Crystal Harris, the widow of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, is publicly urging actress Jessica Biel to step away from an upcoming film about the Playboy world. Harris shared a message she says she sent to Biel, asking her to reconsider taking part in the project, titled “Playmates.”
A Direct Appeal to the Cast
According to TODAY.com, Biel has been cast as a fictionalized version of Hefner’s wife in the movie. Harris’s note warns against joining a production that she believes may present Hefner and the Playboy universe in a flattering, nostalgic light. Her appeal was aimed at Biel personally, but it also reads as a message to everyone involved in the film.
Harris also raised what she described as serious concerns involving minors. She did not frame the issue as a matter of taste alone. In her view, the history of the Playboy empire includes troubling episodes that she thinks should not be softened for a mainstream audience.
Listen to the Women Who Lived It
A central point in Harris’s message is that the filmmakers should hear from women who experienced that environment firsthand before the story is turned into entertainment. She voiced hope that those involved would take the time to do so, rather than helping Hollywood repackage the period as a source of fond remembrance.
The comments add to an ongoing debate over how the film industry handles stories drawn from controversial figures and institutions. Projects that revisit past eras of celebrity and glamour often draw scrutiny over whether they confront the harms associated with them or gloss over those harms in favor of style and spectacle.
Studio Silence for Now
“Playmates” is being produced by Searchlight Pictures. TODAY.com said the studio did not respond to its request for comment on Harris’s post or on Biel’s casting. Biel has also not been quoted in the reporting responding to the appeal.
With no reply from either the studio or the actress so far, it is unclear whether the criticism will lead to any change in the production. The film has not been described in the available coverage as having altered its plans, and details about its tone and approach to the material remain limited.
Why It Matters
Harris is one of the most prominent people tied to Hefner’s later years, which gives her public plea extra weight in the conversation around the project. Her message is likely to shape how audiences and commentators view the film long before its release, particularly if the production remains quiet about how it intends to handle the more difficult parts of the Playboy story.
For now, the focus is on whether Biel and Searchlight will respond to a request that puts the film’s casting and storytelling choices under a spotlight at an early stage of its life.
Source: TODAY.com
