Crystal Harris urges Jessica Biel to rethink Hefner wife role in Playmates

Crystal Harris, who was married to Hugh Hefner from 2012 until his death in 2017, has asked Jessica Biel to reconsider playing Hefner's wife in the film Playmates. The appeal came in an Instagram message that Harris shared publicly after Biel's casting was announced. The Hollywood Reporter reported the message on 9 October.

In that message, Harris said she experienced sexual, emotional, financial and physical abuse during her relationship with Hefner. She asked Biel to think again about the role if the film intends to romanticise Hefner or the world around Playboy. That request was the central point of the note.

Harris first sent the note as a private Instagram direct message, the platform's one-to-one messaging function. She then posted a screenshot of that message to her own public Instagram feed and tagged Biel so the post would link to her account. That two-step sharing was described by Just Jared on 8 October, pointing to Harris's own post.

On her profile, Harris identifies herself as formerly known as Crystal Hefner. She also says she spent a decade inside the Playboy Mansion, according to Instagram. Those descriptions appear on her own account, where she published the message to Biel.

Playmates is a Searchlight Pictures film, as reported by Deadline. It will be the directorial debut of Lorraine Nicholson, a term that means her first time directing a feature. Bill Pullman is cast as Hefner, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Lily-Rose Depp will also star alongside Indiana Elle.

Biel's casting was announced on 7 October. Variety reported that she will star opposite Depp, Pullman and Elle. Elle is described as a child actress.

For anyone coming to this story fresh, the order of events is short and clear. Trade announcements about Biel joining the ensemble appeared on 7 October. Harris published her message the next day, on 8 October. Wider coverage of that message followed on 9 October.