"Will & Harper" is a documentary centered on Harper Steele's road trip with Will Ferrell, highlighting her experience as a transgender woman. Although the film received acclaim at Sundance 2024, including a spot on the Best Documentary Feature shortlist, it was ultimately snubbed by the Academy. The lengthy awards campaign illustrates the challenges faced by celebrated documentaries that fail to secure Academy nominations. The film's focus is more on Steele's personal transition experience rather than Ferrell's celebrity status, influencing its reception in award considerations.
"I had no idea we were even eligible for an Emmy, quite honestly," said Steele to IndieWire over Zoom. "Depending on the mood I'm in, it was either a cherry on the top or a sad surprise," she joked, thinking back on the prospect of a second year of awards campaigning.
"Will & Harper," about Steele going on a road trip with famous friend Will Ferrell to re-establish their relationship now that she has come out as a transgender woman, is the latest example of the lengthy awards campaign run a celebrated documentary may take, should it not receive an Academy Award nomination.
The presumed reasoning behind why the film was ignored is multilayered. One possibility: comedy superstar Ferrell is one of the subjects of the film, even though "Will & Harper" does not dwell on his celebrity in a way that is similar to a rising documentaries focused on famous people.
The film is much more about Steele's experience transitioning during a fraught time for transgender Americans.
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