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Netflix Sued Over ‘Baby Reindeer’ Stalker Character Inspired by Real-Life Events
Explore the controversy as Netflix faces a lawsuit over its ‘Baby Reindeer’ stalker character, allegedly inspired by real-life events. Dive into the details of the case and its implications for creative storytelling and real-world accountability.
Netflix Faces Lawsuit Over “Baby Reindeer” Character
In a surprising turn of events, Netflix has been sued by a woman who alleges that she was the inspiration for the stalker character in the popular series “Baby Reindeer.” The show’s creator, Richard Gadd, responded to the lawsuit with court documents filed on Monday, revealing that he himself had been stalked by the plaintiff, Fiona Harvey, in real life. Gadd asserts that the show is a “fictionalized retelling” and does not reflect actual events.
In his declaration submitted to federal court in Los Angeles, Mr. Gadd detailed the harassment he experienced at the hands of Ms. Harvey, noting the disturbing parallels between her actions and those of the character Martha, who stalks Gadd’s character, Donny, in “Baby Reindeer.” He described how Ms. Harvey visited him repeatedly at the bar where he was employed and inundated him with a staggering number of communications, including:
- Thousands of emails
- Hundreds of voicemails
- A number of handwritten letters, some of which were sexually explicit or threatening
Despite the similarities, Gadd emphasized that “Baby Reindeer” is a work of drama, stating, “It is not a documentary or an attempt at realism.” He elaborated, “While the series is based on my life and real-life events and is, at its core, emotionally true, it does not aim to recount the events and feelings I experienced in a literal sense. It is a fictionalized narrative and is not intended to portray actual facts.”
Mr. Gadd’s declaration was part of a motion filed by Netflix, seeking to dismiss the defamation lawsuit brought forth by Ms. Harvey. In her complaint, she argues that the character Martha is a direct representation of her and claims that the series has defamed her by depicting the character as a convicted stalker who, at one point, sexually assaults Gadd’s character. Ms. Harvey maintains that she has never been convicted of any crime and has never assaulted Mr. Gadd in any way.