Jessica Biel to Play Hugh Hefner’s Wife in ‘Playmates’ Movie for Searchlight

Jessica Biel has joined the cast of the upcoming film “Playmates,” Variety has learned.

Biel will now star opposite previously announced cast members Lily-Rose Depp, Bill Pullman, and Indiana Elle. The film will mark the feature writing and directorial debut of Lorraine Nicholson.

The official logline for “Playmates” states, “Elle (Elle), a thirteen-year-old know-it-all who considers the Playboy Mansion her second home, meets Anna (Depp), one of seven hopefuls vying to be Playmate of the Month. The two form an unlikely friendship and try to help each other get what the other wants most, a magazine cover and a boy.”

Biel will play the wife of Hugh Hefner (Pullman) in the film, who is herself a former Playmate. While Hefner was married multiple times in real life, the character Biel will play is fictional.

As an actress, Biel has starred in films like “The Illusionist,” “New Year’s Eve,” “Valentine’s Day,” and “The A-Team,” as well as series like “7th Heaven,” “Candy,” “The Sinner,” and “The Better Sister.” Her work in “The Sinner” earned her both an Emmy and Golden Globe nomination. Biel has also been highly active and successful as a producer in recent years. Via her Iron Ocean production banner, she has executive produced shows like “Cruel Summer” and “Limetown,” as well as her own starring vehicles like “Candy” and “The Sinner.”

She is repped by UTA, LBI Entertainment, The Lede Company, and Yorn Levine Barnes.

Searchlight Pictures is the studio behind “Playmates.” As mentioned above, Nicholson will write and direct. Alex Orlovsky and Duncan Montgomery will produce via High Frequency Entertainment, with Depp producing in addition to starring. Searchlight vice president of production Richard Ruiz and creative executive Cornelia Burleigh will oversee the project for the studio.