Netflix's "Baby Reindeer" sparks $170M lawsuit from alleged stalker
"Baby Reindeer" has become a Netflix phenomenon. Shortly after its premiere, it was revealed who Richard Gadd's stalker was. Now, she demands millions in compensation from Netflix.
"Baby Reindeer" is a story about an aspiring comedian and a woman who became his stalker. A story that truly happened and involves actor and co-creator of the series, Richard Gadd. The true identity of the stalker, who is named Martha in the production, was not disclosed by the crew. "While creating the series, we were very careful because this woman is still alive. We would never want anyone to find or identify this person. We were keen to separate the serial Martha from the real woman. We didn't want to interfere in any way with her life. Richard was the only link to the real materials from the case," said Weronika Tofilska, who co-directed the series, in an interview with us.
Richard Gadd breaks his silence
In the series, Gadd plays bartender Donny, with whom Martha is obsessed. She is portrayed by Jessica Gunning, known among others from the series Fortitude." Baby Reindeer immediately became a phenomenon, reaching the number one spot on Netflix in 30 countries. Shortly after the series premiere, Fiona Harvey appeared on Piers Morgan's show, confessing that she is the real Martha and claiming she had a relationship with Richard Gadd.
The interview caused quite a sensation. Harvey additionally decided to sue Netflix and demand significant compensation – specifically $170 million CAD. Will there be a trial? According to Deadline, a decision will be made on September 3 at 9 AM EST whether the proceedings will start or if the lawsuit will be dismissed.
Richard Gadd, who had previously not commented on Fiona Harvey's actions, joined the case. A letter was submitted to the court, where Gadd officially supports Netflix and emphasizes that if necessary, he will testify during the trial. "I am a comedian, writer, and actor. I created, wrote, and starred in the Netflix series Baby Reindeer (the ‘Series’). I have personal knowledge of the facts set forth below and, if called as a witness, could and would testify competently thereto," he added.
His statement is 21 pages long. Richard Gadd emphasizes that for several years he lived in great stress and terror due to the persistent contacts from the stalker. "It is impossible to comprehensively describe all of Harvey's behaviours, as there were so many unwanted personal interactions and attempts to interfere in my life and many deeply disturbing communications," he wrote while presenting all the evidence he had gathered against Harvey over the years, noting that this is just a "microcosm of the entire harassment" he experienced.
"I never intended the series to identify any real person as Martha Scott, including Harvey. Like all characters in the series, Martha is a fictional character with fictional personality traits that are very different than Harvey’s," he wrote.
Let's add that Richard Gadd is not mentioned in Fiona Harvey's lawsuit. The woman is suing Netflix. The streaming giant's representatives noted in media interviews that they have full rights to show the series. Now, we must wait for the court's decision. Will the fact that "Baby Reindeer" was promoted as a "true story" rather than a "series based on a true story" matter?
