Baby Reindeer scandal: Netflix faces €160m lawsuit from alleged stalker
"Baby Reindeer" has become a Netflix phenomenon. Shortly after its premiere, it was revealed who Richard Gadd's stalker really is. She demanded millions in compensation from Netflix. What's next?
"Baby Reindeer" is a story about an aspiring comedian and a woman who became his stalker. It is a story that truly happened and involved the 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 cautious because this woman is still alive. We would never want anyone to find and 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 WP.
Richard Gadd breaks his silence
In the series, Gadd played 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, claiming she had a relationship with Richard Gadd.
The interview caused quite a sensation. Harvey also sued Netflix and demanded high compensation – specifically €160 million. Will there be a trial? According to Deadline, a decision will be made on 3 September on 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 emphasises that he will testify during the trial if necessary. "I am a comedian, writer, and actor. I created, wrote, and starred in the Netflix series 'Baby Reindeer,'" he wrote in a declaration submitted on 28 July. "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 emphasised that for several years he lived in great stress and terror due to the persistent contacts from the stalker. It would be "impossible to be exhaustive in setting out all of Harvey’s conduct, as there were so many instances of unwelcome personal interaction and attempts to engage, as well as deeply troubling communication," he wrote while presenting all the evidence he had gathered against Harvey over the years, noting that this is just "a microcosm of the sheer scale of her targeted harassment" he experienced.
"I never intended the series to identify any real person as Martha Scott, including Harvey. Martha Scott is not Fiona 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?
