Richard Gadd, the writer and star of Netflix’s 2024 hit Baby Reindeer, has confirmed where he stands in regard to the defamation lawsuit that the real-life stalker filed when she discovered Netflix was making millions from “her story.” Through an official statement, Gadd shared the following words:
I have personal knowledge of the facts set forth below and, if called as a witness, could and would testify competently thereto.
Baby Reindeer is a dark comedy drama that follows a comedian named Donny Dunn, as he navigates the rocky part of his career. He’s not exactly a hugely successful stand-up comedian, so he’s forced to hold a side job as a bartender. This is how he meets Martha, a customer who Donny thinks needs to be cheered up with a cup of tea. The next day, Martha comes back and demands some attention. Donny’s “problem” is that he lets things go too far, and Martha begins stalking him, his family, and his girlfriend. When Donny eventually tries to do something about this, he goes to the police, who hesitate to take him seriously. Donny’s trauma is so heavy that it forces him to revisit a dark past in which he was the victim of something much more sinister.
Gadd wrote the series and stars as Dunn. Throughout the series, it is proclaimed that the events are based on a true story. Exactly how much was accurately based on real events seemed irrelevant to viewers, who instantly began searching for the real counterparts of the characters in the series. Fiona Harvey eventually came forward to confirm she was the real-life “Martha”, and almost immediately began pursuing Netflix for damages. The lawsuit mentions the staggering amount of $170 million.
Baby Reindeer (2024)
4.5/5
A seemingly innocent interaction with a customer turns into a chaotic journey as the life of aspiring comedian Donny spirals out of control and brings up the past.
- Release Date
- April 11, 2024
- Cast
- Richard Gadd , Jessica Gunning , Danny Kirrane , Nava Mau
According to the The Hollywood Reporter, Gadd shared his feelings on the who situation as he sees it. He said:
“I am a comedian, writer, and actor. I created, wrote and starred in the Netflix series
Baby Reindeer
. I have personal knowledge of the facts set forth below and, if called as a witness, could and would testify competently thereto. I submit this declaration in support of defendants Netflix, Inc., and Netflix Worldwide Entertainment, LLC’s special motion to strike.”
[
Baby Reindeer
] is about my personal struggles with my sexual identity and experiences with sexual abuse, harassment. The series is a dramatic work. It is not a documentary or an attempt at realism.
“While the series is based on my life and real-life events and is, at its core, emotionally true, it is not a beat-by-beat recounting of the events and emotions I experienced as they transpired. It is fictionalized and is not intended to portray actual facts.”
Baby Reindeer is One of Netflix’s Biggest Hits, But is the Result Worth the Hassle?
Baby Reindeer has been one of Netflix’s most-viewed shows in recent years. Upon release, everyone was talking about it, and critics hailed the series as a 98% success story on Rotten Tomatoes. It is pretty clear that after the real Martha showed up on television, those who hadn’t seen the show binged it very quickly. 11 Emmy nominations later, there’s no question that, in this case, there’s no bad publicity.
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As both sides prepare for what will be a unique case of truth versus fiction in a courtroom, Baby Reindeer continues to entice in new viewers. If the case makes it to court, it would not be surprising to see the show climb up the Netflix chart once again. For now, though, everyone involved just seems to be waiting for the inevitable legal showdown to get underway.
All episodes of
Baby Reindeer
are available to stream on Netflix.