Netflix has acknowledged that the woman who inspired the character Martha in its “Baby Reindeer” series was never convicted of stalking Richard Gadd. This concession could potentially vindicate the real Martha’s $170 million defamation lawsuit against the streamer.
In the show billed as his “true story,” Gadd created and starred as a failing comedian/daytime bartender who encounters a woman named Martha, who eventually becomes his stalker. The series depicts her harassing and assaulting him in various episodes and being arrested for stalking, with one instance mirroring Gadd’s real-life experience.
Following the show’s release, fans identified Fiona Harvey as Gadd’s real-life Martha based on years of tweets she had sent him. These tweets were reflected in the series through the thousands of texts Martha sent Gadd’s character, including one that closely resembled a specific tweet she had sent.
Harvey subsequently sued Netflix for allegedly inadequately concealing her identity as the inspiration for Martha and for falsely portraying her as a convicted criminal who sexually assaulted or attacked Gadd, among other violent plot points in the “true story.”
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In May, Netflix’s U.K. policy director Benjamin King stated that the show depicted Gadd’s abuse by a convicted stalker in a hearing for the British Parliament’s Culture, Media and Sport Committee. However, after a committee member requested evidence of the conviction and found none, King clarified that the person on whom the show was based was subject to a court order, not a conviction.
Despite Harvey’s lawsuit, a Netflix spokesperson stated that this clarification does not alter the streamer’s legal stance. Netflix had previously stated its intention to vigorously defend against the lawsuit and support Richard Gadd’s right to tell his story.
Gadd, who was not named as a defendant in Harvey’s lawsuit, filed a statement in support of Netflix’s motion to dismiss the complaint. He emphasized that while “Baby Reindeer” was based on real trauma, it was a fictionalized story not intended as a documentary or realistic portrayal.
Gadd further explained that the series was not meant to depict real individuals, including Fiona Harvey, and he discouraged viewers from speculating about the characters’ real-life counterparts prior to Harvey being identified. Despite the legal dispute, “Baby Reindeer” has garnered success since its release, receiving 11 Emmy nominations earlier this month.
