Richard Gadd, the creator and star of Netflix’s Emmy-nominated series ‘Baby Reindeer’, is preparing to testify in support of Netflix in its $170 million lawsuit brought by Fiona Harvey, a Scottish woman who claims the show misrepresented her as a convicted stalker. Although Gadd is not a defendant in the suit, he has filed a declaration supporting Netflix’s effort to have the lawsuit dismissed.
In the lawsuit, Harvey contends that *Baby Reindeer* inaccurately portrays her as the character Martha, who is depicted in the series as a convicted stalker who harasses and threatens Gadd’s character. The show, based on Gadd’s stage play of the same name, follows Donny, an amateur comedian portrayed by Gadd, who endures years of harassment, including over 41,000 emails, 744 tweets, 100 pages of letters, and 350 hours of voicemails from Martha.
Harvey has claimed that the portrayal of Martha in the series bears a striking resemblance to her and insists that the depiction is not only defamatory but also factually incorrect. “I have no doubt that the character of ‘Martha’ in *Baby Reindeer* was intended to be a portrayal of me,” Harvey said in a statement provided to The Hollywood Reporter by her lawyer. “The problem for Richard Gadd and now for Netflix is that *Baby Reindeer* is not a true story at all. I am not a ‘convicted stalker.’ I have never been charged with any crime. Nobody ever approached me for comment on the accuracy of *Baby Reindeer* or the very serious and damaging allegation that I am a convicted criminal.”
In a 21-page legal declaration filed on Monday, Gadd addressed the claims made by Harvey. “I am a comedian, writer, and actor. I created, wrote, and starred in the Netflix series *Baby Reindeer*,” Gadd stated. He elaborated that while the series is inspired by his real-life experiences, it is not intended to be a documentary. “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,” Gadd explained.
Gadd detailed his interactions with Harvey, whom he met at The Hawley Arms pub in London in 2014. He described Harvey as being overly familiar and repeatedly showing up at the pub after memorizing his work schedule. Gadd recounted that Harvey became increasingly hostile over time, sending him numerous emails, voicemails, and letters containing explicit and threatening content. He reported her behavior to the police multiple times, stating that it significantly impacted his life and led him to avoid certain areas of London.
Harvey’s lawyer, Richard Roth, responded to Gadd’s declaration, criticizing both Netflix and Gadd. “I do believe that Netflix should be ashamed of itself,” Roth said in an interview. “There’s only one truth, but when Netflix says this is a true story, that’s rubbish. This isn’t a true story. And I think if Netflix is going to say this is a true story, then they have an obligation to make it a true story.” Roth further claimed that Netflix’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit contradicts itself by admitting that *Baby Reindeer* is not a true story.
Netflix has stated its intention to defend the case vigorously. “We intend to defend this matter vigorously and to stand by Richard Gadd’s right to tell his story,” a Netflix spokesperson said. The streaming giant remains committed to its position despite the ongoing legal dispute.
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As the case progresses, it will address whether *Baby Reindeer* misrepresented Harvey and if the series’ claims about her have caused sufficient harm to warrant the $170 million lawsuit.
