Playboy Mansion Film 'Playmates' Sparks Controversy Between Hugh Hefner's Wives
A new Hollywood film about the Playboy Mansion titled Playmates faces backlash from Hugh Hefner's widow Crystal Hefner, who urged actress Jessica Biel to reconsider her role due to alleged abuse, while his ex-wife Kimberly Hefner defended his memory.
Hollywood is currently working on a new film titled Playmates, which takes place at the Playboy Mansion and follows an unexpected friendship between a 13-year-old girl and a young woman aspiring to become a magazine model. The film was written and directed by Lauren Nicholson, daughter of actor Jack Nicholson, inspired by her childhood friendships with the children of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner. However, the project is already drawing criticism from those who knew that world firsthand.
Crystal Hefner, the widow of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, reached out to Jessica Biel, who is set to portray one of his wives in the film, asking her to reconsider her participation. Over the weekend, Crystal published a screenshot on Instagram of a private message she sent to the actress, writing: Please reconsider your participation in portraying Hugh Hefner's 'wife' if the film intends to portray him or the Playboy world in a positive and romantic light. I was his wife, and I experienced sexual, emotional, financial, and physical abuse in that relationship.
Concerns Over the Legacy and Past
She later added that other women have raised allegations of rape, coercion, drugging, and exploitation, while also noting disturbing concerns regarding minors. I hope everyone involved in the film takes the time to listen to the women who lived it, before helping Hollywood present this past in a nostalgic light once again, she stated. Crystal, who was married to Hefner from 2012 until his death in 2017 at the age of 91, expressed hope that the film would not glorify his memory. Since women are at the center of the film, I hope it ultimately conveys a message of empowerment: that women can find fulfillment, independence, and a sense of identity outside the Playboy world, she wrote.
In contrast, Kimberly Hefner, Hugh Hefner's ex-wife, presented a completely different picture of her former husband and defended his memory in an Instagram post. I was married to Hefner for more than 21 years. We shared a lifetime of beautiful memories, raised two wonderful sons together, and shared a very loving bond that remained strong until his death in 2017 and continues to accompany me to this day, she wrote. I have often told him that if you look up the word 'gentleman' in the dictionary, you find his name and his picture.
Plot Details and Cast
The film, produced by Searchlight Pictures, follows Elle (Indiana Elle), a 13-year-old girl who sees the Playboy Mansion as a second home. There she meets Anna (Lily-Rose Depp), one of seven young women competing for the title of Playmate of the Month. An unexpected friendship develops between the two, helping each other achieve their dreams: winning a magazine cover and finding love. Bill Pullman will portray Hugh Hefner, while Biel will play a fictional character not based on any of his three actual wives.