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Comedian Will Ferrell is a USC graduate, but he's overcome that to become one of the most well-liked people in the entertainment business.
This week, the Saturday Night Live alum has been giving an object lesson in why his colleagues think so highly of him. During his time on SNL, one of the writers that Ferrell worked with on a regular basis was Harper Steele. Since their time on the show, Steele has come out as trans. And when she broke the news to Ferrell, the actor decided that he needed to do more than just accept the transition.
And so, Ferrell deployed some of his star power, and persuaded Netflix to fund a documentary called Will and Harper. It features highlights of a 2-week road trip that Steele and Ferrell took across the United States, interspersed with interview-type moments where Ferrell asks Steele about being trans.
At the moment, the duo is in the midst of a second road trip across the country, meant to promote the film. As part of the deal with Netflix, Ferrell insisted that it be released shortly before the presidential election. "We wanted it to have enough runway for people to get to see it and hopefully start having important discussions in their living rooms," he explained.
From where we sit, it's nice to see a high-profile individual trying to engage with a controversial issue, and in a way that is non-confrontational. We know that not everyone reading this will approve of what Ferrell is doing. We find, in these situations, that a useful litmus test is: "Would Jimmy Carter approve?" We are confident he would, in this case.
Have a good weekend, all! (Z)