Watch: Holly Madison Weighs in on Jessica Biel’s ‘Playboy’ Movie Amid Criticism
Bridget Marquardt is playing nice.
After Hugh Hefner’s ex-wife Crystal Harris publicly implored Jessica Biel to step back from her role as the Playboy publisher’s wife in the upcoming film Playmates, The Girls Next Door alum defended the choice to take the part.
“Honestly, I don’t think Jessica probably even knows who she is and if she does—she might know now—but I don’t think Jessica should respond,” Marquardt said during an Oct. 16 appearance on the TMZ podcast. “I think they are looking for attention and I don’t think she should respond to it.”
Indeed, Biel has not yet responded to Harris’ Oct. 9 Instagram post, in which the 40-year-old—who was married to Hefner from 2012 to 2017—posted a screenshot of a direct message to Biel where she alleged abuse she suffered from the magazine founder. (E! News had previously reached out to Biel’s rep concerning the post but did not hear back.)
And when it comes to whether Biel should move forward with the project? Marquardt is ready to yell action, noting, “I think she should totally do the role, yeah.”
Biel’s casting as Hefner’s wife in the upcoming Playmates film—directed by Lorraine Nicholson and also starring Bill Pullman as Hefner—was announced earlier this month. And though the businessman was married to Harris, as well as Mildred Williams and Kimberley Conrad, the 7th Heaven alum’s character will be fictional.
For Marquardt, she doesn’t think Harris has a right to tell anyone not to tell the story.
“What bothers me is that somebody doesn’t want other people to tell their story,” she continued. “I don’t like that she doesn’t want Lorraine to tell her story or Jessica to be a part of it. I feel like everybody should be allowed to tell their story.”
Meanwhile, the former Playboy cover star, for her part, is excited about the upcoming Searchlight film, especially considering Nicholson—daughter to Jack Nicholson—spent a large part of her childhood at the Playboy mansion.
Photo by Michael Loccisano/WireImage
“I’m happy for Lorraine and I’m excited to see what she comes up with,” Marquardt mused. “I believe her time at the mansion was in the early to mid ‘90s and she was kind of a teen, pre-teen at that time.”
Marquardt—who lived at the mansion during the aughts—emphasized that the film was going to depict a truly unique time at the Playboy mansion.
“Hef was married with small kids,” she recalled. “I’ve heard that the lifestyle and everything at the mansion was totally different back then. So, I’m excited to see the movie. I hope that it’s true to her experience there and I would like to see a glimpse of what life was like back then and coming from her perspective.”
For a look at life inside the Playboy mansion, keep reading….
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