After Coming Out as Trans, Harper Steele and BFF Will Farrell Hit the Road in Touching Netflix Doc

Will Ferrell's best friend Harper Steele came out as trans several years after he already knew her, and he finds in their new Netflix doc "Will & Harper" that he is still learning things about being transgender.

"I think we fear what we don't know," Ferrell told The Independent about why transphobia exists.

When Steele came out, she sent a direct letter with clear demands of their friendship. "I just ask you as my friend to stand up for me," Steele reportedly wrote. "Do your best to, if I'm misgendered, just speak up on my behalf, that's all I ask."

Their doc recounts how Steele's coming out as transgender has affected their friendship and outlook on the world.

"We met a lot of people who were just..." Ferrell started. "Who were just... 'You do you – you're not a threat.'"

However, Ferrell admitted that "there is hatred out there."

He added, "It's very real and it's very unsafe for trans people in certain situations." But he said he still doesn'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."

Now that Steele is able to live in truth, Ferrell said it has made him more puzzled about why the world is the way it is.

"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?" he said. "Why is that threatening to you? If the trans community is a threat to you, I think it stems from not being confident or safe with yourself."

Ever the comedian, Ferrell broke up the seriousness of the conversation with a witty remark.

"Well, that's my lame answer," he said.

However, Steele backed him up.

"It was a good one," she said. "You should write a paper on it."

Ferrell and Steele met in 1995 when they both joined "Saturday Night Live." Ferrell, of course, was in front of the camera as a legendary improv actor, and Steele was behind the scenes as a writer. Their talents are still making magic years later, and it shows in "Will & Harper."

Watch the documentary now on Netflix or read the full interview in the Independent.