Hugh Hefner’s widow Crystal Harris issues emotional plea to Jessica Biel over Playboy movie
Crystal Harris has publicly urged Jessia Biel to drop her role as the fictionalised wife of Hugh Hefner in the upcoming film Playmates.
Now 40, Harris was the third wife of the late Playboy publisher, and the pair, who had a 60-year age gap, were married from 2012 until his death in September 2017.
She was just 21 years old when they started dating, while Hefner was 81, and since then, she's been open about the struggles she faced and the toxicity of their relationship.
On Thursday (8 October), Harris posted a screenshot to Instagram showing a direct message she sent to Biel, 44.
Advert
It read: "Please reconsider playing Hugh Hefner's 'wife' if this film intends to romanticise him or the Playboy world.
"I was actually his wife, and I experienced sexual, emotional, financial, and physical abuse in that relationship. Many other women have come forward with allegations of rape, coercion, drugging, and exploitation as well.
"There are also deeply troubling concerns involving minors. I hope everyone involved in this film takes the time to listen to the women who lived it before helping Hollywood turn it back into nostalgia."
Harris has previously spoken at length about her experiences in her 2024 memoir Only Say Good Things: Surviving Playboy and Finding Myself, in which she reflected on her time inside the infamous Playboy Mansion and the impact the relationship had on her sense of identity.
She also described the pressures and expectations she said came with life in Hefner's world.
Earlier this year, she demanded an investigation into Hefner's foundation, which she claimed possessed scrapbooks which potentially featured explicit photographs of underage girls.
It comes days after Deadline reported Biel's involvement in the movie, alongside Bill Pullman, who is playing Hefner as previously announced, and Indiana Elle and Lily-Rose Depp.
The outlet reported that they've been told the fictional character isn't specifically modelled off any of Hefner’s three wives: Millie Williams, Kimberley Conrad and Harris.
The film is from actor-turned-director Lorraine Nicholson and centres on life at the Playboy Mansion.
Harris's intervention raises questions about how the production will approach the legacy of the Playboy founder, whose public image as a champion of sexual freedom has been challenged by women who have described troubling experiences within his orbit.
Harris later added in a follow-up Instagram statement: "There has been an overwhelming response to my last post, and I’m so grateful that so much of it has been supportive.
"So many women are speaking up, sharing their experiences, and expressing that they’ve simply had enough.
"Victim blaming is still far too common, especially when it comes to narcissistic and emotional abuse. I know that not everyone has experienced these dynamics firsthand, and I’m genuinely glad for those who haven’t. But I also hope we can listen to and support the women who have, even when their experiences are difficult to understand."
She added: "My goal has always been to support women, amplify their voices, and help create a world where their experiences are taken seriously. That’s where I want to keep putting my energy moving forward.
"Regarding the film, I hope it’s not something that will glorify Hugh Hefner.
"With women in the leading roles, my hope is that the film ultimately delivers a message of empowerment: that women can find fulfilment, independence, and a sense of self beyond Playboy."
Harris's memoir marked a significant shift from the public image she maintained during her marriage, when she had promised Hefner she would only say good things about their time together.
Following his death at 91, she began speaking more openly about what she described as the darker side of the Playboy lifestyle.
Tyla has contacted a representative for Jessica Biel for a comment.
Topics: Hugh Hefner, Playboy, Celebrity, TV And Film, Entertainment
Madison Burgess