handle and Harper giving her comfort.”
Ferrell added: “Surprising Harper in a pool wearing my bathing suit… that was a really special moment.”
Ferrell said earlier this month that he looks back with regret on his impersonation of the late Janet Reno on Saturday Night Live.
Ferrell said The New York Times Podcast On September 7, he spoke about his past impersonation on the NBC comedy show, saying, “That’s something I wouldn’t choose to do now.”
Ferrell, who appeared alongside Steele on the podcast, said the impression of the late U.S. attorney general “now rings false.”
Ferrell says he looks back with regret on his Saturday Night Live impression of the late Janet Reno
The Irvine, California-born star said the impression people have of the late US attorney general “now rings a little false.”
Reno, who served under former President Bill Clinton, died at the age of 78 in November 2016 from complications of Parkinson’s disease.
In his Reno impersonation, Ferrell dressed in drag for a regular segment titled Janet Reno’s Dance Party, performing in skits alongside former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and actor Kevin Spacey, who dressed in drag to portray former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala.
Reno, the first woman to hold the position, appeared on the segment after leaving the Justice Department in January 2001.
Steele said that in retrospect, the bit was “not funny at all” and had little comedic value.
“I’m a little bit put off by this. I understand that the laughter is a drag-out laugh,” Steele said. “It’s like they’re saying, ‘Hey, look at this guy in a dress, and that’s funny.’ It’s not funny at all.”
“It’s a way we should be able to live in the world. But with actors and performers, I like there to be a sense of play.”
On the podcast, the Anchorman actor said there had been “a fair amount” of segments “where I regretted the choice” to act in them.
The Elf star added: “I mean, in a way, the cast, they’re given this task, so I’m going to blame the writers,” to which Steele jokingly noted: “Yeah, he’s not to blame at all.”
In his impersonation of Reno, Ferrell dressed in drag in a regular segment titled Janet Reno’s Dance Party.
Ferrell starred alongside actor Kevin Spacey, who dressed in drag to portray former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala.
Ferrell appeared alongside former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani in a sketch
Reno and former President Bill Clinton pictured at a press conference in July 1993
Ferrell said in a 1998 interview with The Washington Post magazine that had tried to give a “large and physical” presence to its depiction of Reno, and that it amused the idea of a “large woman mistreating people.”
Ferrell added: “I originally wanted to do this thing where she was almost like a bodyguard to President Clinton and they were in Cabinet meetings and she didn’t say anything, and then if Clinton didn’t like the person, she’d say something like, ‘Bill, do you want me to get rid of him? ‘”
Ferrell, who developed the character alongside former SNL writer Scott Wainio, told the publication: “We just created this kind of tough woman who lives in an imaginary world.”
According to the paper, Reno said of the sketches in 1998: “I thought it was some kind of parody of this big 6-foot-10 girl. I can’t understand why anyone is so interested in me.”
Ferrell told the paper that year of the impression she made on him: “I just sound like she looks… I hate to simplify it to something as simple as the fact that she’s tall, but it’s almost as simple as that.”
Will & Harper begins streaming on Netflix on September 27.
