NEWSCrystal Harris Begs Jessica Biel Not to Play Hugh Hefner's Wife in Upcoming Movie as Model Accuses Late Husband of 'Financial and Physical Abuse'
Crystal Harris messaged Jessica Biel on Instagram.
Oct. 8 2026, Published 4:11 p.m. ET
Crystal Harris pleaded with actress Jessica Biel to not take on the role of Hugh Hefner's wife in an upcoming film.
Hefner's ex-spouse shared a screenshot of a direct message she sent to the actress via her Instagram on Thursday, October 8.
'Listen to the Women Who Lived It'
Crystal Harris said she was abused by Hugh Hefner during their relationship.
"Dear @jessicabiel..." she captioned the upload, which read, "Please reconsider playing Hugh Hefner's 'wife' if this film intends to romanticize him or the P------ 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," she continued. "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."
Jessica Biel will star in the film with Bill Pullman as Hugh Hefner.
The message came shortly after it was announced that Biel joined the cast of Playmates, an upcoming Searchlight Pictures film written and directed by Lorraine Nicholson.
She is set to play Hefner’s wife opposite Bill Pullman, who was cast as the late mogul. However, despite the obvious parallel to Hefner’s real life, Biel’s character is reportedly fictional and is not based on any of his former spouses.
- No Holding Back! Holly Madison's Craziest and Wildest Confessions About Hugh Hefner
- Hugh Hefner's Former Girlfriends Kristina & Karissa Shannon Reveal Life In The Playboy Mansion Left Them With PTSD & Severe Depression
- Crystal Hefner Admits She Was Never 'in Love' With Late Husband Hugh: 'I Lost Myself in the Process'
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'I Was Absolutely Brainwashed'
Crystal Harris revealed what it was like to be married to Hugh Hefner in an interview.
During an episode of Firerose’s “No One Asked Her” podcast released on August 16, Hefner’s third wife opened up about living under his control.
Harris admitted it took leaving the mansion for her to understand just how much her world had been shaped by living there.
"I think I was absolutely brainwashed, but there was nothing out there that validated me," she confessed.
"So, I just thought I was the crazy one because all of the media put Hef on such a pedestal that I'm like, 'OK, if they all see him as this larger-than-life amazing human, there must be something wrong with me,'" Harris continued.
'It Took Him Dying for Me to Leave'
Crystal Harris called Hugh Hefner's strict rules 'coercive control.'
"I remember when I left, I mean, it took him dying for me to leave," she told Firerose. "When I finally left, I didn't even know how to turn the headlights on in my car because I was always home before dark."
"Movie night was at 6, and that's an early time, and I had to be there ... so it was kind of disguised — the coercive control, like, 'Oh, that's the time for movie night.' OK, that's the time for my curfew and my control," Harris added about the strict rules.
Harris lived in the mansion for almost a decade and married Hefner in 2012. They remained together until he died in 2017.
