A Scottish woman has taken legal action against Netflix, claiming that she is the real-life inspiration behind the relentless stalker character in the streaming giant’s limited series, “Baby Reindeer.” Fiona Harvey, a Scottish attorney residing in England, filed the lawsuit on Thursday, alleging defamation and seeking at least $170 million in damages. Harvey contends that the character Martha, who plays a key role in the series, is unmistakably modeled after her.
“Baby Reindeer,” a British black comedy rooted in a one-man stage show by Richard Gadd, chronicles the experiences of a pub worker named Donny Dunn who becomes the target of intense and dangerous stalking by a customer named Martha. The show explores the increasingly disturbing behavior of Martha, who escalates from sending tens of thousands of emails to committing acts of physical violence and sexual assault against Dunn, eventually leading to her arrest and imprisonment. Harvey’s lawsuit contests these events, stating that none of the depicted occurrences actually happened.
According to the lawsuit, Netflix’s portrayal of Martha has led to severe and unfounded damage to Harvey’s reputation. “The lies that Defendants told about Harvey to over 50 million people worldwide include that Harvey is a twice-convicted stalker who was sentenced to five years in prison, and that Harvey sexually assaulted Gadd,” the lawsuit states. “Defendants told these lies, and never stopped, because it was a better story than the truth, and better stories made money.”
Additionally, the lawsuit emphasizes that Harvey has never stalked a police officer, a claim made within the series. Netflix has responded to the allegations with a firm stance, declaring, “We intend to defend this matter vigorously and to stand by Richard Gadd’s right to tell his story.” The lawsuit accuses Netflix of failing to verify the accuracy of the stalking, assault, and conviction claims, nor attempting to understand the actual nature of Harvey and Gadd’s relationship.
“Netflix and Gadd destroyed her reputation, her character, and her life,” asserts the lawsuit.
. Notably, Richard Gadd has not been named as a defendant in the case, and inquiries directed to his legal team for comments were not immediately answered.
“Baby Reindeer” premiered on Netflix in April, and within a month, Harvey publicly shared her story in an interview with journalist Piers Morgan. However, the lawsuit indicates that viewers and British media had already identified her well before her public appearance and had subjected her to incessant harassment.
One particularly striking aspect of the lawsuit is the claim that the character Martha shares an “uncanny resemblance” to Harvey. This includes similarities in accent, manner of speaking, and cadence, making them nearly indistinguishable. Moreover, the social media posts created by Martha in the show mirror real, searchable posts by Harvey, such as one where she mentions, “my curtains need hung badly,” which the series uses as a sexual euphemism.
The lawsuit accuses the show’s creators of fabricating the claim that “Baby Reindeer” is a true story. It labels this assertion as “the biggest lie in television history” and describes the defamation inflicted upon Harvey as being “at a magnitude and scale without precedent.”
Harvey is not only seeking financial compensation but also the entire profits generated by “Baby Reindeer.” She is demanding punitive and other damages that total at least $170 million.
Netflix’s willingness to vigorously defend its narrative, juxtaposed with Harvey’s quest for justice, sets the stage for what promises to be a high-stakes legal battle. The outcome of this lawsuit could have far-reaching implications for how true-to-life adaptations are handled by media giants like Netflix and their responsibility toward the individuals who inspire such stories. The spotlight will undoubtedly be on this case as it unfolds, watching closely to see if the streaming giant can uphold its artistic freedoms against the backdrop of potentially serious personal harm.
