Notorious Goofball Will Ferrell Gets Serious About Transphobia: 'I Don't Know Why Trans People Are Meant To Be Threatening to Me'
"Why would you care if somebody's happy?"
Will Ferrell gave fans rare insight into his serious side during a promotional interview for his new documentary, when he was asked about his thoughts on transphobia.
The 'Anchorman' and 'Old School' star is making the rounds promoting his latest endeavor, 'Will & Harper,' a documentary that follows Ferrell and his best friend as they take a road trip together. The two met nearly 30 years ago at 'Saturday Night Live,' where Harper Steele was a clever writer who clicked with Ferrell and became an early champion of his potential.
A couple years ago, Steele came out to Ferrell as trans in a letter. "I just ask you as my friend to stand up for me," she wrote.
Her transition came with uncertainty about how the world would receive her, and that uncertainty drove Steele, Ferrell and filmmaker Josh Greenbaum to venture into the world and find out. Their journey became 'Will & Harper.'
During his interview with Adam White, Ferrell said, "I think we fear what we don't know," when questioned about transphobia. "There is hatred out there, 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," Ferrell said of his friend.
"It's so strange to me, because Harper is finally... her. 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?" he asks.
"If the trans community is a threat to you, I think it stems from not being confident or safe with yourself," Ferrell says as he concludes his uncharacteristically earnest exposition.
'Will & Harper' is available to stream on Netflix as of Sept. 27.
