Ferrell: ‘If Trans Community Is a Threat to You, Then It Stems From Not Being Confident or Safe With Yourself’

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 24: Will Ferrell attends Netflix's "Will & Harper" screening at Paris Theater on September 24, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images) — Getty Images

Star Will Ferrell in on a press tour for the Netflix documentary Will & Harper and was asked to share his opinion on why transphobia exists. He answered: “I think we fear what we don’t know.”

“Will & Harper” centers on the friendship between Ferrell and Harper Steele.

The two met in the 1990s during their careers at “Saturday Night Live.” Steele came out as transgender 30 years into their friendship.

Photos from the Los Angeles premiere of “Will & Harper” below.

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, left, Will Ferrell, Mattias Paulin Ferrell, Magnus Paulin Ferrell and guest at the 2024 BMAC Gala at The Beverly Hilton.

Kristen Wiig, left, Will Ferrell and Harper Steele at the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix’s “Will & Harper.”

Chrishell Stause, left, and G Flip at the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix’s “Will & Harper.”

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.”

Harper Steele, left, and Dylan Mulvaney at the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix’s “Will & Harper.”

Netflix Film chairman Dan Lin

Samantha Apfel, left, Alex Schmider and a guest attend Netflix’s “Will & Harper.”

Jen Richards attends Netflix’s “Will & Harper” LA Premiere at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood.

Producer Jessica Elbaum, left, and Jesse Plemons at The Egyptian Theater.

The documentary, which was bought by Netflix after its premiere at Sundance in January, finds the two comedians on a road trip across America as they rediscover their friendship following Steele’s transition.

“There is hatred out there,” Ferrell told The Independent. “It’s very real and it’s very unsafe for trans people in certain situations. … But I don’t know why trans people are meant to be threatening to me as a cis male. I don’t know why Harper is threatening to me.”

“It’s so strange to me, because Harper is finally… her,” he added. “She’s finally who she was always meant to be. Whether or not you can ultimately wrap your head around that, why would you care if somebody’s happy? Why is that threatening to you? If the trans community is a threat to you, I think it stems from not being confident or safe with yourself.”

Ferrell said ahead of the documentary’s premiere that Steele came out as transgender in an email she sent to a handful of friends.

“All of us were extremely supportive and expressed love,” he said. “But that sort of opened the questions like, how can we help you? What do you need us to do?”

Ferrell said he had “zero knowledge” about the trans community before Harper came out to him.

“I had met trans people, but I didn’t have anyone personally in my life,” Ferrell said. “So this was all new territory for me, which is why I think this film is so exciting for us to kind of put out there in the world. It’s a chance all of us in the cis community to be able to ask questions and also just to listen and be there as a friend to discuss this journey.”

Will & Harper begins streaming September 27 on Netflix.

Will & Harper: Will Ferrell on nis New Documentary, Exploring Friendship with a Trans (Transphobia)

Ferrell: ‘If Trans Community Is a Threat to You, Then It Stems From Not Being Confident or Safe With Yourself’

PROFESSOR / CRITIC / AUTHOR