Crystal Harris, who was married to Playboy founder Hugh Hefner until his death in 2017, is asking Jessica Biel to reconsider playing the fictional version of Hefner’s wife in the upcoming movie “Playmates.”
After Biel’s casting was announced, Harris messaged Biel on Instagram, saying, “If this movie aims to romanticize her or the world of Playboy, please reconsider playing Hugh Hefner’s wife. I was actually his wife and was subjected to sexual, emotional, financial, and physical abuse in that relationship.”
Jack Nicholson’s daughter, Lorraine Nicholson, is writing and directing the Searchlight film, which also stars Bill Pullman as Hefner, Lily-Rose Depp and “The HousemaidIndiana Elle.”
“Many other women have also come forward with allegations of rape, coercion, drug use and exploitation,” Harris wrote. “There are also deep concerns about minors. I hope everyone involved in this film will take the time to listen to the women who lived through this movie before helping Hollywood turn it into nostalgia.”
After Hefner’s death, Harris described her experiences at the “toxic” Playboy mansion in her 2024 memoir “Only Say Good Things: Surviving Playboy and Finding Myself.”
According to the synopsis, “Playmates” meets Elle (Elle), a 13-year-old know-it-all who calls the Playboy Mansion her second home, and Anna (Depp), one of seven hopefuls vying to be Playmate of the Month. The two form an unlikely friendship and try to help each other get what the other wants most: a magazine cover and a boy.” Nicholson wrote for magazines about his childhood experiences at the Playboy Mansion.