Ferrell and Harper will describe the “intense” moment of transphobia at the Texas diner from Steele Dock

Will Ferrell and Harper Steele's visit to the Lone Star State was not met with southern hospitality.

While discussing their Netflix documentary Will and HarperLongtime friends described an “intense” moment of transphobic microaggression at the Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo, Texas, that didn't make the final cut.

“We had a little toast, and I said something about passing a trans bill,” Steele said The New York Times. “And the room kind of flipped and a little bit and a woman screamed, 'We still love you.' I hate the phrase. I could be completely misinterpreting this woman, but my feeling in this room was: 'yet' is conditional. You still love me when I finally let go of being trans and surrender my life to Christ. They still love me even though I'm some sinner or something. I felt it.”

Steele explained, “The room was starting to feel very wrong to me. I was feeling a little bit like my transness was on display, I guess, and suddenly that kind of made me feel great.”

Last year, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 14, which banned gender-affirming care for transgender youth. In June, the Texas Supreme Court upheld the decision. Other bills passed by the state seek to prevent drag shows in public places and force transgender student athletes to compete on sports teams aligned with their biological sex.

Ferrell said he felt “remorse” and “guilt” for putting Steele in that situation, noting, “The saddest part for me is … I feel … I feel like I let you down in that moment. .”

“I really had no idea how intense it was going to be and felt responsible for not properly assessing the situation we were putting ourselves in,” he added. “It felt like this was going to be a benign place where you eat a big steak for a period of time, and then you leave and there's a thousand people sitting in this room and I was like, 'Oh, why are we here?'

Directed by Josh Greenbaum, Will and Harper Follows Ferrell as he finds the former Saturday Night Live Writer Steele, her best friend of 30 years, is coming out as a transgender woman. The two decide to embark on a cross-country road trip to process this new phase of their relationship in an intimate portrait of friendship, transition, and America.

After meeting SNL and co-wrote Netflix Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020), Steele announced his transition to Ferrell and Beloved in 2022.

After its Sundance premiere in January, Netflix moved on Will and Harper An eight-figure deal.