Hugh Hefner's Ex-Girlfriend Defends Jessica Biel's Casting in Playboy Mansion Film

Hugh Hefner's ex-girlfriend Bridget Marquardt has defended Jessica Biel's casting as his wife in an upcoming film about the Playboy Mansion, pushing back against public criticism from Hefner's widow, Crystal Harris. Marquardt suggested that Harris's request for Biel to reconsider the role might be an attempt to gain attention.

"I think they are looking for attention, and I don't think she should respond to it. I think she should totally do the role," Marquardt stated on The TMZ Podcast. She added that Biel might not even be aware of Crystal Harris.

Marquardt, who dated Hefner and lived with him from 2002 to 2009, expressed her support for the project, titled "Playmates." She noted that while Crystal Harris was married to Hefner for about five years until his death in 2017, her time at the mansion may have been in the early to mid-90s, a period Marquardt suggested was different from her own experience.

"Hef was married with small kids. I've heard that the lifestyle and everything at the mansion was totally different back then," Marquardt said, indicating her interest in seeing director Lorraine Nicholson's interpretation.

Earlier in October, reports emerged that Biel would portray a fictionalized version of Harris in "Playmates." Bill Pullman is slated to play Hefner in the film, which also features Lily-Rose Depp and Indiana Elle. Lorraine Nicholson, daughter of Jack Nicholson, wrote and directed the movie.

Following the casting news, Crystal Harris reportedly privately messaged Biel on Instagram, urging her to reconsider the role. Harris later shared this message publicly, writing, "Please reconsider playing Hugh Hefner's 'wife' if this film intends to romanticize him or the Playboy world." She detailed her experiences of sexual, emotional, financial, and physical abuse in her relationship with Hefner, and mentioned allegations of rape, coercion, drugging, and exploitation from other women.

Marquardt believes that all women who lived at the Playboy Mansion should have the freedom to share their stories, whether positive or negative. "What bothers me is if somebody doesn't want other people to tell their story," she commented. "I feel like everybody should be allowed to tell their story — positive or negative."

However, other figures associated with the Playboy brand have expressed skepticism or opposition to the film. Lisa Guerrero, a former Playboy model and journalist who hosted the A&E exposé "Secrets of Playboy," backed Harris, stating, "Any attempt to soften or humanize this man's image is one too many." Guerrero added that her interviews with numerous women about their abuse experiences were well-documented.

In contrast, Holly Madison, another former "Girls Next Door" star, has expressed enthusiasm for the project. "I can't wait to see it," Madison told TMZ.

Crystal Harris herself has been outspoken, telling the Daily Mail, "Hugh Hefner was not an artist or anyone to be celebrated. He was a narcissistic and misogynistic pornographer who mistreated and exploited women at the highest level."